A major new history of the Roman republic written by an expert in the field. The first all round general textbook on the Roman republic, clearly and accessibly written. A coherent and authoritative synthesis of this period in Roman history. * A major new history of the Roman republic written by an expert in the field. * The first all-round general textbook on the Roman republic, clearly and accessibly written. * A coherent and authoritative synthesis of this period in Roman history. Preface vii Illustration Acknowledgements ix 1 Rome and Italy 1 The foundation of the city of Rome 1 The rise of Rome into the leading power in Italy 19 The constitution of the classical Republic 37 The rise of the nobility 48 2 Rome and the Mediterranean 57 The war with King Pyrrhus 60 The First Punic War 64 Celts and Illyrians 71 The Second Punic War 73 The war with the great Hellenistic powers 85 The vengeful Weltmacht and the beginnings of the Roman Empire 95 3 The Crisis of the Republic and its Causes 112 Culture and religion under Greek influence 114 The monetary economy and its impact 122 The crisis of the military and agrarian system 136 The Gracchan reform initiatives 147 The road to the civil war: Marius and Sulla 167 The state of the dictator Sulla 194 4 The Fall of the Republic 205 The rise of Pompey 208 Caesar and the First Triumvirate 229 From the Gallic War to the civil war 236 The state of the dictator Caesar 262 The lost struggle for the Republic 280 5 Augustus: Defeat and Fulfilment of the Republic 295 The Second Triumvirate and the struggle for power 295 The Augustan constitutional settlement 304 Chronological Table 322 Note on the Sources and Bibliography 326 Index 343