Rome’s wars of expansion Rome is kept busy in the Greek East and elsewhere

Illyrian Wars were a set of conflicts of 229 BC, 219 BC and 168 BC when Rome overran the Illyrian settlements and suppressed the piracy that had made the Adriatic unsafe for Italian commerce. There were three campaigns, the first against Teuta, the second against Demetrius of Pharos and the third against Gentius. The initial campaign in 229 BC marks the first time that the Roman Navy crossed the Adriatic Sea to launch an invasion.

In the First Illyrian War, which lasted from 229 [ BC to 228 BC, Rome's concern with the trade routes running across the Adriatic Sea increased after the First Punic War, when many tribes of Illyria became united under one queen, Teuta. The death of a Roman envoy named Coruncanius on the orders of Teuta and the attack on trading vessels owned by Italian merchants under Rome's protection, prompted the Roman senate to dispatch a Roman army under the command of the consuls Lucius Postumius Albinus (consul 234 and 229 BC) and Gnaeus FulviusCentumalus.

Rome expelled Illyrian garrisons at the Greek cities Epidamnus, Apollonia, Korkyra, Pharos and others and established a protectorate over these Greek towns. The Romans also set up Demetrius of Pharos as a power in Illyria to counter-balance the power of Teuta

100AD

Rome’s crossing of the Adriatic to fight the Illyrians annoyed the Macedonians Jealous and suspicious of Rome’s new sphere of influence in the Adriatic Aetolian and Achaean confederacies happy with suppression of Illyrian piracy This gave Rome an “in” to the divided Greek world.

2 nd Illyrian War BCE Most of Greece has been united under Antigonus Doson, King of Macedonia Demetrius, who Rome had established in Pharos, has gone over to Macedonia, and attacked other clients of Rome Rome threatened with another “Carthaginian incident” jumped in and drove him to take refuge in Maecdonia. Subjects surrendered, and Rome took two fortresses, Pharos and Dimillos.

Rome has shown her clients the meaning of Patronage Rome chooses to maintain her protectorate in the area across the Adriatic from the “heel” of Italy. Phillip of Macedon is not happy, and makes plans to remove the Roman protectorate of Illyria

Meanwhile in the north of Italy… BCE Rome is busy in the north with the Cisalpine Gauls. The tribes from the Po valley had not fought with Rome for 50 years Now they were alarmed by the Roman allocation of land on their southern borders, the north of Italy

387 BCE Rome had been thrashed at Allia by Gauls from the Transalpine region. They had not forgotten In 225 this threat from the Po valley Gauls scared them as the Boii and the Insubres combined with Cisalpine Gauls from across the Alps and spread south They attacked Etruria and Rome took stock preparing to defend itself

Roman Resources According to Polybius: 700,000 infantry 70,000 Cavalry Rome put 2 consular legions onto the field about 100,000 men and two Gallic tribes from the north of the Po joined in with 20,000 more troops One army was stationed in Etruria One was sent to guard Sardinia One was sent to Ariminum

The Gauls skirted around one army and raided in Etruria They defeated the army that had been left to guard Etruria, and retreated north with their spoils The force from Ariminum chased them and the one from Sardinia cut them off from the north

The Romans annihilated them They won through sound tactics and good Generalship Italy was saved but the Romans were angry!! They took their armies north and attacked the lands of the Insubres and the Boii. In three tough campaigns they could not wipe them out

The Romans settled for subjugation The tribes were forced to pay tribute and lose part of their territory This set the Boii up to be allies of Hannibal So… with the exception of the Po valley and Liguria, by 219BC all of Italy south of the Alps came under Roman control. Then in 218 Hannibal crossed the Alps, to find most of the cisalpine Gauls were ready to revolt against Rome, if he could demonstrate that he could win….

Second Punic War Long, costly and bitter struggle Stretched Rome to the limit Final victory and indemnity to Rome Zama did not decide the war, It determined the peace terms Surrender of all territory outside Carthage Huge indemnity Hand over all but 10 ships, Elephants. No warmaking without Rome’s consent

Consequences of the Second Punic War Rome in control of the Mediterranean Drained her resources of men and treasure Reinforced her ideals of courage, self-sacrifice and devotion Proved the regular system of recruiting worked, except after Cannae, 8,000 slaves recruited Rome had borrowed money to finance the war Extra requests and taxes for the wealthy business class

Consequences con’t Scipio had to call on volunteers and donations to wage his African campaign Inflation in their economy Grain shortage due to ruined countryside Bought grain from Egypt at 3 times the price The rural population had moved to the cities Southern Italy almost desolate Southern cities fallen into decay

Consequences con’t Rome now has power in: Spain North Africa The western Mediterranean Northern Italy to the Alps Parts of the east across the Adriatic

Consequences con’t Changes to the rural population and growth of the Latifundia (great Estates) Decline of small farmers Increase of slavery provided labour Senatorial class could not own businesses, but could own farms Land available after Hannibal Land available due to system of military service, death, neglect of land during service.

Army consequences Change to generalship in Armies Not just one year tenure Proconsuls and propraetorships where officers of ability retained their command of the same armies This enabled better command Led to development of generals like Scipio and Marcellus

Rome has time to deal with Phillip Because Phillip sided with Carthage in the wars with Rome, Rome wanted payback Rome uses the fear of Antiochus III to unite smaller Greek states under their influence

Phillip V Rome’s wars with Hannibal had delayed their acting against Phillip Rome felt that Phillip could become a threat to them, he was geographically very close The alliance between Phillip and Antiochus meant that a larger power block was controlling much of the east 200 Rome sends an Army and tries to penetrate into Macedon, but this and subsequent attempts fail.

War with Phillip 198 Titus Flaminius arrives to help and the tide changes He garners the support of the Achaean confederacy and drives Phillip into Thessaly Temporary peace ensued with negotiations as Phillip realised he was on the back foot Next year war resumes in Thessaly

Rome wins with some help from the Aeotolians Mainly due to the superior flexibility of the Roman tactics Phillip fled to Macedon and sues for peace Flaminius saw Macedon as a buffer zone against the Celts of the lower Danube and denies the calls by the Aeotolians for Phillip’s destruction

Terms of Peace Evacuation of Macedonian possessions in Greece, the Illyricum, and the Aegean 1,000 talents Surrender of nearly all warships Autonomy in the region Soon after he became a Roman ally

196 Flamininus At Isthmian games Flamininus proclaimed complete autonomy of the peoples who had been subject to Macedonian control Rome was applying their same policy they had used in Messana, Saguntum and Illyria These Greeks states were now free but would be expected, by Rome to persue a foreign policy compatible with Rome