When Hasdrubal dies, Hannibal the youngest son of Hamilcar takes over. Hannibal uses his army to take over Seguntum. This is an independent act and not approved by the Carthaginian government. This surprises Rome that Carthage would do that. Rome sends an embassy and says its ok just give up the city and well backtrack no need for a problem.
But the Romans did not heed their allies. At least for a long time. When he finally did, and won a great victory against the Sequani, Caesar gave back the Aedui's independance. But the Aedui still felt hate toward the Romans and joined the Gallic coalition against Caesar. They fought a great battle against the Romans but lost with heavy causalities at the surrender of Vercingetorix at Alesia.
On the other hand, Maecenas took the role of making Augustus the sole figure as a leader to Rome with his inhibited propaganda as patron for some of the prominent writers of the time based on creating a perception of Augustus as a way ‘for the people’, rather than self ambition. The importance of Agrippa rose indistinguishably as being responsible for most of Octavian’s military triumphs. His role emerged during the ‘Sicilian conflict’ against Sextus Lepidus in 36 BC where after Octavian’s naval failure Agrippa engaged and destroyed the rebels fleet where Suetonius notes he “forced the enemy ships to sheer off “. Octavian’s opposition however, was marked most strongly by Mark Antony where coincidently it was again Agrippa whose military experience and instinct towered above Augustus, whom blockaded the ships of Antony and Cleopatra with a fleet under Octavian’s title. After the inauguration of Augustus of the first settlement, Agrippa’s militaristic conquests became
His victories throughout the Italian Peninsula, such as Trebbia, Trasimene, and Cannae demonstrate his skill and wit. However, he failed to fulfill his oath of destroying Rome largely due to reasons beyond his control. Firstly, the Carthaginian government’s failure to support Hannibal crushed him when he needed help most. Secondly, his father’s poor legacy to Hannibal contributed in his loss. Lastly, the Roman Republic was simply greater than Carthage, and was largely the reason Hannibal lost the Second Punic War.
By 46 B.C., through the military genius of Julius Caesar, Rome conquered most of the land surrounding the Mediterranean, which was most of the known world at that time. However, this expansion hurt Rome more than it helped Rome. The Romans had an ever changing government to meet the demands of a growing empire. At first Rome had harsh Etruscan kings, but they soon had enough of these cruel tyrants and eventually ran them out of Rome. In there place they created the Roman Republic, which was modeled after the Greek Democracy.
Caesar could not return to Rome because he would be prosecuted for his previous actions as consul. Instead of returning to Rome, Caesar led his army across the Rubicon River (the border of his province), which was automatic civil war as a governor could not leave his province. Pompey’s legions were in Spain at the time. Therefore Rome was left virtually unprotected, this made Caesar’s invasion a lot easier. Pompey and the senate retreated to Brundisium and then travelled east.
The Gracchi Brothers The Gracchi were two brothers who felt that the Roman Republic was treating its citizens poorly, and sought election in an effort to enact legislation that would broaden the franchise and protect the plebeians from debt, slavery and other social threats. Both were killed by their conservative political opponents. While Roman class and social affairs had for centuries consisted of machinations by various individuals to get their way, the activities of the Gracchi completely altered the state of Roman politics. The Gracchi brothers had the interests of Rome at heart, instead of their own, which wasn’t a common attitude amongst the other senators. The reforms the Gracchi tried to pass were long over-due and their programs
In 58BC the Helvetii tribe of Eastern Gaul began to encroach on the lands of the Aedui, Ambarri and Allobroges tribes. These tribes were unable to oppose the Helvetii themselves and asked the Romans to intervene. The Romans agreed and ambushed the Helvetii as they were crossing the river Saone, taking out a quarter of their forces. The Roman army continued on pursuing the remainder of the Helvetii, culminating in the Battle of Bibracte. The Romans won out forcing a surrender and rather than murdering the survivors, they sent them back to their territory to act as a buffer against other possible threats.
These reforms held great significance within the Roman world as they signalled the beginning of the downfall of the Roman Republic. Marius gave confidence to the people and reduced the stronghold of the nobles on political issues. It was during this succession of Marius’ consulships in 104-101 that he began to introduce his military reforms. His first reform involved recruitment. He changed the recruitment laws to open up his legions to the unemployed or those labourers that did not own land.
Although the senators succeeded in ending Caesar's life, they did not realize at that time that the Republic had died with him. Rome would now become an empire. There were five main figures this process brought to the forefront of Roman politics and who in turn perpetuated the cycle, allowing the rise of the next figure: Tiberius Gracchus, Gaius Gracchus, Marius, Sulla, and Julius Caesar. In 133 B.C.E., Tiberius Gracchus became tribune. He saw that many of Rome's troubles revolved around the decline of the free peasantry who were flocking into the cities.