In front of Rome, by cons, Carthage, Phoenician city docked with the African soil is a merchant city. Both are aristocratic republics and have a common enemy the Greeks: the first had to fight to extend its dominance in the South of Italy, the second to gain a foothold in western Sicily. The two powers have a good relationship: they regularly sign trade treaties. However, after 265 BC, Capua mercenaries, the Marmetins officially dependent on Rome but acting on their own account, seized Messina, Sicily. Threatened by the combined forces of the Carthaginians - or Punic - and Hérion II, king of Syracuse, they call for help from the Romans. They hesitate, and eventually respond to this call and intervene in Sicily: This event triggers the first Punic War. Hiero to Roman intervention, very quickly turn around and comes to terms with Rome. From the beginning, the maritime inferiority of Rome is obvious. Unable to compete with the Carthaginians for the ability to ram ships, the Romans the idea of transforming the naval combat in ground combat, by the collision, using grappling hooks and mobile masts, the crows. Through this scheme, Rome wins Myles in 260 BC, and may adorn his spurs forum vessels taken from the enemy. She soon feels strong enough, from 256 before our era, to land on the African coast 15,000 soldiers, led by the consul Regulus. But shipping is destroyed in 255 BC by the Spartan Xanthippe mercenaries in the service of Carthage; taken prisoner, Regulus died in agony, eyes cut out. However, the war continues in Sicily powerless to seize the strongholds Punic, Romans are even arrested on Mount Eryx and suffer a crushing naval defeat of Drepanum in 246 BC Then, finally, tenacity, coupled with their superiority in men, bearing fruit while Hamilcar Barca, the Carthaginian general, is kept in check on the ground, the Carthaginian fleet suffered a disaster of Aegates islands in 241 BC Carthage have to pay a heavy price, and Sicily except Syracuse , became the first Roman province. Suffering and resentment are now accumulated in Rome and Carthage enemies hereditary Hamilcar requires his son Hannibal the Carthaginian promise to avenge the defeat. However, war damage incurred in the Carthaginian budget so that the city is unable to pay the mercenaries recruited for war. They rebelled, raising them with farmers Numidians and spreading terror in the African hinterland of Carthage. Their revolt was suppressed, not without difficulty: they die, literally crushed by a load of elephants. Then, as the excellent health of its economy allows soon to Carthage to recover, the Romans call it a new tribute and commit an act of diplomatic piracy: they annexed Sardinia, land of old Punic influence. Carthage must recognize that annexation by a new treaty and sees increasing its war indemnity. But the Carthaginians, led by Hamilcar Barca and his son Hannibal, was successfully launched, from 237 BC to the conquest of Spain: Hamilcar implants in the southern half of the country and, to 227 BC, the New Carthage Cartagena is based. General Punic administers this new territory with the help of his powerful clan, the Barcids. Nevertheless, the Carthaginian expansion in Spain causes, in Roman eyes, a casus belli, a case of war against the attack of Hannibal Sagunto, quoted ally of Rome in 219 BC marks the beginning of the Second Punic War. Because, after taking Saguntum Hannibal went quickly from Spain to Italy with 80,000 men, crossed the Alps where it loses half its elephants, and attack the Romans. Several battles are necessary to successfully crush the 240,000 men of the Roman army in 218 BC, the Ticino and Trebia in 217 before our era to Lake Trasimeno and Cannes in the province of Apulia , in 216 BC at that time, Rome has no more army and its allies have for the most part, all deserted. Hannibals troops, exhausted by three years of uninterrupted fighting, can finally enjoy the delights of Capua. But Rome, absurdly stubborn, refuses to admit defeat Fabius Cuncactor gathers debris from the army; with old reservists and recruits with the last loyal and willing slaves allies, 216 to 212, he harasses the Carthaginians, waiting in vain for the arrival of reinforcements. Hannibal, deciding Philip V of Macedon to declare war on Rome certainly is a success, more diplomatic than military; but the Roman mastery of the seas - the Roman fleet escaped the disaster - and the army of Scipio operating in Spain prohibit Carthage to send aid to Hannibal. In 211 BC, Hasdrubal Barca finally imposes defeat the troops of the two Scipios; then he tries to rescue his brother Hannibal, but his army was annihilated on Metaurus in 207 before our era. The following year, an overall of 19, Scipio, the future African, pushing the Carthaginians out of Spain, agrees with the Roman because the native chiefs of Spain Punic and those in Africa, where he lands in 204 BC the army of Hannibal, recalled from Italy to defend Carthage, faces in 202 BC that Scipio in a final battle at Zama. Winner, the young hero, takes the nickname of African; defeated Hannibal was exiled and died without seeing his homeland. Carthage must deliver his elephants and his fleet, and is crushed under enormous war reparations again. She also can not now declare war without the approval of Rome, or to have allies, and it must acknowledge Masinissa as king of Numidia. Rome wins a new province, Spain, and became the first power in the western Mediterranean, but it is bloodless and destabilized. Indeed, a large part of Italy is devastated, many lands are returned to the wasteland and casualties are very heavy. The social consequences are no less important: financial abundance due to loot causes multiplication businessmen while the senatorial nobility strengthens his power by charging the responsibility of the first setback to leaders of democratic movement. The most decisive factor is the appearance of prestigious generals, Scipio such that transcend traditional politics. At the end of the third century BC, however, Rome has gradually won by the Greek and Oriental influences. In 204 BC, in fact, is deposited with great pomp on the Palatine black betyl of Pessinus sacred stone of the cult of Cybele, the Great Mother. The Phrygian worship thus receives Freedom of the City side of the traditional religion. It was also at this time that the Romans discovered a new type of show: gladiator fights. Sport violent and cruel, it gets faster public favor.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 10:00:37 +0000
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