Lecture 5

1. LECTURE 5. THE IMPERIAL
EXPANSION OF ROME

2. THE POMPEI MOSAIC: “THE WORLD
POURED THEMSELVES ON ROME”

3. THE 12 TABLETS OF LAWS: ROME, THE
RULE OF LAW, & ‘CIVILISATION’

4. “ IN MY OPINION CARTHAGE MUST
BE DESTROYED” (CATO THE ELDER.
SENATOR OF ROME 201 BC)

5. THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: THE
CRUCIBLE OF ROME/ CARTHAGE
RIVALRY
• CARTHAGE CONTROLLED THE SEA FOR OVER 200
YEARS, ITS TRADE ROUTES AND MAIN PORTS.
• FLEETS OF WARSHIPS & TRADING SHIPS
CREWED BY WELL-DRILLED CITIZENS.
• WEALTH DERIVED FROM TRADE: GOLD, IVORY,
BRONZE, POTTERY, GRAIN, SPICES, PERFUMES &
DYES.
• WEAKNESS WAS ITS ARMY’S RELIANCE ON
MERCENARIES FROM GAUL, SPAIN, LIBYA,
GREECE & ITALY.

6. THE CARTHAGINIAN EMPIRE

7. 120 ROMAN MARINES ON EACH SHIP
USE CORVUS (CROW) TO OVERCOME
CARTHAGINIAN SHIPS

8. HOW THE NEW ROMAN NAVY
OVERCAME CARTHAGINIAN NAVY
• A CARTHAGINIAN WARSHIP WAS CAPTURED, MINUTELY STUDIED, &
METICULOUSLY COPIED IN BUILDING 100 MASSIVE QUINQUIREMES (5
OAR BANKS) & 20 TRIREMES.
• CORVUS. A BOARDING RAMP 40 FEET LONG WITH HEAVY SPIKE ON END,
SWIVELLED ON A POLE. LOCKED SHIPS TOGETHER ALLOWING 120
MARINE LEGIONARIES TO BOARD & OVERCOME ENEMY VESSEL.
• ROME ABLE TO ABSORB HEAVY LOSSES MOSTLY DUE TO INEXPERIENCED
SHIP MASTERS.
• ROME INVENTED DISCIPLINED & PLANNED AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE &
LANDING INVASION FORCES & HOLDING TERRITORY ON INVASION
GROUNDS.
• CARTHAGE LOST 14 YEAR, 1ST PUNIC WAR: LOST MOST OF ITS SHIPS, &
ITS MERCENARY ARMY MUTINIED WHEN IT WAS NOT PAID
• BOTH SIDES SUFFERED HEAVY LOSSES ON LAND & SEA.
• ROME ACQUIRED SARDINIA & CORSICA FROM CARTHAGINIA.

