Page:A history of architecture on the comparative method for the student, craftsman, and amateur.djvu/171

 ROMAN ARCHITECTURE. II3 the Etruscans, probably an Aryan people, who appear to have been settled in Italy before authentic history begins, and who were great builders (page 119). In the south the Greeks had planted many colonies, w'hich were included in the name of " Magna Graecia." The remainder of Italy (exclusive of Cisalpine Gaul) was occupied by tribes of the same Aryan race as the Greeks, and the common forefathers of both must have stayed together after they had separated from the forefathers of the Celts, Teutons and others. But long before history begins the Greeks and Italians had separated into distinct nations, and the Italians had further split up into separate nations among themselves. The common form of government in ancient Italy resembled that of Greece, consisting of towns or districts joined together in leagues. The government of Rome was effected firstly by chosen kings, aided by a senator and popular assembly, but about B.C. 500 it became Republican, and under Augustus Caesar in b.c. 27 the Empire originated. The "Building Acts" of Augustus, Nero, and Trajan had considerable influence on the development in Rome. vi. Historical. — The foundation of Rome is of uncertain date, but is generally taken at b.c 750. The Republic engaged in many wars, conquering several Etruscan cities, but was defeated in B.C. 390, at the hands of the Gauls, who continued for some time to hold the northern part of Italy. About B.c. 343 began the Roman conquest of Italy, which was effected in about sixty years, and resulted in the dominion of a city over cities. Then came the wars with peoples outside Italy, Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, being firstsubdued. The first Punic war (b.c. 264-241) against Carthage; when brought to a conclusion, resulted in Sicily becoming the first Roman province. The second Punic war (b.c 218-201) was the most severe struggle in which the Romans had engaged, for Hannibal, the great Carthaginian general, entering Italy from Spain, defeated all the Roman armies, and maintained himself in Italy until recalled by a counter attack of the Romans, under Scipio, upon Carthage itself. The third Punic war (b.c 149-146) ended in the total destruc- tion of Carthage, which, with its territory, became a Roman province in Africa. At the same time were effected the conquests of Macedonia and Greece, the latter becoming a province in B.C. 146, which induced the importation of Greek artists and works of art. Greece formed a stepping stone to Western Asia, which in turn gradually acknowledged the Roman power, till in B.C. 133 it also became a province. With the conquests of Spain and Syria, the Roman empire extended from the Atlantic ocean to the Euphrates, while Caesar's campaigns in Gaul in b.c 59, made the Rhine and the English Channel its northern boundaries. In B.C. 55 Caesar crossed into Britain. F.A. I