4.2: Expansion of the Roman Republic

The Time of Greeks and Romans
4.2: Expansion of the Roman Republic
This lesson replaces lesson 4.2 in yout textbook!!
1 / 52
next
Slide 1: Slide
HistoryMiddelbare schoolvwoLeerjaar 1

This lesson contains 52 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 1 video.

time-iconLesson duration is: 45 min

Items in this lesson

The Time of Greeks and Romans
4.2: Expansion of the Roman Republic
This lesson replaces lesson 4.2 in yout textbook!!

Slide 1 - Slide

Slide 2 - Slide

What you will learn in 
this lesson
  • What were the Punic Wars?
  • Who was Hannibal?
  • How did Hannibal almost destroy Rome? 
  • How was Hannibal defeated?
  • What were the consequences of the Punic Wars?
  • Why and how did the Roman army change?

Slide 3 - Slide

Word Duty






expansion: getting bigger, larger
Punic Wars: three wars that were fought between Rome and Carthage
empire: when a country conquers other lands the country and its new territories are called an empire.
superpower: a very strong and powerful country
booty; valuable stolen goods, especially those seized in war.
legion: a Roman military unit that was made up of 5,000 soldiers who were called legionaries.














KEY WORDS

Slide 4 - Slide

people in this lesson
Hannibal
general
Carthage
Marius
consul / general
Rome
Scipio 
consul / general
Rome

Slide 5 - Slide

Important dates in this lesson:



264 - 241 BC:   First Punic War

219 - 202 BC:   Second Punic War

149 - 146 BC:   Third Punic War

100 BC: Marius reforms the Roman army 

Slide 6 - Slide

Before you start with the lesson....
I have added sound files to the texts in these
last couple of lessons.

But do you actually need and use them?
A
I don't need them and I don't use them
B
I don't need them but I use them anyway
C
I use them because they help me understand the texts better.
D
I need them but I just don't use them.

Slide 7 - Quiz

Previous Lesson

Slide 8 - Mind map

Once the Romans had taken over the whole of Italy, they did not stop their expansion. This map shows you how the Roman empire grew bigger and bigger until it surrounded the Mediterranean Sea. How did the Romans become so powerful?

Slide 9 - Slide

Listen to the tekst
We wil listen to it twice
Write down important information

Slide 10 - Slide

Expansion during the Republic

Rome was a republic from 509 - 27 BC, so roughly five centuries. During this period Rome grew from an Italian city state to an empire.

The Roman republic kept conquering land and by 265 BC, it controlled Southern Italy, which was made up of Greek city-states. With this power Roman trade also grew. To trade, the Romans needed access to the seaports, but that would not be easy. Another powerful empire was in their way: Carthage. The city Carthage was in modern day Tunisia. The Carthaginians ruled lands in Northern Africa, Spain and Sicily. They had a far stronger navy than the Romans and were willing to fight over Southern Italy and trade.


Reconstruction image of ancient Carthage and its harbour as it appeared before Roman conquest - situated in modern day Tunisia

Slide 11 - Slide

Important information from the text

Slide 12 - Open question

1. Look at the map. Which three islands off the coast of Italy were conquered by Carthage?

Slide 13 - Open question

2. Use internet to find the answer to this question:
Where does the name "Punic" Wars come from?

Slide 14 - Open question

3a. In which modern country was the city of Carthage located?
A
Tunisia
B
Egypt
C
Algeria
D
Libya

Slide 15 - Quiz

Listen to the text
We wil listen to it twice (2x)
Write down what you think is important
Then we wil answer questions about the text

Slide 16 - Slide

The Punic Wars

The first war with Carthage, or the first Punic War (264-241 BC), was fought over Sicily. Rome defeated Carthage after 23 years. Carthage was able to recover. They started the second Punic war in 218 BC.

The brilliant Carthaginian general Hannibal surprised the Romans by leading an army (including 60 war elephants!) across the Alps into Italy.
Hannibal won battles at lake Trasimeno (217 BC) and Cannae (216 BC). This terrified the Romans because they expected him to attack Rome next.

