Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/421

 ROME 405 was appeased by the enactment of the Horten- sian laws, which reduced debt, divided lands among the needy, and provided that all the resolutions of the tribes should be law for the entire people. This last measure clothed the people with supreme legislative power, and took from the senate its veto on their action. The dictator Hortensius put an end to that dis- pute in which the 'people had been supported by Curias Dentatus, one of the most popular Roman characters, both with his contempora- ries and in history. He had previously con- quered the Sabines of the mountains. The ex- tension of their dominion to the south now brought the Romans into collision with the Italian Greeks, at the same time that they were defeating the Gauls in northern Italy. They aided the Thurians, who were of Greek origin, against the Lucanians and others, who were believed to be incited by the people of Taren- tum, one of the most opulent and powerful of the Hellenic communities. A Roman army was marched to Tarentum, and the Tarentines called Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, to their aid. This was at the close of the year 281. Pyr- rhus landed in Italy with more than 20,000 men, and defeated the Romans at Heraclea, and afterward at Asculum. He was not well supported by the Italians ; and in consequence of an alliance between Rome and Carthage, he made peace with the Romans, who had an ex- cellent consul in Fabricius, and went to Sicily, where he pursued a brilliant but unsuccess- ful career till 276, when he returned to Italy, where he was defeated in the following year by Curius Dentatus, near Beneventum. The Romans now pursued their course of Italian conquest, and about 264 they had become mas- ters of all ancient Italy. In that year the first Punic war broke out. The Romans resolved to assist a body of mercenaries, called Mamer- tines, who had possession of Messana in Sicily, against Hiero, king of Syracuse. Hiero was defeated and retired, but the victors then at- tacked a Carthaginian force, which also had been sent to the assistance of the Mamer- tines, and defeated it. War was then declared against Carthage. It lasted 23 years, with various fortune. Though ignorant of naval matters, the Romans soon learned to defeat the Carthaginians at sea, after rapidly effect- ing the conquest of nearly all Sicily, making peace with Hiero, and leaving him in posses- sion of his small but rich kingdom. Their first naval victory was won by C. Duilius in 260. It was followed by other successes, and Sardinia and Corsica we're invaded. The Car- thaginians were reduced to the defensive in Sicily, holding there only a few strong places. In 256 M. Regulus and his colleague Manlius defeated the Carthaginians in the greatest sea fight of those days, and then landed in Afri- ca, which was incapable of making any resis- tance. Regulus was left to continue the work of conquest, with only 15,000 men; he was at length defeated, and his army destroyed and himself taken captive, by an army commanded by the Greek Xanthippus. The Romans also lost two fleets by storms. They were more fortunate in Sicily, capturing Panormus, and totally routing the Carthaginian army that sought to recover the town. The Romans began the siege of LilybaBum in 250, building a third fleet to blockade it, but this was de- stroyed by the Carthaginians. Another fleet was lost at sea. Hamilcar now took com- mand of the Carthaginians, and though but feebly supported he carried on the war with considerable success, t"he Romans still main- taining the siege of Lilybeeum. A fourth Ro- man fleet was prepared, which destroyed that of Carthage. Peace was then made, on harsh terms to Carthage, and Sicily became the first Roman province. Taking advantage of the war that Carthage was compelled to wage with her mercenary soldiers, Rome demanded of her the cession of Sardinia and Corsica, and the sum of 1,200 talents, to which no resistance could be made. For some years there were but few campaigns, and in 235 the temple of Janus was closed. Colonies had been founded during the war with Carthage, and the number of tribes was increased to 35. The Romans first crossed the Adriatic in 229, when they conquered the Illyrians, and sent envoys to Greek states to explain their proceedings, who were well received. They were threatened with a Gallic war, which was to them always the source of peculiar terror, and it was ascer- tained that the whole number of available men was 750,000. The war began in 225 and lasted four years, the Gauls being beaten, and the Roman arms carried far toward the Alps. At this time were to be seen the beginnings of that popular party which was in later times to have so important a place in the republic, but the growth and action of which were stayed for a century by the operation of external events. A new war with Carthage was im- pending. The conquests of Hamilcar and Has- drubal in Spain alarmed the Romans; and in 228 they concluded a treaty with Hasdrubal, by which it was arranged that the Carthagin- ians should not go beyond the Ebro. Hasdru- bal was killed seven years later, and was suc- ceeded by his brother-in-law Hannibal, who completed the Carthaginian empire in Spain to the south of the Ebro and the Douro. He besieged and took Saguntum, a Greek city in alliance with Rome. The Carthaginian gov- ernment having refused to deliver up Hanni- bal for this action, Rome declared war in 219. The next year Hannibal marched to Italy, through Spain and Gaul, and reached that country in about seven months, with 26,000 men, having lost or dismissed nearly three fourths of his army, but many Gauls soon joined him. He defeated the consul Scipio on the Ticinus, his colleague Sempronius on the Trebia, and in 217 Flaminius at Lake Thrasy- menus. He made captives of the Romans who were taken, but dismissed the Italian allies, bis