Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/295

KOME. 269 ROME. piracy (B.C. 219). Meanwhile the descent of Hauiilcar on the Spaiiisli coast was followed, after some ineffectual opposition on the part of the natives, by the estaljlishuient of a new Car- thaginian empire, or at least a protectorate in the west ; and thus, almost before the Romans were aware of it. their rival had made good her losses and was even able to renew the struggle in a more daring fashion than before. How confident the bearing of the Carthaginians had now become may be seen from the fearless spirit in which they accepted the Roman challenge and entered on the Second Punic — or (as the Romans called it) the Hannibalic — war, the grand events of which were the crossing of the Alps by Hannibal, the terrible disasters of the Romans at Lake Trasimenus (B.C. 217) and Cannoe (n.c. 21(i), and tile final overthrow of Hannibal at Zama (B.C. 202) by Seipio, which once more compelled the Carthaginians to sue for peace. In the Second Punic War the Spanish possessions of Carthage, like her Sicilian, passed to the Romans (who formed out of them the Provinces of Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior) ; so did her pro- tectorate over the Numidian sheiks. She was forced to surrender her whole navy (excepting 10 triremes) and all her elephants and solemnly to swear never to make war either in Africa or abroad, except with the consent of her van- quisher. The Imperial supremacy of Rome was now as unconditional in the western Mediter- ranean as on the mainland of Italy. Her rela- tions, indeed, to the conquered Italian nationali- ties became much harsher than they had formerly been, for, after the first victories of Hannibal, these had risen against her. The Picentes, Brut- tii, Apulians, and Samnites were deprived either of the whole or the greater part of their lands; some communities were acttially turned into serfs ; the Greek cities in Lower Italy, most of which had also sided with Hannibal, became the seats of burgess colonies. But the loss of life and of vital prosperity was frightful. Slaves and desperadoes associated themselves in robber bands, but the exultation of victory closed the eyes and the ears of the Romans against every omen, and the perilous work of conquest and subjugation went on. During B.C. 201-196 the Celts in the valley of the Po. who had recom- menced hostilities at the very moment Rome was freed from her embarrassments, were thoroughly subjugated; their territory was Latinized, but they themselves were declared incapable of ever acquiring Roman citizenship ; and so rapidly did their nationality dissolve that when Polybius, only 30 years later, visited the country, nearly all traces of Celtic characteristics had disap- peared. The Boii were finally resubjugated about B.C. 193 ; the Ligurians were subdued B.C. ISO- IT", and the interior of Corsica and Sardinia about the same time. The wars in Spain w'cre troublesome and of longer duration, but in the end the superior discipline of the legions ahvays prevailed. So little reliance, however, could be placed on the Spanish submissions that the Romans felt it necessary to hold Spain by mili- tary occupation, and hence arose the first Roman standing armies. Forty thousand troops were maintained in the Spanish peninsula year after year. The most distinguished successes were those achieved by Seipio himself, by Quintus Minucius (B.C. 197-19fi), by ^Marcus Cato (B.C. 195), by Lucius ^^milius Paullus (B.C. 189), by Oaius Calpurnius (n.c. 185), by Quintus Fulvius I'laccus (it.c. 181), and by Tiberius Gracelius (n.c. 179-178). -Macedonian and Ohkkk Wak.s. The cau-ien that led to the interference of Itonio in the poli- tics of the Kast are (oo conipllcated to lie given here, but the .Mace<loniaii wars were owing im- mediately to the alliance formed by Philip V. ol Macedon with Hannibal after (he battle of CanuiP. The Macedonian wars were thrn- in luiin- ber. The first (n.c. 214-20.'>) was barren of re- sults, mainly because the whole energies of Home were directed to Spain and Lower Italv; bnt the second (B.c 200-107) taught I'hilip" that an- other and not he must rule in Creece. The battle of Cynosccplial.T was followed by a treaty which conqielled him to withdraw his' garrison's from the (Ireek cities, to surrender his Meet, and to pay 1000 talents toward the expen.ses of the war. Philip was thoroughly quelled, and during the remaining 18 years of his life he adhered to his Roman alliance. But the -Ktolians, who had formed an alliance with Rome against Philip, quarreled with their allies, and persuaded An- tiochus the Great (q.v.) of Syria to come to Thessaly (B.C. 192). He was overthrown by Seipio (Asiaticus) at Magnesia, in Asia Minor (B.C. 190), and obliged to surrender all his pos- sessions in Europe and Asia Jlinor, all his ele- phants and ships, and to pay a heavy war indem- nity. Next year the -Ktolians were crushed, and a little later the quarrels lietwcen the Acha-ans and Spartans led to a general Roman protector- ate over the whole of Greece. Philil) V. of Macedon was succeeded by Perseus (q.v.), who resolved to try the fortune of war with the Romans, and in B.C. 172 the third, and last, JIaccdonian war began. It ended with the destruction of the Macedonian army at Pj'dna (B.C. 108) by the consul Lucius .Kniilitis Paullus (q.v.) and the dismend)erment of the Macedonian Empire, which was broken up into four oligarchic republics. The Imperial Republic stopped Antiochus Epiphanes in his career of Egjptian conquest, ordered him instantly to abandon his acquisitions, and accepted the pro- tectorate of Egypt in B.C. 108. Even the allies of Rome — the Fergamenes, the Rhodians, etc. — were treated with harshness and injustice. We may here, for the sake of connection, anticipate the course of history and mention the last Greek and Punic wars. Both of these came to an end in the same year (B.C. I4t!). The former was caused by an expiring outburst of pseudo-patriotism in the .chaian league and was virtually closed by the destruction of Corinth (q.v.) by the constil JIumniius. The latter was not so much a war as a bloody sacri- fice to Roman andiition. After Hannibal's death his party in Carthage seems to have recovered the ascendency, and as the commercial prosperity of the city began to revive a bolder front was shown in resisting the encroachments of Masi- nissa, the Numidian ruler, whom the Roman senate protected and encouraged in bis aggres- sions. In B.C. 14(!, after a siege of three years, Carthage was stormed by Seipio Africanus Minor and the Carthaginian Empire vanished forever from the earth. Position of Rome at the Close of the Pink; Wars, ano Sketch of Its Si'bseqi'ent Sociai, Condition to the Termination of the RErin- Lie (B.C. 14G-27). Simultaneously with tUo