Modern reconstruction drawing of the Carthaginian army crossing the Alps with elephants

Slide 17 - Slide

4a. The First Punic War was fought over the island
A
Sardinia
B
Crete
C
Sicily
D
Corsica

Slide 18 - Quiz

Who initiated the first Punic War?
A
Greece
B
Rome
C
Carthage
D
Egypt

Slide 19 - Quiz

4b. The First Punic War was mainly a dispute over:
A
land
B
money
C
power
D
trade

Slide 20 - Quiz

What terrified the Romans during the second Punic War?
A
Lack of supplies
B
Internal conflicts
C
Allied betrayals
D
Hannibal's victories and the threat of an attack on Rome

Slide 21 - Quiz

In which battles did Hannibal win against the Romans?
A
Aleppo and Thermopylae
B
Sparta and Athens
C
Lake Trasimeno and Cannae
D
Troy and Marathon

Slide 22 - Quiz

Which Carthaginian general led an army across the Alps into Italy?
A
Hannibal
B
Scipio
C
Caesar
D
Alexander

Slide 23 - Quiz

5. Why were the Romans surprised when Hannibal's army arrived in Italy?

Slide 24 - Open question

6. Why couldn't the Romans catch Hannibal in Italy?

Slide 25 - Open question

7. For how long was Hannibal able to attack Roman cities in Italy?
A
15 months
B
6 years
C
150 days
D
15 years

Slide 26 - Quiz

Modern reconstruction drawing of the Carthaginian army crossing the Alps with elephants

Slide 27 - Slide

Hannibal defeated

Because of his losses as he crossed the Alps, Hannibal's army was not strong enough to attack the city of Rome. 
So Hannibal attacked other cities and towns throughout Italy. Hannibal and his army spent 15 years in Italy fighting against the Roman legions.

Rome was worried and afraid. They had to keep a large army near Rome to protect against Hannibal so they could never get enough troops out to catch him. Rome came up with a new plan.
The Roman general Scipio took the Roman army and attacked Carthage itself.
The leaders of Carthage panicked and called Hannibal and his army home. When Hannibal got back, Scipio was prepared. During a bloody battle Hannibal's army was defeated (see video clip). The Romans did not manage to catch Hannibal himself, but they forced Carthage to shrink its army and navy, and pay tribute (money) to Rome.


Reconstruction image of ancient Carthage and its harbour as it appeared before Roman conquest - situated in modern day Tunisia

Slide 28 - Slide

8a. How were the Romans able to get Hannibal to leave Italy?

Slide 29 - Open question

What technique did the Romans use to defeat War Elephants?

Slide 30 - Open question

Name two things you learned

Slide 31 - Open question

https://www.gimkit.com/view/643830268c034f00327dc85d

Slide 32 - Slide

8b. Drag 4 of the 5 places to their correct location in the map
Zama
Cannae
Carthage
Lake Trasimeno
Saguntum

Slide 33 - Drag question

Rome's secret weapon

The First Punic War was fought largely over the island of Sicily. This meant a lot of the fighting was at sea where Carthage had the advantage of a much stronger navy than Rome. However, Rome quickly built up a large navy of over 100 ships. Rome also invented the corvus, a type of assault bridge that allowed Rome's superior soldiers to board enemy navy vessels. Rome soon dominated Carthage and won the war.



Slide 34 - Slide

The end of Carthage

Rome allowed Carthage to rebuild over time. Some senators did not like that very much. They were afraid that Carthage would one day start another war if it was allowed to become strong again.
A senator called Cato ended every speech he gave in the senate with the words: ‘and I also think we should destroy Carthage.’ Finally he got his way. The senate was so afraid that Cartage might rise again that they made sure it never would. They attacked Carthage and during this Third Punic War (149-146 BC) the Romans completely destroyed Carthage and put salt on their fields, so nothing could ever grow there again. Carthage would never recover.




Modern drawing that gives an impression of the final battle of Carthage.
Roman triremes sail towards the harbour of the city of Carthage
Modern drawing that gives an impression of the final battle of Carthage.
Roman soldiers use the "turtle" formation, using their shields to make a roof that protects them from arrows and projectiles.

