After setting up the Rome Republic, Rome started working to protect it by conquering its neighbors and entered into alliances with others that cooperated. Romans had a strong army grouped into legions that were made up of 5000 soldiers; this group was further subdivided into 60 to 120 troops 1 . Romans conquered Greek city-states by the end of 264 B.C; this brought them into contact with the Phoenician city of Carthage which controlled Spain, most parts of West Africa and North Africa and islands off the Italian coast.
Rome felt that Carthage was a threat to them and it led to the Punic wars; Romans and Carthage went into battle in the 264 B.C that lasted for 23 years. Romans won the first Punic War, and Carthage had to leave Sicily to make peace with them. The second Punic war started in 218 B.C; Carthaginians were led by General Hannibal and the war ended up with the Carthaginians losing again to the Romans. Carthaginians were forced to surrender all their territories to the Romans. This meant that Rome controlled Spain and the African territories controlled by Carthaginians 2 . Rome then took over Greek city in 146 B.C and all their allies that had refused to obey Roman Order Meaning that by then Rome controlled Macedonia, Syria and Greece; hence it was the superpower of the Mediterranean region.
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Expansion of Rome made the government less democratic, and many decisions were made without the consent of the assembly of people. Proconsular commanders were given more power 3 . Also, Rome conquest revolutionized the agricultural industry; initially farming was done on a small scale, but it was replaced by large estates referred to as latifundias. The purpose of agriculture was also restructured from production of wheat for food to sheep and cattle rearing for sale purposes. The wealthy Romans also began using slaves to work for them on their farms.
Bibliography
Forsythe, Gary. "The Beginnings of the Republic from 509 to 390 Bc." Mineo/A Companion to Livy A Companion to Livy , 2014, 314-26. doi:10.1002/9781118339015.ch24.
1 Forsythe, Gary. "The Beginnings of the Republic from 509 to 390 Bc." Mineo/A Companion to Livy A Companion to Livy , 2014, 314-26. doi:10.1002/9781118339015.ch24.
2 Forsythe, Gary. "The Beginnings of the Republic from 509 to 390 Bc." Mineo/A Companion to Livy A Companion to Livy , 2014, 314-26. doi:10.1002/9781118339015.ch24.
3 Forsythe, Gary. "The Beginnings of the Republic from 509 to 390 Bc." Mineo/A Companion to Livy A Companion to Livy , 2014, 314-26. doi:10.1002/9781118339015.ch24.
