The term Magna Graecia is used to indicate those regions in Southern Italy and on Sicily that were colonised by Greek migrants from the eighth century BCE onwards. The Greeks obviously did not stumble upon areas that were completely uninhabited. Everywhere they encountered other peoples, with whom they fought wars,…
The Roman power station along the Via Ostiense was opened in 1912 and closed its doors in 1963. The station had been named after the economist and socialist politician Giovanni Montemartini (1867-1913), who had strongly advocated bringing public services into the hands of the municipality (municipalizzazione in Italian). After the…
After his defeat at Beneventum, King Pyrrhus of Epirus had returned to his kingdom, only to get himself killed in the streets of Argos on the Peloponnesos a few years later. Pyrrhus’ departure allowed the Romans to complete their conquest of Southern Italy. The entire region that was known as…
Before King Pyrrhus of Epirus crossed over to Sicily he reportedly narrowly escaped an attempt on his life. According to his biographer Plutarchus the king’s personal physician had offered the Romans to poison his master in return for a royal reward. The new consul for 278 BCE, Gaius Fabricius Luscinus,…
After his failed attempt to get the Romans to sign a peace treaty, King Pyrrhus of Epirus had withdrawn his army to Campania. There he had made his winter quarters. At the end of 280 BCE or the beginning of 279 BCE he was visited by a Roman diplomatic delegation.…
Pyrrhus of Epirus is generally considered one of the greatest generals of Antiquity. But if Fate had decided otherwise, he would have died at a young age. Pyrrhus had been born in 319 BCE as the son of King Aiakides of Epirus. Two years later the Molossians, one of the…
Rome had emerged strong from the Third Samnite war. Samnium had been subjugated for now and Roman power had been extended well into Lucania and Apulia. In the north the Etruscan city states had been brought under the Roman yoke, and thanks to the founding of the Latin colony of…
In 354 BCE the Romans had concluded an alliance with the Samnites of southern Central Italy. The First Samnite war of 343-341 BCE had ended this alliance, but it had been renewed after the Roman victory in the conflict. The Samnites had subsequently fought on the Roman side during the…
In 343 BCE a war broke out between the Romans and Samnites, an Oscan-speaking people that lived in the hills and mountains of southern Central Italy. Roman behaviour was exceptionally opportunistic, as little more than ten years ago they had made an alliance with the Samnites. Now, however, they decided…
After the defeat of Praeneste and Velitrae peace returned among the Latin allies, at least for the moment. But Rome still had plenty of other problems to deal with. The war with the Volsci was a never-ending story and these old enemies proved to be exceptionally tough. In the years…
Discussions about the origins of the Etruscans go all the way back to Antiquity. The Romans called their neighbours Tusci or Etrusci, while the Greeks called them Tyrrhenoi.[1] Most classical authors believed that the Etruscans were originally Lydians who, at some point in history, had migrated from Asia Minor to…
Summary The First Punic War continues without any major land or sea battles; First engagements between the Romans and Carthaginians near Corsica and Sardinia (259 BCE); Failed Roman attack on Panormus on Sicily (258 BCE); The Romans and Carthaginians fight each other to a draw at the naval Battle of…