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Rome Spreads Her Wings: Territorial Expansion Between the Punic Wars Kindle Edition

by Gareth C. Sampson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 20 ratings

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The two decades between the end of the First Punic War and the beginning of the Second represent a key period in the development of Romes imperial ambitions, both within Italy and beyond. Within Italy, Rome faced an invasion of Gauls from Northern Italy, which threatened the very existence of the Roman state. This war culminated at the Battle of Telamon and the final Roman victory against the Gauls of Italy, giving Rome control of the peninsula up to the Alps for the first time in her history. Beyond the shores of Italy, Rome acquired her first provinces, in the form of Sardinia and Corsica, established footholds in Sicily and Spain and crossed the Adriatic to establish a presence on the Greek mainland, bringing Rome into the orbit of the Hellenistic World. Yet this period is often treated as nothing more than an intermission between the two better known Punic Wars, with each Roman campaign being made seemingly in anticipation of a further conflict with Carthage. Such a view overlooks two key factors that emerge from these decades: firstly, that Rome faced a far graver threat in the form of the Gauls of Northern Italy than she had faced at the hands of the Carthaginians in the First Punic War; secondly, that the foundations for Romes overseas empire were laid in these very decades. This work seeks to redress the balance and view these wars in their own right, analyse how close Rome came to being defeated in Italy and asses the importance of these decades as a key period in the foundation of Romes future empire.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"But as a work intended primarily for a popular audience, Sampson is successful in presenting a vivid narrative of Roman expansion from 241-218."
Res Militares

About the Author

After a successful career in corporate finance, Dr. Gareth Sampson returned to the study of ancient Rome and gained his PhD from the University of Manchester, where he currently teaches ancient history. He has made a detailed study of early Roman political history and in particular the political office of the tribunate of the plebs. He is currently engaged in a study of the power struggles and the civil warfare of the late Republic and its expansionist policies in the east.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01GPQVIUS
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Military (June 19, 2016)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 19, 2016
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5091 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,065,005 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #301 in Ancient Military History (Kindle Store)
- #1,044 in Ancient Roman History (Kindle Store)
- #1,572 in Italian History (Books)

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4.4 20 ratings

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Jshaw

History of Roman expansion

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

Well written and researched.

Helpful

Alexandra Buckley

Interesting history, but reads like an unedited draft

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2016

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Gareth Sampson's review of the interwar period between the First and Second Punic Wars covers an often overlooked but incredibly important period of Roman history. However, the amount of simple spelling and grammar rules are incredibly distracting and assault his credibility as an author. Reads as if it was a first draft that never made it to an actual editor before publication. Amateur maps that might have been drawn using Microsoft Paint, and paragraphs that are at a high school level. If you can look past that, however, it's a good book, but it was hard to look past that.

One person found this helpful

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JPS

Between the Punic wars

Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2016

Review first posted on amazon.co.uk on 19 June 2016 (hardcover book)

The purpose of this book is to fill in a gap and – according the author at least - somewhat set the record straight. Despite some repetitions, the book is relatively easy to read and accessible.

The first contention is that the importance of the period from 241 BC to 219 BC has been largely underestimated by both Ancient sources and most modern authors as well. This is largely true, although there have been a number of pieces of scholarship which have largely addressed and corrected this over the last fifteen to twenty years so that, in practice, the gap being addressed is largely that still existing in the Pen & Sword collection itself. The period did, as well shown be the author, see Rome “spread her wings” as it acquired its first province in the aftermath of the First Punic war (Sicily), followed by Sardinia and Corsica and a protectorate in Illyria. However, it also saw Rome put an end once and for all to the major threat represented by the Gallic tribes settled north of the Po.

While this is true, at least to some extent, the author’s second contention, that the Gallic threat to Rome’s northern frontier and to the sheer existence to Rome was a larger one than Carthage, is more disputable. The author makes some excellent points when showing to what extent the trauma of the Gallic victory and sac of Rome more than 150 years ago still loomed large in the Roman psyche. Accordingly, he may very well be correct when considering that, from Rome’s perspective, the main menace between 240 and 225 BC was not that of a resurging Carthage but that of a Gallic onslaught, and he makes a mostly convincing case to support this view.

There is however a major weakness in this case. This arises when the author contends that the mass formed by Gallic Northern Italy and Gaul did have the manpower reserves to take on Rome, contrary to Carthage. The problem with this argument is that Gaul, both Transalpine and Cisalpine parts of it, was anything but united. It can therefore absolutely not be compared to the Roman Federation and not even to the Carthaginian dominions. In fact, the author shows that it is largely because of this disunion that Rome was able to successfully play “divide and conquer” (allying with some tribes against others) and was also able, through sustained campaigning, to wear down the main tribes of Northern Italy one after the other. He also shows that the (mercenary) support that these tribes could expect from their “cousins” from North of the Alps was fickle and not exactly reliable, therefore somewhat contradicting his main case.

Despite this, there are many very valuable elements. One is to show how the Roman Senate’s thinking seems to have evolved, with the acquisition of provinces and footholds surrounding Italy, completed by allies that were as many outposts and acting as buffers. While the sources do not specifically back up such a statement, it is nevertheless quite a plausible hypothesis. Another interest consideration is that the Romans’ Illyrian incursions both took place at times when the Macedonian Kingdom was in crisis, showing how careful the Romans were when choosing the time to step, assert themselves and take advantage of a vacuum rather than to confront yet another powerful enemy.

