Ancient Rome: Expansion and
Conquest
Warm-Up
1. Make sure your Socratic Seminar Handout
and Greece Test are glued into your
notebook.
2. Exchange your notebook with a neighbor in
your group.
3. Create a cover and table of contents for
Ancient Rome.
Discussion Questions
• Essential Question – How was Rome able to go
from a small town to a huge empire?
• 1. How did an army of amateurs become one
of the worlds greatest fighting forces? What
made them so unique?
• 2. What led to the rivalry between Carthage
and Rome?
• 3. What drives Scipio and Hannibal?
1. At the height of its power 2,000 years ago, Rome ruled a vast area.
2. Roman lands surrounded the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
3. To the north in Europe, Rome governed territories that now are
the Balkans, Austria, some of Germany, all of France, Belgium, and
much of Britain.
4. Yet Rome, much as ancient Greece, rose from humble beginnings.
5. About 750 BCE, some bands of people settled in several villages
that grew together on the banks of the Tiber River, that formed
Rome.
6. Rome became the city that eventually built the Roman Empire.
Discussion Questions
•
Essential Question – How was Rome
able to go from a small town to a
huge empire?
•
– As Rome began to grow and take over
on the Italian Peninsula, it came into
contact with Carthage. Carthage was
afraid that Rome would attempt to take
land away from Carthage.
– The powerful Roman army defeated
one enemy after another – taking over
the newly conquered lands.
•
1. How did an army of amateurs
become one of the worlds greatest
fighting forces? What made them so
unique?
–
–
–
–
–
Soldiers were trained in the use of
slings, javelins, spears, and swords
(which they stole from enemies).
These forces were divided into legions,
army units of 6,000 men each.
The legions were divided into smaller
units that could be moved easily - and
swiftly took over enemy troops.
Well trained, armed, fed, rested.
Retreat was not any option
2. What led to the rivalry between
Carthage and Rome?
•
3. What drives Scipio and Hannibal?
– Both seek revenge.
– Scipio wanted revenge for Hannibal
invading Rome and waging war.
– Hannibal wanted revenge for seeing his
father and Carthage lose the First Punic
War.
Independent Practice
• Was Rome justifiable in how they
gained an empire?
–Provide a minimum of three
examples to support your
thesis.