How did Rome Rise to Power?

 (My answer in Quora)

The mantle of Western Civilization so brandished by the Greeks would be transferred to their natural successors the Romans.

The Twins Romulus and Remus being suckled by a wolf. A key founding myth in the history of Rome source: Britannica

Legend has it that the Rome itself was built by Romulus who killed his brother Remus after arguing about the site location for the city. Virgil saw the Romans as the descendants of the city state of Troy who had so valiantly (but ultimately unsuccessfully) battled the Achaean Greeks in the period between 1194-1184 BC in what was to be known as the Trojan Wars (The same conflict described by Homer in his epic poem The Iliad). However it is more likely that the Romans emerged from a settlement population of Italian origin who developed along the Tiber River.

The First Roman King was indeed named Romulus (753-716 BC) and early Roman history was very much entangled with the history of the Etruscans who around 900-500 BC were the dominant group on the Italian peninsula

The Rape of Lucretia source: Art UK

However the kingdom collapsed in 509 BC with L. Tarquin Superbus serving as its last monarch. Events leading to the downfall of the last king were bought to a head by a revolt of the nobility. This followed the saga of the rape of the aristocrat woman Lucretia by the king’s son. It would be replaced by the Republic.

The Roman Senate source: US History.org

The early Roman Republic warred heavily with its Etruscan rivals with the latter eventually acquiescing in the 4th century BC (the fall of Veii). The Republic grew from its local position in the Latium to eventual domination of all of Italy. The Latin States, the Samnites (in three wars), the Volsci and the Greek colonies would all succumb to the might of the Romans.

The Romans would also secure victory against a league of Greek States that included Epirus and Syracuse in the Pyrrhic War (280-275 BC). However not all these advances occurred without setback. In 390 BC the Gauls sacked Rome and the city was inflicted with civil unrest. There is a belief that this period coincided with a time of anarchy (although the extent of the anarchy is still very much in dispute).

The greatest challenge to Rome’s authority in the Republic Era came from the rival power of Carthage (a Phoenician colonial population located in Modern Day Tunisia). Three Punic Wars were fought over a period of one hundred and twenty years between Rome and its Carthaginian rival for domination of the Western Mediterranean.

In the first of these Wars the Romans invaded Sicily (a region which was within the Carthaginian sphere of influence). The Romans drew first blood with a victory at Agrigentum but the war was largely a Naval engagement with Roman use of boarding bridges (hooked up between ships) deciding the conflict in their favour.

In the Second Punic War Hannibal of Carthage crossed the Alps and attacked Rome from the North with an assorted army that included an elephant contingent and inflicted defeats on Rome and her allies in the Battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae (Hannibal’s greatest victory). However Carthage could not build on their gains and lacked the resources (mostly military men) to consolidate their foothold.

Campaigns of the Second Punic War Source: World History Encyclopedia

The powers in Carthage refused to supply Hannibal with more troops (as did Hitler with Rommel in North Africa over two thousand years later) and the momentum flipped in favour of Rome who under the skillful leadership of the general Scipio Africanus defeated Carthage on their North African home ground at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC.

The Romans had already struck a decisive blow against Carthage in Spain at the Battle of Metaurus in 207 BC, Carthage sued for peace and were heavily punished by the Romans who were now in full control of the Western Mediterranean.

Hard-line Romans, particularly Cato the Elder (famed for his Carthage must be destroyed speeches) advocated for a war with Carthage and in the Third Punic War (the shortest of the three) Carthage was finally defeated and the city raised to the ground. A treaty negotiated in favour of Rome left the former Phoenician colony powerless.

The Growth of the Roman Republic source: Facts and Details

Roman attention was turned toward Macedonia. The two powers had already fought a war between 214-205 BC but it was in the Second War fought between 200-196 BC that Roman victory was most pronounced (The Romans would defeat the Macedonians in a third war fought between 172-168 BC as well).

Roman hegemony was challenged by the Galatians (in Magnesia), the Lusitanians (ancestors of the Portuguese), Pergamon, Rhodes, the Boii and various Iberian groups but with limited success only.

In 146 BC the Romans sacked Corinthia, dissolved the Achaean League, and officially stamped their footprint as successors to the Greeks in carrying the mantle of Western Civilization.

Source: A History of the Roman Republic Klaus Bringmann

Roman Republic | Definition, Dates, History, Government, Map, & Facts

Roman Republic, (509–27 bce), the ancient state centred on the city of Rome that began in 509 bce, when the Romans replaced their monarchy with elected magistrates, and lasted until 27 bce, when the Roman Empire was established. A brief treatment of the Roman Republic follows. For full treatment, see ancient Rome. The early Roman Republic (509–264 bce) and the preceding regal period (753–509 bce) are the most poorly documented periods of Roman history. Historical writing in Rome did not begin until the late 3rd century bce, when Rome had already completed its conquest of Italy, established itself as a

https://www.britannica.com/place/Roman-Republic