Samnitsky wars – a series of armed conflicts between the Roman Republic and the Samnites.
Strengthened in the South of Latia, the Romans pay attention to the fertile region of Central Italy, Campania. In an effort to increase the territory for the provision of new land to the colonists, the Romans are faced with the Samnites who also wish to lay their hands on Campania. Their struggle for this area became the cause of the first two Samnite wars. The elimination of the threat of the Samnites to Roman domination in Central Italy becomes the main outcome of the Third Samnite War. Thus, by the beginning of the III c. B.C. Rome is close to uniting the Apennine Peninsula into a single state.
First Samnite War
In 343 BC. An embassy arrived in Rome from Capua, which sought protection from the Romans against incessant raids by the militant neighbors of Samnium. On the one hand, direct intervention in the conflict would violate the treaty of 354 B.C. between Rome and the Samnites, on the other hand, the richest commercial city of Campania was too tasty for the Romans. The way out was found as follows: the inhabitants of Capua actually received Roman citizenship while maintaining internal self-government, and the Roman garrison was left in the city. Upon learning of what happened, the Samnites immediately defiantly set out to rob Campania, thereby forcing the Romans to declare war on them. The outcome of the war was the conclusion of a new treaty, according to which the old world was renewed, the Romans remained in Capua, and the Samnites in Tehan.
Despite the fact that the main source for the events described, the Roman historian Titus Livius gives descriptions of at least three battles, many researchers question the data he cites, pointing to numerous inconsistencies in the narrative.
The Second Samnite War
A new military campaign is caused by the intervention of the Samnites and the Romans in the internal struggle of the Campanian city of Naples. Rome supported the elite, and the Samnites supported the democrats. As a result of the betrayal of the nobility, the Romans seized the city and transferred military actions to the territory of the Samnite Federation. Lacking experience in fighting in the mountains, Roman troops were ambushed in the Battle of the Caudine Forks (321 B.C.), the captured Roman soldiers were subjected to a humiliating rite. Lessons were learned from this defeat, the legions begin to divide into 30 maniples, 2 centuries (hundreds) each. This reorganization has facilitated the conduct of hostilities in mountainous Samnia. The long struggle ended with a new victory for Rome. His allies are Sabel tribes and Campanian cities. A good part of the lands were moving to Rome.
Third Samnite War
The Samnites wanted to take revenge for the defeats suffered and therefore joined the anti-Roman coalition of the Etruscans and Gauls. Initially, the coalition led successful operations, but in 296 B.C. they suffered the first major defeat, forcing the Etruscans to make peace, and the Gauls to retreat to the north. Left alone, the Samnites could not resist the power of Rome. By 290 B.C. the war ended with the dissolution of the Samnite Federation, each Samnite community separately entered into an unequal union with Rome. Roman colonies are being established in Puglia, the lands of the Samnites.
