Polybius, the Megalopolitian historian who had been brought to Rome in BC, explained that the Hellenistic world was a multipolar one. But the conflict with Carthage was not inevitable, and the decision by the Romans to march into Sicily came only at the end of a centuries long struggle between Carthage and Syracuse for control of the island.
This post compiles the fragmentary historical narratives of the period to demonstrate that the Romans arrived late to the Sicilian game, but, by cultivating sea power, went on to win it.
The Emperor Claudius later consolidated books on the Etruscans and Carthaginians in a museum in Alexandria, although once more this material has been lost. VII, part 2 Roman and allied socii territory by the mid-3 rd century encompassed all of Italy south of the Arno river, 50, square miles, with a population of about three million souls.
This included the Latin socii nominis Latini , Latin territory not yet annexed directly, plus the 24 and by , 26 Latin colonies Rome had established during the 4 th and 3 rd centuries.
At the start of the Samnite Wars , , this territory had reached 5, km 2. Roman colonies by , from The Cambridge Ancient History, vol. Roman and Latin territory, Allies and colonies, from T.
