CONQUEST OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
Oct 21, 2015
1. Carthage Background: city of Carthage
Colony of Phoenicia
Alliance with Rome in Sicily (280 B.C.) during war with Pyrrhus
Mutual suspicion
2. Mamertine Incident (265 B.C.) Messana in Sicily occupied by the
Mamertines Blockade of Messana by Syracuse Mamertine appeal Carthaginian alliance with Syracuse Carthaginians and Syracusans defeated
by Romans
4. Roman Invasion of North Africa (256 B.C.)
Attempt at invasion of Carthage Initial defeat of Carthaginians Spartan Xanthippus: Mercenary hired to
run Carthaginian army Roman defeat
5. The War in Sicily: Phase 2
(255-241 B.C.) Hamilcar Barca (247 B.C.): new
Carthaginian commander Harrassment of Romans in Sicily and
Italy Roman blockade of Lilybaeum and
Drepanum in Sicily (242 B.C.) Carthaginian surrender (241 B.C.)
6. Peace and Its Consequences Surrender of Carthaginians
Loss of Sicily and Lipari Islands Indemnity
Consequences Loss of dominance in W. Mediterranean
Revolts of mercenary troops against Carthage on Sardinia and Corsica
Loss of Sardinia and Corsica A dditional indemnity to Rome
1. Illyrian Wars (229-219 B.C.) Roman suppression of piracy of Illyrians Illyria as “client state” of Rome Alliance of Demeterius of Pharos (Illyrian) with
Macedonians (219 B.C.) Roman retaliation and flight of Demetrius to
Macedonia
2. Gallic War (225-222 B.C.) 226 B.C.: Gallic invasion of N. Italy Extension of Roman Italy to Alps
(225-220 B.C.)
1. Carthaginian Expansion in Spain
Carthage in need of new resources: Spain Hamilcar, Hasdrubal, Hannibal
Livy on Hannibal: Mellor 185-187 Massilia (Gk state): appeal to Romans re
Carthaginians Treaty between Carthage and Rome
Ebro River as boundary Saguntum: alliance with Rome
Attack by Hannibal and crossing of Ebro River (219 B.C.)
2. Rome on the Defensive (218-215 B.C.)
Hannibal’s crossing of Alps (218 B.C.) and recruitment of Gallic allies
Livy on Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps (Mellor 195-200)
Hannibal’s crossing of Apennines into Etruria (217 B.C.) and attempted recruitment of Italic allies
216 B.C.: Battle of Cannae Livy on Battle of Cannae (Mellor 205-210)
New tactics of Romans: scorched earth
4. Roman Victory (204-202 B.C.) P. Cornelius Scipio (Scipio Africanus) to
Africa in 204 B.C. Truce (203 B.C.) and breakdown
Battle of Zama: 202 B.C. Terms of surrender
Give up all territory except Carthage itself Disband navy Pay indemnity No war without consent of Rome
4. Aftermath Pacification of N. Italy and Spain Provinces of Hither and Farther
Spain (Hispania Citerior and Ulterior)
Cato the Elder Carthago delenda est! (Carthage
must be destroyed!)
D. Third Punic War (149-146 B.C.)
Masinissa, king of Numidia, client king of Rome, attacks Carthage (149 B.C.)
Appeals to Rome Roman siege of Carthage (148-146 B.C.) 146 B.C.: final destruction of Carthage Creation of Roman province of Africa
Proconsularis Was war necessary? Justifiable?
