Roman Society in the First and Second Century BCE: Analysis on the Servile Wars
Roman Society in the 2nd and 1st century BCE.
Analysis on the Servile Wars.
A Thracian slave, unchained and fighting for freedom against the Romans suppressors. Many who have watched a movie or two will know exactly who we are talking about. Spartacus, leader of one of the most stirring wars Rome has ever faced. What a lot of people do not know is the reality behind it. Not known, for example, is that Spartacus followed in the footsteps of other people. Eunus and Salvius were also starting a revolt among slaves against the Roman Republic in the First and Second Servile Wars. It is these three Servile Wars we will do research on in this essay. We have the hypothesis “The main reason for these recurring uprisings was the non-egalitarian structure of the Roman society.” which we will try and try to argue for. We will try this by answering our research question: “Which historian gives the most credible and reliable account on the history of the three Servile wars?”
Furthermore we will discuss any ambiguities and obscurities we stumble upon during our research of classical historians.
1. Introduction: Roman Society in the 2nd and 1st century BCE.
Rome has never been a peaceful and calm place to live in. They started their expansion fighting other Italian tribes such as the Etruscans and continued until they controlled the whole Mediterranean coast. The real expansion began with the Punic wars. In 264 BCE, Rome was in war with Carthage for the first time and in the year 201 BCE of these wars, Hannibal, military commander of the Carthaginians, almost defeated the city of Rome, but had to retreat to his hometown when Rome crossed the sea as a counterattack.
In the first half of the second century BCE, Rome is coming round from the second Punic war. However, the third Punic war takes up Rome’s attention resulting in Rome completely destroying and burning the town of Carthage including its fields and crops. This is unsurprisingly the end of the Punic wars.
Analysis on the Servile Wars.
A Thracian slave, unchained and fighting for freedom against the Romans suppressors. Many who have watched a movie or two will know exactly who we are talking about. Spartacus, leader of one of the most stirring wars Rome has ever faced. What a lot of people do not know is the reality behind it. Not known, for example, is that Spartacus followed in the footsteps of other people. Eunus and Salvius were also starting a revolt among slaves against the Roman Republic in the First and Second Servile Wars. It is these three Servile Wars we will do research on in this essay. We have the hypothesis “The main reason for these recurring uprisings was the non-egalitarian structure of the Roman society.” which we will try and try to argue for. We will try this by answering our research question: “Which historian gives the most credible and reliable account on the history of the three Servile wars?”
Furthermore we will discuss any ambiguities and obscurities we stumble upon during our research of classical historians.
1. Introduction: Roman Society in the 2nd and 1st century BCE.
Rome has never been a peaceful and calm place to live in. They started their expansion fighting other Italian tribes such as the Etruscans and continued until they controlled the whole Mediterranean coast. The real expansion began with the Punic wars. In 264 BCE, Rome was in war with Carthage for the first time and in the year 201 BCE of these wars, Hannibal, military commander of the Carthaginians, almost defeated the city of Rome, but had to retreat to his hometown when Rome crossed the sea as a counterattack.
In the first half of the second century BCE, Rome is coming round from the second Punic war. However, the third Punic war takes up Rome’s attention resulting in Rome completely destroying and burning the town of Carthage including its fields and crops. This is unsurprisingly the end of the Punic wars.
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