Roman Civilization

During the 4th century before the common era, in addition to fighting out its internal battles of the conflict of orders, Rome began a process of military expansion that historians refer to as the unification of Italy.

• The century got off to a rocky start when Gaulish tribes swept down through northern Italy, wiping out many Etruscan towns north of Rome, and finally invading Rome and burning the city (with the exception of the Capitol, saved by squawking geese) to the ground. The Romans bought off the Gauls, who decided to go back home anyway when they heard that their own lands were being invaded. Rome was not invaded by foreigners again for more than 800 years.
• Grateful to the Etruscan city of Caere for it's support against the Gauls, Rome entered into a treaty with Caere that granted Caerian and Roman citizens equal legal rights in each other's territories. This treaty became a model which Rome used and adopted as it extended its influence on the Italian peninsula.
• Rome also took the time to rebuild its walls (which had failed miserably against the Gauls. The walls, 24 feet high and 12 feet wide, enclosed over 1000 acres of land.
• During the 4th century, Latin cities which had allied with Rome began to resist and resent its dominance. Rome began to grant these cities an interesting status - they could retain their own identity, organization and self-government for internal affairs, but their citizens became full citizens of Rome as well.
• Rome's influence began to extend southward on the Italian peninsula as well when cities in Campania appealed to Rome for help against Samnite tribes who were invading them. Rome gave them the help they wanted but obtained effective dominance of the region as its price. It took several decades, during which the Latin cities tried one last shot at resisting Rome, and the Campanians joined up with the Latins against Rome. But ultimately, Romedefeated its opponents and wayward allies.
• After defeating its sometimes allies and foes, Rome began to offer the cities Latin Rights status. The cities retained the right to internal self-government, but had to fall Rome's lead in military matters and foreign affairs. They also had to supply and pay for troops in wars which Rome deemed necessary for their "common defense." Citizens of these cities obtained private legal rights (they could marry Roman girls, they could sue in Roman courts) but they did not gain the right to vote (which wouldn't have done them any good since they lived to far from Rome).

• Additionally, Rome and it's Latin allies began establishing colonia. Roman colonies were connected directly to Rome by a continuous stretch of solidly held Roman territory. Accordingly they could be lightly settled but easily defended. Latin colonies tended to be established in less easily defended territories and were more densely populated. Latin colonies held Latin rights.
• At the very end of the century, Rome entered into war with the Samnites which lasted for years and which to the Roman point of view saw atrocious alliances of Samnites, Etruscans and Gauls. Rome ultimately imposed its will on the Samnites, because it had a better army. The Roman army comprised two legions, each divided into 30 maniples which could manoeuvre on its own, and each maniple was divided into 3 lines which took turns leading charges (making the army able to respond much more quickly to threats than the Greek phalanx which was the dominant military unit at the time.
• For the defeated enemies of these wars, Rome invented a new treaty status - socius, or ally. Allies could only form treaties with Rome, not each other. They had to supply Rome with troops. But Rome didn't interfere with the internal governance of allied cities.
• The century was also marked by the creation of the Appian Road between Rome and Capua, and the development of coinage used in Rome, the Latin rights cities and the allied cities.