Tag: Roman Empire

The Second Punic War, like the first falls into distinct stages. The Roman plan of attack was to invade Africa at once with the first army, and at least disorganize Carthaginian mobilization. The second army was sent to Massilia, in Hannibal should interfere with friends of Rome north of the Ebro. A...

When the Social War had broken out, Rome was fully occupied with its own affairs. Mithridates VI, king of Pontus, used Rome's preoccupation to invade the province of Asia. Half of the province of Achaea (Greece), Athens taking the lead, rose against its Roman rulers, supported by Mithridates.When Su...

Marius, Vatican Museums, Vatican City Marius was of humble beginnings, having been born near the town of Arpinum in Latium. First serving in Spain, Marius was essentially a military man. He did not hold any public office until he was voted to the position of Tribune of the People in 119 BC.In 115 BC...

Tiberius and his brother Gaius Gracchus were to be two men who should become famous, if not infamous, for their struggle for the lower classes of Rome.They themselves though originated from Rome's very elite. Their father was a consul and military commander and their mother was from the distinguishe...

The Battle of Zama in the summer of 202 BC marked the end of the power of the great Hannibal Barca.With its greatest son, also Carthage should be at a virtual end. True, it should limp on for some time, but with its defeat at the end of the Second Punic War it no longer was a significant power.Zama ...

After her defeat of Pyrrhus Rome was recognized as a major power in the Mediterranean, nothing makes this clearer than the opening of a permanent embassy of amity by the Macedonian king of Egypt in Rome in 273 BC. In 272 BC, the year of Pyrrhus'' death, the powerful Greek city of Tarentum in the so...

The Second Samnite War lasted twenty years and was not a defensive venture for Rome. At first the Roman arms were so successful that in 321 BC the Samnites sued for peace. But the terms offered were so stringent that they were rejected and the war went on. In the same year the two consuls, leading a...

In 55 BC Crassus had, during his consulship, in the aftermath of the conference at Luca, managed to secure himself the governorship of Syria. Phenomenally rich and renowned for greed, people saw this as yet another example of his appetite for money. The east was rich, and a governor of Syria could h...

YearNameNotes49 BC44 BCJulius CaesarDied March 14, 44 BC.Murdered by Gaius Cassius and Marcus Brutus.44 BC31 BCMarc Antony31 BC14 ADAugustus (Octavianus)Died August 19, 14 AD.14 AD37 ADTiberiusDied March 16, 37 AD.37 AD41 ADGaius Julius Caesar Germanicus (Caligula)Died January 24, 41 AD.Widely regar...

The Romans were a polytheistic people, and they worshipped many gods. However, they were also tolerant of other religions, and they allowed the Jews to practice their own religion. This was important for the development of Christianity, as it allowed Jesus to spread his message without fear of perse...

The Roman Empire in A.D. 69 was in a state of chaos. The previous emperor, Nero, had committed suicide in June of that year, and four different men had claimed the throne in the months that followed. The first to claim the throne was Galba, the governor of Hispania. He was proclaimed emperor by his ...

With Pompey about to return to Rome, no one knew what the conqueror of the east intended to do. Both Cicero and Caesar wanted his alliance. But Caesar knew how to wait and turn events in his favour. At present Crassus with his gold was more important then Pompey with his men. The money of Crassus en...