Read about Rome's final consolidation of all the towns on the Italian peninsula, from the Rubicon to to the Strait of Sicily. The war against Pyrrhus gives us the ironic statement of a Pyrrhic victory.

Rome begins her expansion beyond the Italian peninsula with the First Punic War against Carthage. See why Carthage was such a formidable foe.

With the end of the First Punic War, Rome acquired new territory which she organized into provinces.

Rome cannot rest after conquering lands. With often brutal methods, she subdues and consolidates her conquests, and perfects the province system. A slave revolt in Sicily, though, is an indication of problems to come.