Vote and post your thoughts

My own rather short analysis...

Without North Africa (and the defeat of Carthage) Rome never becomes the superpower that it did. Despite the fact that the conquests of the Hellenized east brought fabulous wealth and helped spread the Greco-Roman culture throughout the western world, I still think that without the Carthaginian victory Rome would've been constrained into more local/regional strength. All the conquests carry enormous weight and various repurcussions for western history, but I have to stick with the one that started it off.

Good choice and I see your point. I chose Gaul because it shifted Rome from being a Mediternean centric, to a Euro centirc empire. Gaul eventually becoming the seat of power and continuity to Western Europe.

North Africa was more significant conquest. Gallia was gradually getting under influence of Rome. If Rome left Gallia in peace, it came to Rome itself later. The German tribes did not give a quiet life to gauls too. That circumstance could lead to search of powerful allies. It's my opinion only.

i say gaul but i cant explain it now as im at school and short on time.. i will elaborate when i get home ;)

I say Spain because it came at a critical time for Rome.

I voted North Africa on the basis that Carthage existed as Rome's greatest rival and only after ther downfall did Rome really take off in its expansion. Of course this is a very difficult question to answer as the conquest of Spain was crucial in defeating Carthage. All the conquests flowed together in some way and its very hard to pinpoint what was most important.

I hate to be different, but I would say the conquest of Italy ... What if Rome had remained under the Etruscan thumb, or was conquered by Samnites or some other Italic people?

Very good point Ursus. It could kind of be two questions. Most important before Italia would have to be Italia, most important after would have to be Carthage. Spain was also important though wasn't it ? In terms of financing later wars ?

Spain by far, because of the resources it produced for Rome. Also don't overlook Greece as it gave the Romans a door to the east and not to mention the future seat of Roman power after constantine.

I have to go with North Africa. It was the defeat of Carthage which really set Rome on the path to Empire. It opened the door to the conquest of Spain and Gaul particularly.

Its a good point Ursus makes about the conquest of Italy. Certainly the subjugation of the other Italian tribes and the Celts of Cisalpine Gaul was essential before Rome could make any further moves towards greatness. I think this only assured Rome's survival though, as has been said before Rome may have remained a regional power if they hadn't tackled the Carthaginians.

Just to add more color to this, I'll throw in what Tom Holland has to say in his book _Rubicon_.

He claims the most important conquest for Roman political life wasn't even a conquest in traditional military terms. The King of Pergamum died, leaving his kingdom to the Romans in his will.

This was Rome's first province in Asia, and their first real taste of Oriental wealth. The scramble for the wealth of Pergamum upset Roman society on two fronts.

1) Before Pergamum, Rome's "foreign policy" in the East was essentially to loot and rape a province, and leave whatever was left run by a puppet ruler who would have to pay the occasional tribute. Eastern provinces were never subject to direct Roman taxation or direct Roman administration. The wealth of Pergamum changed that. The Gracchi brothers (see below) pushed threw a bill that subject Pergamum to direct taxation under the auspices of Roman tax farmers.

In Holland's words the "lid was off the honeypot" and this now served as the model for Roman foriegn policy in the remainder of the Republican era. Conquered provinces would thenceforth be subject to direct Roman taxation. Rome would drawn further into its imperial mode.

2) Tiberius Gracchus needed funds for his political platform. Pergamum represented a windfall. Tiberius demanded the wealth of Pergamum be used to fund reforms for the people. The conservative senators disagreed, and had him killed. Gaius avenged his brother's murder by pushing through the bill that subject Pergamum to direct taxation. This considerably upped the ante in the struggle between the Optimates and the Populares and helped set the stage for the warlords of the late Republic.

So Pergamum helped initiate these interlocking trends in foreign and domestic policy that would take Rome from Republic to Empire. And all because the king left his country to the Romans in his will. :-)

I would go with Gaul it provided much food and economic proserity to Rome.

Zeke

Zeke I have to disagree with you here, the majority of the economic prosperity for rome came from the conquest of Spain and the east. Gauls importance is later on as it helped spread christianity throughout europe as well as roman laws and roads.

Well it did produce much of the Wine the wind that Rome consumed correct??

Zeke