Punic Wars Essay

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The Punic Wars: Long-Term Changes to the New Roman Empire The Punic Wars saw a number of important changes to the Roman Republic. These changes had both immediate and long-term effects that transform the Roman Republic into the powerful Roman Empire. The most obvious of these was the major expansion throughout the Mediterranean Sea during the Punic Wars. This growth therefore aided many social, cultural and political changes that allowed the Roman Empire to hold its immense power until the 5th century AD. Key changes include a shift in political guidance and wealth, the peasant community was altered and many began moving to the cities to look for work and food and Greek culture spread throughout the newly acquired provinces. From all…show more content…
When this all ended, prices on good went up causing a grain shortage. To try and stop this, Rome became split between the populares and the optimates. Populares gained the support of the people while the optimates wanted to save the Republic and keep power in the Senate (129). This split created Civil Wars in Rome in 123 to 46 BC. The confrontation arose with the question of how to protect the people from those desiring power. Julius Caesar achieved victory and took up the task of how to govern the Republic but he could not solve that issue. He was therefore called himself “Dictator for life”. With power shifting from the Senate and a system of checks-and-balances to a system ruled by a single dictator, the old Republic was slowly changing. People became upset with the self-proclaimed dictator and ultimately murdered Julius Caesar. The republican form of government so carefully forged during the Struggle of the Orders crumbled under the stress of civil wars and murder (133). The Roman Empire, therefore, began. The Punic Wars is the most important war because of the changes that occurred causing the Roman Republic to fall and the Roman Empire to endure. The Wars created the largest empire in the world reaching from Europe all the way to Asia and parts of Africa. They caused major societal changes and influenced the Hellenization of Rome. The Roman Empire
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