The Expansion of the Roman Empire

The War with Veii played a significant role in the expansion of the Roman Empire. The war, which ended in 410 B.C., set in motion an entirely different Roman army. No longer was the army a volunteer militia, instead it became a paying and contractual organization. The “Roman victory brought an end to Rome’s most threatening neighbor and began its rise to prominence in the central Italian peninsula” (www.warandgameinfo.com).

Another sizeable contributing factor to the expansion of the Roman Empire was the sacking of Rome by the Gauls in 390 B.C.. “The Romans were completely dumbfounded by the wild and undisciplined charge of the howling Gauls. The Roman’s tightly packed phalanx, a military formation they had adopted from the Greeks of southern Italy, collapsed, and the Romans fled” (Kidner, 129). The sacking left the Romans determined to prevent and avoid any similar outcomes in the future.

After the conclusion of the Gauls sacking Rome, Rome became obsessed with the security of their empire and acutely aware of any and all potential threats. “Following the sack by the Gauls, the Romans were frightened by strong neighbors and sometimes made preemptive strikes against peoples they believed were becoming too powerful” (Kidner, 129). Rome became a walled city that would not let any foreign soldiers through its gates from the conclusion of the sacking in 390 B.C. until 410 A.D., earning it the nickname of the Eternal City. The Roman mantra of Lex Fetiale, which prohibited Rome from going to war unless under siege or asked for assistance, was suddenly much easier to justify than before.

The Romans would use Lex Fetiale to expand their empire through the method of incorporation. As Rome would expand, through perceived threat or re...

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...tablish the principate, where he established several legates to help govern the expanding empire. The system allowed the Emperor to remain in control, but also step away and allow others to take the lead if need be. Had Augustus not set this new form of government into play, Rome would have been torn apart several years before the fall of the Empire. His form of government proved strong enough to support the likes of Caligula and Tiberius, who was more concerned with his special interest museum than being Emperor.

Works Cited

Andrews, Stephen J. "Western Civ 1." History 1101-105. Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque. 2011. Lecture.

Kidner, Frank L. Making Europe: People, Politics and Culture. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.

"SIEGE OF VEII." War and Game. Web. 01 May 2011. .