A. Introduction Death of Alexander the Great (323 B.C.) E. Mediterranean dominated by 3 great
Hellenistic powers: Antigonids (Greece and Asia Minor) Seleucids (Asia) Ptolemies (Egypt)
Several minor Hellenistic powers Aetolian and Achaean League in Greece Kingdom of Pergamon in Asia Minor Republic of Rhodes in Aegean
1. First Macedonian War (214-205 B.C.)
219 B.C.: flight of Demetrius of Pharos to Macedonia after revolt vs. Romans in Illyria
216 B.C.: made alliance with Philip V of Macedonia (Antigonid)
Alliance of Philip with Hannibal after Battle of Cannae
214 B.C.: War of Romans, Aetolians, Pergamenes against Philip V
205 B.C.: Philip’s treaty with Aetolians and Pergamenes
Access to Adriatic coast Loss of leadership in Greece
2. Second Macedonian War (200-196 B.C.)
201 B.C.: Pergamenes and Rhodians appeal to Rome for help vs. Philip
200 B.C. Roman alliance with Achaean League, Pergamum, Rhodes, and Athens vs. Philip
198 B.C.: Titus Quinctius Flamininus : new Roman commander
197 B.C.: Battle of Cynoscephelae maniple (Roman legion) vs. phalanx (Macedonian army)
Surrender of Philip (196 B.C.) Recognized autonomy of all Greek city states Evacuated troops from Greece outside of
Macedonia Surrendered Macedonian navy Paid indemnity Status as client king
3. Proclamation of Flamininus (196 B.C.)
Proclamation of freedom of Greece by Flamininus at Isthmian Games (S. Greece)
Livy on proclamation (Mellor 231-233)
Different ideas of “freedom”: Greece as “client state”
1. Causes of the War 198 B.C.: Antiochus III (Seleucid) adds
to territory Lower Syria from Ptolemies Territory in Asia Minor and Thrace from Antigonids
194 B.C.: alliance of Antiochus with Aetolian League
2. War in Greece (192-191 B.C.) 192 B.C.: Attack by Aetolians on
Rome’s allied states in Greece; invitation to Antiochus
191 B.C.: Defeat of Antiochus and Aetolians in Battle of Thermopylae
3. War in Asia Minor (190-188 B.C.)
190 B.C.: Battle of Magnesia and defeat of Antiochus
Terms of treaty Surrender substantial amount of territory in Asia
Minor Hand over most of navy and all war elephants Pay indemnity Astain from attacking allies of Rome
4. Subjugation of the Aetolians (189 B.C.)
191 B.C.: Aetolian refusal to surrender after Battle of Thermopylae
189 B.C.: Treaty between Aetolia and Rome Aetolia as client state
1. Causes of the War Greek city-states (esp. in Achaean League):
unhappy about Roman interference in affairs Philip V of Macedon: bitter over settlement
with Aetolians Perseus of Macedon (successor to Philip):
negotiations with anti-Roman elements in Greece
2. Roman Attack on Perseus 172 B.C: Roman delegation to Perseus 171 B.C.: Roman army in Greece 167 B.C.: Battle of Pydna (L. Aemilius
Paulus)
3. Roman Settlement in the East New regime in East
Dismantiling of Macedonian territory into 4 republics Royal lands and treasury property of Roman state
1,000 hostages from Achaean League (Polybius)
Sack of Epirus (167 B.C.) Enormous wealth: afterwards, no taxes for Roman
citizens
1. Fourth Macedonian War (149-148 B.C.)
Andriscus seizes power in Macedonia (149 B.C.)
Crushed by Roman army at Pydna (148 B.C.)
Macedonia annexed as Roman province
2. War with the Achaeans (147-146 B.C.) 149 B.C.: Anti-Roman faction took
control of Achaean League Attack on Sparta and Sparta’s appeal to
Rome 147 B.C.: war between Romans and
Achaeans Battle of Leucopetra
146 B.C.: L. Mummius as Roman commander Sack of Corinth: 146 B.C.
1. Settlement of Greece Achaean League dissolved Greek cities entered into individual
relations with Rome: allies or subjects Greece placed under the supervision of
Roman governor of Macedonia.
2. Province of Asia 133 B.C.: Attalus III of Pergamon willed his
kingdom to Rome New Roman province of Asia Romans: masters of much of Mediterranean