|
It was in 510 BC that Rome became a republic, after an uprising of
the aristocracy forced the Etruscan king Tarquinius Superbus to flee
from the city. However, Tarquinius called upon another Etruscan ruler
for aid, Lars Porsenna, who soon sieged and recaptured the defiant
city. During this time however, a number of other Latin cities had
rebelled against their Etruscan rulers. Their combined armies struck
a blow against Porsenna's forces, prompting him to flee and retreat
his garrison back to Etruria. Rome became independent and rapidly
grew to become the strongest force in Latium. Rome's audacious
assumption of
representing the interests of all the Latin cities in it's treaty
with Carthage prompted a war with the Latin League, an alliance of
the other cities within Latium. The same Latin League army that had
defeated Porsenna was sent against the forces of Rome in 496 BC, and
Rome was victorious. A treaty was signed in 493 BC, proving Rome's
strength over the rest of Latium.
Rome waged war with local tribes and it's old enemies in Etruria for
years, gaining a large amount of land in it's frequent victories.
However, a new enemy from the north soon appeared in the form of the
Gauls. The Celtic barbarians arrived with a whirlwind of force,
weakening Etruria and allowing Rome to conquer Veii around 396 BC.
The barbarians soon went even further, sacking the lands of Rome
around 390 BC, only being repelled by the defenses of the capitol
city itself. Rome's other enemies, including some of it's old allied
cities, took the opportunity of it's weakened state to take
dominance of Latium. They were defeated by Rome however, which took
even more land under it's influence including Tusculum, the Latin
League's chief city, in 380 BC. Rome held it's position as the power
of Latium until 343 BC, when it waged a war against the invading
Samnites from the east. Within two years a peace agreement was
reached with the Samnites while Rome's Latin allies revolted against
it. The Latin War lasted another two years, ending with a Roman
victory in 338 BC and the dissolution of the Latin League. The
territories of the League were split and put under varying extents of
Roman rule. |
