The conquest of Latium is part of the beginning of the roman conquest and therefore conquering it became integral to Rome’s expansion. Rome first began extending their territory into Samnium and had the ‘Samnite War’. When a treaty was formed between the Samnites and the Romans, the Latins continued to fight on behalf of the Campanians, who looked to the Latins for protection from the Samnites. Therefore, Campanians cooperated with the Latins against Rome and Samnium, and they went into the great Latin War (Morey, n.d.).
Initially, the Latins got into war with the Romans because they wanted absolute equality with Rome within the Latin confederacy. Indeed, both of them started out belonging to the same Latin league, so the demand of equality perhaps seemed reasonable for the Latins. However, the Romans did not feel this way. They scornfully rejected the proposal in such way that “one senator, Manlius, declared that he would stab the first Latin who was admitted to the senate.” (Morey, n.d.). And so to declare independence, the Latins renounced their allegiance to Roman Jupiter. …show more content…
However, the Romans still had their fears. They were afraid of the Latin confederacy, and perhaps a revolt by the Latins. “The chief result of the great Latin war was the breaking up of the Latin confederacy, and the adoption of a more efficient method of governing the Latin towns” (Morey, n.d.). Thus, destroying the league and dealing with each city was strategically logical for the Romans to truly conquer and dominate the
Initially, the Latins got into war with the Romans because they wanted absolute equality with Rome within the Latin confederacy. Indeed, both of them started out belonging to the same Latin league, so the demand of equality perhaps seemed reasonable for the Latins. However, the Romans did not feel this way. They scornfully rejected the proposal in such way that “one senator, Manlius, declared that he would stab the first Latin who was admitted to the senate.” (Morey, n.d.). And so to declare independence, the Latins renounced their allegiance to Roman Jupiter. …show more content…
However, the Romans still had their fears. They were afraid of the Latin confederacy, and perhaps a revolt by the Latins. “The chief result of the great Latin war was the breaking up of the Latin confederacy, and the adoption of a more efficient method of governing the Latin towns” (Morey, n.d.). Thus, destroying the league and dealing with each city was strategically logical for the Romans to truly conquer and dominate the