ABSTRACT

Arguably the greatest empire in the history of Western Civilization was based in the ancient city of Rome. Rome progressed from being a sleepy peasant village, to a modest trading center, to a city-state, to the capital of an Italian confederation. Located in central Italy, Rome straddles the main north-south line of communications and trade in the Italian Peninsula. Rome progressed from being a simple peasant village to a significant trading and cultural center. Importantly, Rome's government also provided reasonably effective commanders for the Roman army. The Roman army was organized into large formations, each composed of about 5,000 men, called legions. There were also smaller units, of 100 men each, called centuries, led by a centurion. While Rome was consolidating its hold on the Italian Peninsula, the Hellenistic kingdoms were jockeying for position in the eastern Mediterranean. The western Mediterranean, meanwhile, was dominated by a rich maritime empire based in the large North African port city of Carthage.