Slide 35 - Slide

9. What was the cause of the 3rd Punic War?

Slide 36 - Open question

Consequences of the Punic Wars

After the Punic wars the Romans became a superpower in the region. They quickly tried to take over from the defeated Carthaginians. They took control of the Southern parts of Italy, where many Greek colonies were located. They also took Carthaginian possessions in Spain.
With all this expansion, new wealth came to Rome. Beautiful statues were brought to Rome as war booty. Proud generals displayed them in their homes, which made other Romans jealous. They wanted more wealth too and soon Rome started wars to conquer more rich lands, like Greece.
After the conquest of Greece, all things Greek became popular in Rome. The patricians even started to speak Greek in public instead of Latin. Many prisoners of war were brought to Rome: some worked as slaves in homes of the rich, perhaps teaching their children Greek. Others might have built a new theatre for the city. The Romans thought most things from Greek culture were fantastic. They adopted and copied Greek myths and Greek architecture. They even adopted the Greek gods, although they gave them Roman names.


map: the Roman empire, including Greece, in 146 BC
bottom picture: Roman soldiers have captured the Greek city of Athens

Slide 37 - Slide

10. Look up the meaning of the term "preventive war"
Do you think the 3rd Punic War was a preventive war? Explain your answer.

Slide 38 - Open question

12. Which three modern countries had (partly) become a part of the Roman Republic after the Punic Wars?

Slide 39 - Open question

13. Rome could become a big empire after the 3rd Punic War because it had no more strong competitors.

Do you agree with this statement?
A
I agree completely
B
I agree partially
C
I disagree mostly
D
I disagree completely

Slide 40 - Quiz

14a. The Romans adopted the Greek gods but gave them Roman names.
What were the Roman names of Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Hades and Ares

Slide 41 - Open question

14b. What do you notice when you see the names of the Roman gods?

Slide 42 - Open question

a Professional army

The early Roman army was organised similarly to the armies of the Greek poleis. Only Roman citizens who could pay for their own armour and equipment could join the army. It was not a professional army. 
As the empire got bigger Rome needed more soldiers. The consul Gaius Marius, who was also a succesful army general, changed the organisation of the Roman army around 100 BC. From then on:
  • poor citizens could also join the army.
  • Rome paid the armour and equipment
  • soldiers signed up for a fixed period of time (16 to 20 years)
  • soldiers were paid wages for their service
  • the army was organised into legions, each made up of around 5,000 soldiers.
Rome now had a full-time professional army.
The Roman army became one of the most successful armies in world history. It was well-trained, well-equipped, and well-organized. You can learn more about the Roman army in a different lesson.





top picture: Roman legionaries during the Republican era.
bottom: overview of one Roman legion

Slide 43 - Slide

Marius' mules

Gaius Marius also introduced other reforms. To ensure his soldiers were fit he ordered them to go on long route-marches. While doing this they had to carry their own cooking utensils, three days' food rations, a sickle, rope, pick-axe, turf-cutter, shield, sword and javelin. Not surprisingly, Roman legionnaires obtained the nick-name "Marius' mules".



Slide 44 - Slide

15a. Which of these statements is correct?

I. After the reforms of Marius, slaves could become soldiers.
II. After the reforms of Marius, being a soldier was a fulltime profession.
A
Both are correct
B
Both are wrong
C
Only I is correct
D
Only II is correct

Slide 45 - Quiz

15b. After Marius' reforms Roman legionaries were nicknamed "Marius' mules", because:
A
they were just as stupid as donkeys to carry out these new rules.
B
they had to carry all of their equipment like a beast of burden
C
Marius owned donkeys that he treated like soldiers
D
the legionaries adopted the sound of a donkey as their battle cry

Slide 46 - Quiz

Slide 47 - Slide

16. Would you say that the empire expanded more and more quickly after the reforms of Marius? Use information from the map to explain your answer.

Slide 48 - Open question

Make a picture / scan of the summary of lesson 4.2
and upload it here.

Slide 49 - Open question

Write down one question about something from this lesson that you find difficult.

Slide 50 - Open question

congratulations
If you want to learn more about Hannibal's war against Rome you can watch this 90 minute film. Not mandatory, but interesting nonetheless....

Slide 51 - Slide

Slide 52 - Video