9. THE 2ND PUNIC WAR.237 BC & THE
MIGHTY HANNIBAL BARCA

10. HANNIBAL’S CAMPAIGN AGAINST
ROME: 90,000 INFANTRY + 17,000
CAVALRY & CROSSES ALPS

11. HANNIBAL’S DESTRUCTION OF
ROME’S ARMIES (1) TRASIMENE

12. HANNIBAL’S DESTRUCTION OF
ROME’S ARMIES (2) GERONIUM
• THE SENATE OF ROME PANICKED. APPOINTED 2 RIVAL SENATORS TO
COMMAND.
• FABIUS MAXIMUS (GIVEN DEROGATORY NAME OF “DELAYER” BY RIVALS
USED TO BIG VICTORIES) INVENTED GUERILLA WAR AGAINST
HANNIBAL’S LONG LOGISTIC LINES & “SCORCHED EARTH” SO HE COULD
NOT FEED HIS ARMY.
• RIVAL MINUSCIUS CALLED FABIUS A COWARD & RUSHED TO MEET
HANNIBAL AT GERONIUM (MOUNTAIN REGION OF MOLISE) & CAUGHT
HANNIBAL IN WINTER QUARTERS & INFLICTED HEAVY LOSSES.
• SENATE HAILED HIM HERO & GAVE HIM HALF THE ROMAN ARMY.
• NOW 3 CAMPS AT GERONIUM: HANNIBAL; ROMAN LEGIONS UNDER
FABIUS; ROMAN LEGIONS UNDER MINISCIUS IN FLAT TREELESS PLATEAU.
• HANNIBAL PLACED 6000 TROOPS IN A HOLLOW, MINISCIUS ATTACK
ACROSS THIS GROUND, WAS SURROUNDED & CUT TO PIECES.
• SURVIVORS FLED TO FABIUS’ COMMAND WHO BROKE OFF
ENGAGEMENT & TOOK ARMY INTO WINTER QUARTERS FOR 217 BC

13. HANNIBAL’S DESTRUCTION OF
ROME’S ARMIES (3): CANNAE (70,000
KILLED & 10,000 ENSLAVED)

14. PUBLIUS CORNELIUS SCIPIO
AFRICANUS INVADES CARTHAGE:
BATTLE OF UTICA: 203 BC

15. SCIPIO AFRICANUS vs. HANNIBAL
BATTLE OF ZAMA. 202 BC.

16. ZAMA: DESPITE 82 WAR ELEPHANTS
HANNIBAL LOST: 20,000 DEAD, &
20,000 CAPTURED

17. 3RD PUNIC WAR (149-146 BC):
CARTHAGE OBLITERATED. 50,000
MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN ENSLAVED

18. ROME vs. MACEDON IN 4 WARS 214 –
148 BC.

19. FROM 70 BC EASTWARD THRUST OF
ROME MET PARTHIAN RULERS OF
PERSIA. AGREED BORDER

20. 31 BC: EGYPT BECOMES PROVINCE OF
ROME AFTER DEFEAT OF CLEOPATRA
AT BATTLE OF ACTIUM

21. JULIUS CAESAR

22. HISPANIA ULTERIOR DURING JULIUS
CAESAR’S GOVERNORSHIP. 62 BC.
MILITARY GENIUS vs. IBERIAN TRIBES

23. BATTLE STANDARD OF LEGIO IX
HISPANA. CAESAR TOOK THIS UNIT
PLUS LEGIOS VII, VIII, X TO GAUL

24. CAESAR’S CAMPAIGNS IN GAUL.
58 BC – 50 BC

25. GALLIC WARFIGHTING: THE CHARGE
AT ROMAN BATTLE LINES

26. ROMAN WARFIGHTING: ROMAN
FORMATIONS THAT MET GALLIC
CHARGES

27. VERCINGETORIX, KING OF THE GAULS:
CAESAR’S CHIEF OPPONENT IN GAUL

28. RUINS OF GALLIC FORTRESS OF
ALESIA,BURGUNDY, VERCINGETORIX’S
LAST STAND

29. CAESAR’S SIEGE OF ALESIA 52 BC

30. THE SURRENDER OF KING
VERCINGETORIX TO JULIUS CAESAR

31. CAESAR’S GENOCIDE IN GAUL &
GERMAN CELTIC TRIBES
BY ANY STANDARDS CAESAR’S MILITARY
EXPEDITIONARY FORCE & THE SLAVE MERCHANTS
WHO FOLLOWED IT COMMITTED A GENOCIDE.
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN: 655,000 KILLED
MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN: 400,000 ENSLAVED
“ …FROM THAT TIME (GALLIC SACK OF ROME IN 390 BC)
THE ROMANS HAVE BEEN KILLING THEM & ROUTING
THEM LIKE TERRIFIED ANIMALS, & MORE TRIUMPHS,
PROBABLY, HAVE BEEN CELEBRATED OVER THE GAULS
THAN OVER ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD.”
(LIVY, THE HISTORIAN)