Another valuable piece, which largely builds on Hoyos’ work, is about the Carthaginians in Spain and the strategic aims of the three Barcid warlords. Again, and while this is not explicitly backed by primary sources, Hamilcar, Hasdrubal and Hannibal, backed by a majority at home, seem to have clearly identified the need to build up financial resources that were not mostly reliant on trade and to build up the manpower reserves that they could draw upon in the event of another conflict. Another point that is also well-made is to show that the Romans did nothing to support Saguntum and were in fact preparing for a Second Punic war that would take place in Spain.

Also included is an interesting (even if not original) analysis of the surviving sources, showing how much has been lost and perhaps also to what extent what has survived may have influenced and distorted the record.

Four strong stars for a valuable book that does fill a gap, even if only for so-called general readers and even if some of the author’s claims may seem a bit exaggerated and not entirely convincing.

For those interested in some of the scholarly works on the Gauls in Italy that the author has used and referenced, I can recommend the following (there are others referenced by the author but I have not read them): “Beyond the Rubicon. Romans and Gauls in Republican Italy” by J. Williams (Oxford, 2001).

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Michael Herndon

Great Read!

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2019

Verified Purchase

Great read on the early-mid years of Rome!

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Ms Indy Mair

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2018

Verified Purchase

Just what was wanted... thanks!

JPS

Between the Punic Wars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2016

Verified Purchase

The purpose of this book is to fill in a gap and – according the author at least - somewhat set the record straight. Despite some repetitions, the book is relatively easy to read and accessible.

The first contention is that the importance of the period from 241 BC to 219 BC has been largely underestimated by both Ancient sources and most modern authors as well. This is largely true, although there have been a number of pieces of scholarship which have largely addressed and corrected this over the last fifteen to twenty years so that, in practice, the gap being addressed is largely that still existing in the Pen & Sword collection itself. The period did, as well shown be the author, see Rome “spread her wings” as it acquired its first province in the aftermath of the First Punic war (Sicily), followed by Sardinia and Corsica and a protectorate in Illyria. However, it also saw Rome put an end once and for all to the major threat represented by the Gallic tribes settled north of the Po.

While this is true, at least to some extent, the author’s second contention, that the Gallic threat to Rome’s northern frontier and to the sheer existence to Rome was a larger one than Carthage, is more disputable. The author makes some excellent points when showing to what extent the trauma of the Gallic victory and sac of Rome more than 150 years ago still loomed large in the Roman psyche. Accordingly, he may very well be correct when considering that, from Rome’s perspective, the main menace between 240 and 225 BC was not that of a resurging Carthage but that of a Gallic onslaught, and he makes a mostly convincing case to support this view.

There is however a major weakness in this case. This arises when the author contends that the mass formed by Gallic Northern Italy and Gaul did have the manpower reserves to take on Rome, contrary to Carthage. The problem with this argument is that Gaul, both Transalpine and Cisalpine parts of it, was anything but united. It can therefore absolutely not be compared to the Roman Federation and not even to the Carthaginian dominions. In fact, the author shows that it is largely because of this disunion that Rome was able to successfully play “divide and conquer” (allying with some tribes against others) and was also able, through sustained campaigning, to wear down the main tribes of Northern Italy one after the other. He also shows that the (mercenary) support that these tribes could expect from their “cousins” from North of the Alps was fickle and not exactly reliable, therefore somewhat contradicting his main case.

Despite this, there are many very valuable elements. One is to show how the Roman Senate’s thinking seems to have evolved, with the acquisition of provinces and footholds surrounding Italy, completed by allies that were as many outposts and acting as buffers. While the sources do not specifically back up such a statement, it is nevertheless quite a plausible hypothesis. Another interest consideration is that the Romans’ Illyrian incursions both took place at times when the Macedonian Kingdom was in crisis, showing how careful the Romans were when choosing the time to step, assert themselves and take advantage of a vacuum rather than to confront yet another powerful enemy.

Another valuable piece, which largely builds on Hoyos’ work, is about the Carthaginians in Spain and the strategic aims of the three Barcid warlords. Again, and while this is not explicitly backed by primary sources, Hamilcar, Hasdrubal and Hannibal, backed by a majority at home, seem to have clearly identified the need to build up financial resources that were not mostly reliant on trade and to build up the manpower reserves that they could draw upon in the event of another conflict. Another point that is also well-made is to show that the Romans did nothing to support Saguntum and were in fact preparing for a Second Punic war that would take place in Spain.

Also included is an interesting (even if not original) analysis of the surviving sources, showing how much has been lost and perhaps also to what extent what has survived may have influenced and distorted the record.

Four strong stars for a valuable book that does fill a gap, even if only for so-called general readers and even if some of the author’s claims may seem a bit exaggerated and not entirely convincing.

For those interested in some of the scholarly works on the Gauls in Italy that the author has used and referenced, I can recommend the following (there are others referenced by the author but I have not read them): “Beyond the Rubicon. Romans and Gauls in Republican Italy” by J. Williams (Oxford, 2001).

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