Notes

• For the Romans the conquest of the western Mediterranean meant an increase in military power  
• In the previous 250 years, from 500 B.C. to the outbreak of the Punic wars , the Romans had unified most of Italy; in the next 250 years, they would spread their rule from the eastern Mediterranean to the British Isles
• But even before the final defeat of Carthage, venturesome Romans were looking also to the eastern Mediterranean of for new areas to exploit
• Rome's first involvement was in Greece, and it grew out of a special invitation.
• Around 200 B.C., ambassadors from various Greek city-states appealed to Rome for aid in resisting the king of Macedonia, who had allied with Carthage.