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The Roman Conquest of Central Italy
The Gallic invasion and sack of Rome encouraged her enemies to continue their
warfare against the powerful city of Rome, but the Aequi, Volsci, and Etruscans each attacked which ended with bitter defeat. Rome now seemed
to realize that if she were to continue to exist, she had to build herself into
a greater power. But there was still the great problem with her relationship
with the Latin tribes, who were allied with her, yet still tried to break loose
from her. After two years of conflict with her former allies, Rome overcame the
Latin tribes and incorporated them into the Roman state (338-336 BC), while at
the same time a close alliance was established with the Campanian peoples.
As time went on many problems developed over territory and the problems and
especially in central southern Italy with the Samnites, a strong, fierce Italic tribe. Rome lost many battles, but despite this they
carried on. The Samnites were rallying all of the enemies of Rome that they
could find, especially the Etruscans and the Gauls. The day soon came when they all met against Rome on the battlefield of
Sentinum in 295 BC and Rome cruished them, so all danger to Rome from this time
period was past, and she stood as the leading power in the Italian peninsula. The
Samnites were forced to become subject allies to Rome by 290 BC.
During the next 10 years, Rome went after the Gauls and defeated them. Rome
took a part of their territory, and meanwhile the many Etruscan cities with their allies were defeated and incorporated in the Roman state as
allies. Rome was now sitting as king of all central and northern Italy. Only
southern Italy still remained independent.
The History of Rome - Part One 743 - 136 B.C. © Bible History Online (http://www.bible-history.com) |