填空题 .The Roman Conquest of Italy
    The Roman Empire had its origins in a small village alongside the Tiber River. Over time, the village increased in size to become a town and, later, a city, whereupon it was ruled by a series of kings—seven according to tradition—for more than two centuries. In 509 B.C., however, the people of Rome deposed the last king and established a republican system of government. During the next 250 years, the Romans proceeded to dominate Latium, the land around their city, and then conquered the entire Italian peninsula.
    In the early years after the foundation of the Roman Republic, the Romans were confined to a narrow strip of land around their city and the Tiber River. During the next couple of centuries, the city expanded slowly because of the numerous warlike tribes and city-states located nearby. Rome's primary enemy, which it ultimately conquered in 396 B.C., was the city-state of Veii; nevertheless, Rome's victory did not ensure peace because, in 390 B.C., the Gauls, another barbarian tribe, invaded Italy and conquered numerous city- states, including Rome, which they sacked. Fortunately for the Romans, the Gauls were concerned with looting rather than conquest, so they departed afterward. Sensing Rome's weakness following that defeat, a group of Latium city-states called the Latin League rose in rebellion, but the Romans crushed them.
    Next, Rome dealt with the Samnites, a tribe of warriors in southern Italy who threatened the city-state of Campania, which beseeched Rome for help. The Samnites heartily resisted Roman attacks, so the warfare between them and Rome lasted decades and required three long wars before the Romans emerged triumphant in 290 B.C. The Roman army attempted to employ the Greek phalanx as its tactical formation, yet it was ill-suited for fighting the Samnites in their hilly homeland. The Romans consequently adopted the looser Samnite formation of smaller tactical units equipped with javelins and short swords, which enabled them to defeat the Samnites, and then those weapons were used by the Roman legions for centuries.
    By that time, most of the Italian peninsula, except for the extreme southern part, where Greek city-states had established many colonies, was under Roman control. Fearing Rome, the city-states there banded together and, in 280 B.C., hired an army led by King Pyrrhus of Epirus. ❶Pyrrhus defeated the Romans several times, but his own armies suffered great losses as well. ❷In spite of these setbacks, Rome refused to surrender, and a Roman army finally defeated Pyrrhus's army in 272 B.C. ❸This was the last major enemy Rome faced in Italy, so almost the entire peninsula was possessed by Rome by 265 B.C.❹
    After vanquishing their foes, the Romans needed to retain power over them, and they accomplished this by being benevolent masters rather than cruel conquerors. They gave most defeated people the opportunity to become Roman citizens, thereby entitling them to numerous benefits. Additionally, Roman soldiers were granted land in occupied regions, so they remained in those places as farmers. This policy had two advantages. First, the Romans served as a force of experienced soldiers who could swiftly form military units to quell any rebellions that started. It also infused the conquered people with individuals loyal to Rome who, over the course of time, married local women and had families that themselves became loyal to Rome.
    *sack: to pillage or loot after taking control of a place
    *phalanx: a group of heavily armed infantry that fight closely together while joining their shields28.  Vocabulary
    ______=to control; to rule over