(300-200.)

THE nations of the greatest general interest and importance during this century are ROME, EGYPT, and CARTHAGE. ROME obtains the mastery over the whole Italian peninsula by the year 266 B. C. She then begins a career of foreign conquest, and adds to her territory Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, obliges Carthage to give up all her possessions outside of Africa (including possessions in the above three islands and in Spain), and Carthage herself to become a dependent ally of Rome. (See PUNIC WARS, page 59.)

Towards the end of the century Rome begins the conquest of Cisalpine Gaul, and begins to interfere with the affairs of Macedonia and Greece.

EGYPT, under the first Ptolemy and his son Ptolemy Philadelphus, becomes prosperous and powerful. Alexandria becomes the seat of learning and commerce. (See page 70.)

CARTHAGE at the middle of the century is at the head of about three hundred Phoenician cities in Africa, and has possessions in Spain, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, but by the end of the century (202 B. C.) she has given up to Rome all her possessions outside of Africa. (See PUNIC WARS.)

GREECE is hereafter greatly distracted in its affairs, but keeps up a front of independence against Macedonia. (See ACHEAN LEAGUE, page 69.)

SYRIA AND THE EAST. The kingdom of the SELEUCIDE (so called from Seleucus, see map for the last century), though powerful, is of but little general interest. The kingdom of Lysimachus (Thrace and part of Asia Minor) is added in 281 B. C. Syria is invaded from Egypt in 246 B. C. A permanent loss of territory in the East is suffered by the revolt of PARTHIA about 256 B. C.

THE KINGDOM OF LYSIMACHUS (THRACE and part of ASIA MINOR) becomes part of the dominion of the Seleucidæ in 281 B. C.

PARTHIA revolts from the kingdom of the Seleucidæ about 256 B. C. EPIRUS now becomes a powerful state under Pyrrhus.

Statesmen and Generals. -Fabricius Luscinus, Manius Curius Dentatus, Duilius, Regulus, Flaminius, Fabius Maximus (Cunctator), Marcellus, Scipio Africanus (Major). Poets and Dramatists. Livius Andronicus, Ennius, Plautus.

EGYPT.

MACEDONIA.

Kings. Cassander, Demetrius Poliorcetes, Pyrrhus, Lysimachus, Antigonus Gonatas.

(See also under GREECE.)

GREECE, 1

Statesmen and Generals. - Cleomenes, Aratus, Philopomen.
Philosophers. Theophrastus, Epicurus, Zeno (Stoic).

Poets. Menander, Theocritus (Syracusan), Lycophron, Aratus, Callimachus (Alexandria), Bion, Moschus, Apollonius Rhodius.

1 Including some Greeks in other countries. See also under EGYPT, MACEDONIA, and SYRACUSE.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

ROME.

In the strength and ardor of youth, she sustained the storms of war, carried her victorious arms beyond the seas and the mountains, and brought home triumphal laurels from every country of the globe. - AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS.

ROME, continuing the career of conquest begun in the

last century, became mistress of all Italy (Samnite and Latin wars; war with Pyrrhus) by the year 266 B. C. She had grown greatly in wealth, power, and dominion, and was then prepared to begin a vigorous career of conquest beyond the limits of the peninsula.

The fifth century from the foundation of the city produced neither historian, poet, orator, nor philosopher. Still we are, as it were, working our way to light; the greatness of Rome is beginning to unfold itself. - ARNOLD.

THE PUNIC WARS.

A lawful time of war at length will come
(Nor need your haste anticipate the doom),

When Carthage shall contend the world with Rome.

VIRGIL. Tr. Dryden.

ROME and Carthage were at this time the great powers of the West. Rome was the stronger by land, while Car

thage, at the head of three hundred Phoenician cities in Africa, and having possessions in Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and Spain, was the great naval and commercial power of the Western Mediterranean, and ruled the sea without a rival.

Liberty had erected against the tyranny of the Roman Empire another empire on the water, -a wandering Carthage, which no one knew where to seize, and which floated from Spain to Asia. — MICHELET.

There was an ancient city, Carthage, held
By Tyrian settlers, facing from afar
Italia, and the distant Tiber's mouth;
Rich in resources, fierce in war's pursuits;
And this one city, Juno, it was said,
Far more than every other land esteemed,
Samos itself being less. Here were her arms,
Her chariot here; e'en then the goddess strives
With earnest hope to found a kingdom here
Of universal sway, should fate permit.

But of a race derived from Trojan blood

She had heard, who would o'erturn the Tyrian towers
One day, and that a people of wide rule,

And proud in war, descended thence, would come
For Libya's doom. So did the Fates decree.

VIRGIL. Tr. Cranch.

O degenerate child of a kind, compassionate mother,
That to the might of Rome addest the cunning of Tyre!

But this ruled by her power the earth which her valor had conquered,
That instructed the world which by her prudence she won.
Say, what doth history tell of thee? She tells, thou didst ever
Win like the Roman by steel, rule like the Tyrian by gold.

SCHILLER. Tr. Merivale.

I stand in Carthage; Dido's city here
Rose into power, and waved her wand of fear;

The seaman hailed her lofty towers afar,
Each gilded palace glittering like a star;

Armies obeyed her nod, a countless host,

-

And bee-like Commerce hummed along the coast;
Gems, gold, all wealth within her walls was seen,
And tawny Afric bowed, and owned her queen.

N. MICHELL.