Expert: Conrad T. Jalowski - 3/25/2009

Question
Rome's conquest of the Italian peninsula by 264 B.C. can be attributed to: ?
superb diplomacy
a direct policy of expansion
the use of heavy cavalry
Rome's navy

According to the Roman historian Sallust, the republic's decline was due to: ?
a lack of popular democracy
ambition, corruption, moral decline,and self-interest of politicians
pressure from foreign armies
lack of ships

Answer
Thank you for the two questions, I am honored to be of assistance.

Question #1):

The Roman Republic's conquest of the Italian promontory by 264 BCE can be attributed to two of the available choices: "superb diplomacy" and "a direct policy of expansion". For the first position, the Romans followed the concept of "divide and conquer" towards their enemies, and the granting of local autonomy and self-integrity of colonized states that were gradually granted full Roman benefits. There are three methods for the granting of citizenship as applied throughout history: "polity", "sympolity" and "isopolity", or the granting of citizenship, the granting of dual citizenship and the reciprocity of citizenship. For "Divide and Conquer" any inimical or hostile coalitions or leagues were pitted against each other resulting in divergent goals, and great confusion and chaos that would allow the Roman Republic to attack its enemies piecemeal. Rome did this against the Latium League, during the Samnite Wars, during the Pyrrhic Wars, etc. Roman enemies were pitted against each other to sow dissonance and discord amongst her inveterate foes. Rome held all of Italy from the Po River to the north to Calabria in the south by 272 BCE after the departure of King Pyrrhus of Epirus and the capitulation of the Tarentines. The colonies of Rome were given political flexibility that made them devoted to Rome for the majority of their relations. The "direct policy of expansion" most resembled 'defensive aggression' with the Romans establishing defensive perimeters and buffer states for the Roman Republic yet viewing any nearby state as a possible threat and becoming belligerent towards that particular state. The Roman policy of expansion was initially not viewed for sheer conquest and subjugation but for the defense from real and/or imagined threats from abroad.

Question #2):

The Roman historian Sallust (Sallustius Crispus) wrote the Histories, the Jugurthine War and the Catilinarian Conspiracy. The answer to the second question would be "ambition, corruption, moral decline, and self-interest of politicians". Roman politicians were contumelious and arrogant as well as avaricious and sped up the dilapidation of Roman civil society. Sallust though desiring to emulate the great Greek (Athenian) historian Thucydides, was more of a moral historian like Plutarch who described history through internal conflicts and factors as opposed to exact and precise recollections of dates and events.

Thank you for the question, I hope this information will help you in your research,

             Conrad Jalowski