During the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian leader, cross…

During the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian leader, crossed the Alps with an army of  30,000 to 40,000 men and 6,000 horses and elephants and  advanced  into  northern  Italy.  The  Alps  took  a  toll  on  the  Carthaginian army, however, and most of  the elephants did not survive the trip. After defeating the Romans at the Trebia River, added thousands of  Gauls to his army and proceeded into central Italy. 

During the Second Punic War, the  Romans  took  the  war  di…

During the Second Punic War, the  Romans  took  the  war  directly  to  Carthage.  Late  in  204  b.c.,  the Roman general,   led  a  Roman  army  from  Sicily  into  North  Africa  and  forced  the  Carthaginians  to  recall  Hannibal  from  Italy. At the Battle of  the Romans decisively defeated Hannibal and the Carthaginian forces, and the war  was  over.  Pursued  by  the  Romans, Hannibal eventually killed himself  saying, “Let us free Rome of  her dread of  one old man.”

The    had  an  impact  on  Roman civilization in numerous w…

The    had  an  impact  on  Roman civilization in numerous ways, both  large  and  small.  The  Romans  adopted clothing like the  toga   and  short  cloak.  The  insignia  of   the  kings became the insignia of  Roman  magistrates. 

According to the Catholic church tradition, known as the doc…

According to the Catholic church tradition, known as the doctrine of , Jesus had given the keys to the kingdom  of   heaven  to  Peter,  who  was  considered  the  chief   apostle  and  the  first  bishop  of   Rome.  Subsequent  bishops  of   Rome were considered Peter’s successors and later the “vicars of  Christ” on earth. Though this exalted view of  the bishops of  Rome was by no means accepted by all early Christians, Rome’s position as the traditional capital of  the Roman Empire served to buttress this claim.  

In 23 b.c., the Roman emperor was given the power of  a tri…

In 23 b.c., the Roman emperor was given the power of  a tribune without actually holding the office itself; this power enabled him to propose laws and veto any item of  public business. Although officials continued to be elected, his authority ensured that his candidates usually won. This situation caused participation in elections to decline. Consequently, the popular assemblies, shorn of  any real role in elections  and  increasingly  overshadowed  by  the  senate’s  decrees,  gradually declined in importance.

The  Roman    came  to  hold  an  especially  important  pos…

The  Roman    came  to  hold  an  especially  important  position  in  the  republic.  This body, also known as the council  of   elders,  was  a  select  group  of   about  three  hundred  men  who  served  for  life.  It was not a legislative body and could only advise the magistrates. The advice of  this body was not taken lightly, how-ever, and by the third century B.C. had virtually the force of  law.