HOW THE ROMANS CONQUERED CARTHAGE 97
a quarter of a million of her citizens. Hundreds of cities and a villages had been destroyed . It had been for so long a time useless to try to cultivate the fields, that great numbers of farmers had given up the attempt , and had crowded into the walled towns. In the midst of so much bloodshed and re venge, the Romans had become far more harsh and cruel than before. On the other hand , Rome had humbled her rival ; she had built so large a navy that no nation could op pose her on the sea ; and she had gained Spain and overcome Carthage . She had become by far the most powerful of the states of the Mediterranean . Her citizens must have often recalled the prediction said to have been made by Romulus when , after his death , he appeared in a vision : The gods decree Rome to become the capital of the world .
SUMMARY
The aid given by the Romans to the Mamertines caused the first Punic War in 264 B. c . The Romans built a fleet and captured half of the Carthaginian galleys . Regulus led the Romans to Africa . He refused to urge Rome to make peace with Carthage . Peace was finally made in 241 B. c .
Sicily , Sardinia , and Corsica became Roman provinces. Piracy was suppressed . The Gauls prepared to come down upon Rome , but were routed . The Carthaginian colonies revolted . Hamilcar made Hannibal swear everlasting hatred of the Romans . Hamilcar won for Carthage all Spain to the Tagus. He was followed by Has drubal, then by Hannibal . Hannibal conquered Saguntum . The Carthaginians chose war rather than peace.
In 218 B. C. , the second Punic War began . Hannibal provided
98 STORY OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE
for the safety of Spain and Africa , then set out for Italy . He crossed the Iberus , the Pyrenees, the Rhone, and the Alps , and entered northern Italy . The Romans had not expected Hannibal to approach from the north , and they had sent troops to Africa and Spain . Learning that Hannibal was in northern Italy , they sent forces to the north , which met him at the Ticinus River, at the Tre bia River, and at Lake Trasimenus, and were routed at each place.
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Quintus Fabius Maximus was made dictator. He strengthened the walls of Rome , cut down the bridges over the Tiber, destroyed houses and corn where Hannibal was expected to march ; and then pursued the invader . Fabius did not dare to meet Hannibal in open battle ; and the soldiers angrily called him Cunctator. His policy proved to be correct , and then his nickname became a title of honor .
The Romans were routed at Cannæ in 216 B. C. Hannibal did not attack Rome as the Romans expected . He allied himself with Capua and Syracuse. He weakened his army by a winter in Capua . The Romans captured Syracuse , defended though it was by the skill of Archimedes , and also took Capua . At the Metaurus River in 207 B. C. they overcame Hannibal's brother . Scipio drove the Carthaginians out of Spain , and then attacked Africa, destroying the Carthaginian army in Africa . Hannibal left Italy and brought his troops to Africa , but at Zama they , too , were overcome by Scipio . The Second Punic War ended in 201 B. C. Scipio had a magnificent triumph and received the name Africanus. Hannibal led Carthage to prosperity , but to escape the Romans, he went into exile . In these wars Rome had humbled Carthage and had become the most powerful of the Mediterranean states .
SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITTEN WORK
A boy visits the shore where the Romans are building their fleet. A Carthaginian tells the story of Regulus .
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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 .
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THE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD