The principal event after the banishment of the Tarquins was the war with the Etruscans under Porsena, in which the Romans suffered very severely. The war with the revolted Latin cities followed (n.c. 500-496), and ended with the battle of the Lake Regillue, when the Romans again became neuters of Latium. The contests between the patricians and the plebeians, who had never been allowed to exercise the rights conferred upon them by the constitution of Serviva broke out at the commencement of the Latin war, when they refused to take up arms. The struggle was afterward, embittered by disputes about the pub] I o lands taken from the conquered people which the patrician* Leld in their exclusive possession. At last ac. 493, the plebeians, exasperated by the oppression under which they lived, from Rome, and took up a fortified and threatening position on the Mon. Sacer. The senate in great alarm granted their demands: two, or according to others., five plebeian tribunes (tribuni plebci) were created to protect their order, and two other plebeian magiatrates, called Ire:film The most important concession however was that which the plebeian,' shortly afterwards obtained, the right of sum moning before their own comitia (comitia tribute) any one who violated the rights of their order, and in the year n.c. 471 the tribune Publillua Velcro succeeded in procuring for the plebeians the right to elect their own magistrates without any interference on the part of the patricians, to deliberate and make laws in their own comitia (plebiecita), which indeed were not binding as loges, ut still must have bad a considerable influence, being the declared will of the commonalty. In ac. 451.2 the laws of the Twelve Tables, the beets of Roman law, were promulgated. The connubium, or right of inter marriage with the patricians, was obtained by the plebeians in ac. 445 through the tribune Canuleius, who also made an attempt to divide the consulship between the two estates. But the plebeians were not admitted to the consulship till ac. 366, and between this time and ac. 900, all the other great civil and religious offices were open to them.
During the long struggle between the patricians and the plebeians the arms of Rome were kept in constant activity by the wars with Fidenee, which was destroyed in n.c. 426, and with the /Equians, who were defeated in B.C. 418 at the foot of Mount Algidue. The war with Veil lasted fur several years, and io ac. 396 this wealthy city was taken by M. Furiue Camillus. Tho Gauls, in sic. 390, completely defeated a Roman army on the small river Allis. They then advanced upon Rome, took and burned the city, and laid siege to the Capitol, but were induced, by an inroad of the Veneti into their own territory, to return home. Though the city was soon rebuilt, its weakness encouraged the Zquiane, Volscians, and Etruscans to renew their hostilities; but they were conquered by Camillus. The Ilernicans and Latins also endeavoured to shake off their alliance with Rome. Tho former, after a series of campaigns and reverses, were completely subdued in n.c. 306; while the Latins, induced by the repeated incursions of the Gauls, soon renewed their alliance with Rome.
The treaty with Carthage was renewed in B.C. 348, probably on account of the Greek pirates, who about this time infested the coasts of Latium. (Livy, vii. 27.) The great power which the Romans had gradually acquired and shown iu the various contests with their imme diate neighbours, now began to be displayed in the war against the Samnitee, which lasted from 843 to 341 B.C., and ended in a treaty with
Rome, whose power now began to raise apprehension throughout Italy. The Latins were the first who chewed this feeling ; a war with the Latina was the consequence, and a continuation of that against Samnium. The Romans were successful against both, and in ac. 338 all Latium was subdued.
In the second Samnite war, which lasted from 326 to 315 ac., a Roman army marched into Campania, Palreopolis fell in n.c. 326 by treason, and Neapolis opened its gates to the enemy. Appulia submitted to Rome in ac. 318. The Etruscans, Umbrians, and Gauls now rose successively against Rome, and the 3Iarsians, Pelignians, )Equians, and-Hernicans made common cause with them. But the Romans subdued them all, The Samnites in the meanwhile entered into an alliance with the Etruscans, Umbriane, and Gauls, against Rome, and thus commenced their third war, which lasted from ac. 295 to 290, when they were com pelled by M. Curius Dentatus to make peace. All Latium, Etruria, Campania, Samnium, a great part of Appulia, and several other Italian nations now submitted to the overwhelming power of Rome.
The war with Pyrrhus and the Tareutines lasted from 281 to 275 ac., and three years afterwards Tarentum surrendered to the Romans, and Rhegium also soon fell into their hands. The war with Tarentum made the Romans masters of the whole of the southern peninsula ; and all Italy, from the Sicilian Straits to the river Macro in the north of Etruria, now recognised the supremacy of Rome in lac. 265. Colonies, chiefly Latin, that is, colonies which had inferior rights to the Roman colonies, were established in various parts to ensure the submission of the conquered nations, and the Italian states and towns either received new constitutions or retained their old ones, modified according to the circumstances under which they bad submitted to Rome. Some towns however, such as Capua, seem to have remained almost inde pendent states.
The first Punic war listed from 264 till 241 B.C. At its termination Rome had gained possession of Sicily and the adjacent islands; and Sicily became the first Roman province. In 33.c. 238 the Romans took possession of Sardinia, and soon after Corsica was subdued. Between 238 and 222 ac. the Cisalpine Gauls were subdued, Mediolanum taken, and colonies planted in Cremona and Placeutia. A year after this event Istria was added to the Roman republic, and by n.e. 219, the Romans were masters of the whole coast of Illyricum.
The second Puuic war, which was caused by the siege and capture of Saguntum by Hannibal, lasted from 218 till 202 sea This period is marked by the march of Hannibal across the Pyrenees into Gaul, his passage of the Alps, and his victories on the Ticinus, the Trebia, and the Lake Trasimeno, the complete overthrow of the Romaus at Canna (after which fortune forsook the great African leader, who was henceforth held in check by Fabius Maximue and Marcellus), the destruction of Hasdrubars army on the Motaurus in ac. 207, the invasion of Africa by Scipio, and the defeat of Hannibal at Zama, which closed the war (n.c. 202). To gain peace Carthage submitted to give up her fleet ; to pay 10,000 talents, to retain only her possessions in Africa; to make no war without the consent of Rome; and to restore to Masinissa all his hereditary possessions.