Roman Expansion
Punic Wars
Objectives
• Describe why Rome’s expansion in Italy was
successful.
• Explain how Rome won an empire.
Key Terms
• Legion
• Punic Wars
Key People/Peoples
• Carthage
• Hannibal
Roman Expansion
• With a partner, list the factors that helped
Rome become a military power.
• You will have 3 minutes to complete this
challenge.
Roman Expansion
1. Toughness in character and a genius for
warfare and diplomacy.
2. Knew how to win battles and how to gain
allies through lenient treatment of defeated
enemies.
3. Roman farmers made an excellent soldier.
1. Strong enough to carry 60 pounds and march 30
miles in a day.
Roman Expansion
1. Strength of army lay in its superior discipline
and organization.
2. Adopted improved phalanx fighting style.
3. Basic army unit – Legion.
1. ***3 to 6 thousand foot soldiers and 100 or
more cavalry.
Roman Expansion
1. Allies helped Rome conqueror all of Italy.
1. Rome made allies of some former enemies by giving
them protection, Roman citizenship, and selfgovernment.
2. In return Rome gained new foreign soldiers.
3. More than half of Rome’s army was made up of
allies.
Punic Wars
• Who fought during the
Punic Wars?
Rome vs. Carthage
First Punic War – 264-241 B.C.
• Rome – stronger army
• Carthage - Stronger navy
• ***Fighting for control of
Italy and surrounding
islands
• Rome built a navy and
won battles on land and
sea.
• Carthage surrendered in
241 B.C. and gave Sicily to
Rome.
Carthage gives Sicily to Rome upon
surrendering.
Second Punic War 218-202 B.C.
• Hannibal’s invasion of
Italy.
• In 218 Hannibal invaded
northern Italy.
• He crossed the Alps and
attacked with an army
and a secret weapon.
• What was the secret
weapon?
• Elephants
Second Punic War 218-202 B.C.
• Battle of Cannae
• – 216 B.C.
• Hannibal faked a retreat
and killed or captured
50,000 Romans.
• Rome feared Hannibal
would attack Rome.
Second Punic War 218-202 B.C.
• Scipio’s invasion of North
Africa.
• Scipio attacked Spain,
preventing Carthage from
sending help to Hannibal.
• In 204 B.C. Scipio invaded
North Africa.
• Battle of Zama – 202 B.C.
Scipio defeated Hannibal.
Ends War.
• Carthage gave more land to
Rome for the peace treaty.
Third Punic War – 146 B.C.
• In 146 B.C. Rome
attacked Carthage.
• Burned Carthage to the
ground and sold
survivors into slavery.
• Poisoned the ground
with salt so nothing
could grow.
Roman Conquest of the
Mediterranean
• With a partner, discuss what the effect of the
defeat of Carthage by Rome had on the rest of
the Mediterranean World.
• You will have 3 minutes to complete this
assignment.
Roman Conquest of the
Mediterranean
• 196 B.C. Rome defeated Macedonians and
took over as “Protector” of the Greek citystates in Asia Minor.
• By 133 B.C. Rome extended its rule over the
entire Mediterranean.
Objectives
• Describe why Rome’s expansion in Italy was
successful.
– People in Italy were grateful to have the
protection of the Roman empire.
• Explain how Rome won an empire.
– Conquered many lands and gave the people
rights.
Key Terms
• Legion
– Roman army
• Punic Wars
– Wars between Carthage and Rome
Key People/Peoples
• Carthage
– Rome fought them in the Punic Wars / colony in
Northern Africa
• Hannibal
– Carthagian general / defeated Romans at Cannae
Roman Expansion
Punic Wars