The Story of the Roman People Day 35

The boy Hannibal tells another boy of his oath .

One of Hannibal's men sends a letter home describing the descent of the Alps. a VIII

ROME BECOMES THE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

At the time when the Romans conquered Hannibal, the world meant the countries circling around the Mediterra nean Sea . In all the lands lying to the west of Italy, the Ro mans now held the chief power. Toward the east they had already taken one step when they suppressed the pirates of the Adriatic Sea and agreed to protect the Greek cities along the Adriatic coast .

In earlier times Greece could have protected her own cities, but the condition of affairs in the East had changed greatly since those days . About the time when the Romans were subduing the Latins , Al-ex-an'der the Great began his con quests . His father, Philip II , had left him Mac-e-do'ni-a and Greece; but this was a small realm compared with what he meant to win, and he began a wonderful series of victories . When he died , he ruled not only Macedonia and Greece , but also Asia Minor , Syr'i-a , Egypt, Persia, and part of India . This empire was divided among his generals . Possibly Alex ander himself could have governed this enormous domain , but his generals could not . They and their successors quar reled and fought, and finally the vast empire broke up into three kingdoms: 1. Egypt. 2. Syria and Asia Minor. 3 . Macedonia and Greece .

100 STORY OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE

While the Romans were contending with Hannibal , the king of Macedonia , Philip V. , who was an ally of the Cartha ginians, attacked some Greek cities which were under the protection of Rome . This led to the First Macedonian War . After Hannibal was subdued , war broke out with Philip again , and with most excellent reason . He and King An-ti'o-chus of Syria plotted to divide Egypt between them . If this plan should succeed , Philip would control the Greek cities on the shores of the Æ- ge'an Sea . A vast amount of trading was carried on in the Ægean Sea , the Black Sea , and the eastern part of the Mediterranean , and from this part of the world came much of the grain needed in Italy . If Philip was suc cessful , then he , an enemy of Rome , could shut off a large part of her food whenever he chose . This was enough to arouse the interest of the Romans . Philip did not trouble himself about what the Romans might think , but attacked Egypt and Athens . The king of Egypt was a boy, and his guardians appealed to Rome for help . As for Athens , that had for some time been an ally of the Romans . Rome warned Philip not to harass the friends of her people . Philip replied that he should prefer peace , but that if they wished to fight, they would learn that Macedonia was as powerful as Rome . Then the armies of Philip and the Romans met in Greece at the Cyn -os-ceph'a -læ , or dogs' heads, two ranges of hills facing each other and shaped like the heads of dogs . Philip was thoroughly defeated by the Roman general Flam -i -ni'nus. Flamininus went to Cor'inth to announce his victory to the Greeks . They were celebrating the Isth'mi-an games in honor of the gods , when the blast of a trumpet was heard , the signal

for silence . A herald went forward and proclaimed , The . senate and people of Rome and Titus Quinctius Flamininus, their general , have subdued King Philip and the Macedoni ans , and do now restore liberty to all states which have been under subjection to King Philip . Again , again ! cried the people , for some had not fully heard and others could not believe the good news . The herald declared his procla mation a second time . Then from the thousands of joyful Greeks there arose such a shout of joy that, according to an old historian , the crows overhead fell into the theatre from the shock . The games were hurried through . No one cared for them or thought of them , for everybody was eager to come near Flamininus and touch his hand . The brave young general was not accustomed to run from his enemies , but when he saw the whole assembly throwing garlands and rib bons and rushing to embrace him , he did run from them and hid away to keep from being suffocated by his grateful ad mirers .

Although Flamininus had called Greece free , it was really only free from Philip , and was in the power of the Romans. Antiochus , king of Syria , was not pleased with the result of this war . He was then in Greece , and he declared that he meant to free the Greeks from the Romans . That was easier said than done , and in a short time he was hurrying across the Hel'les-pont to escape from the Roman legions . The brother of Scipio Africanus overcame him at Mag-ne'si-a in Asia Minor, and therefore took the surname of A-si-at'i- cus in honor of his victory . By the treaty of peace which followed , Antiochus had to give up much of Asia Minor to the Romans .

They demanded , also , that he should give up his guest Han nibal , for when Hannibal was forced to leave Carthage , he had fled to Antiochus . Hannibal now made his way to Bi-thyn'i-a ; but there, too, the Romans pursued him . When he saw that he could no longer escape them , he poisoned himself rather than fall into their hands . Thus perished Hannibal, one of the greatest generals of ancient times.

Macedonia was not yet subdued, for although Philip had died, his son Per'seus had long been plotting revenge and was eager for a chance to meet the Romans. They met at Pyd'na , and Perseus was defeated . Rome had overcome the East as well as the West , and now Macedonia, Greece , and Asia Minor were in her power.

There were two ways in which Rome might govern her new possessions . One was to send Roman governors to them and make laws for them directly . The other way was to divide them into small kingdoms and let them fight together and weaken one another. Rome fol lowed the second course, and after a while there was always an opportunity for Rome to step in , settle their quarrels, and take the rule herself.

In conquering these lands , Rome usually claimed that she was giving freedom to the people . They were not always pleased with her " freedom .

BUGLE PLAYER IN ROMAN ARMY