derstanding and less love for
these silly bickerings of a race which they rather despised, showed
great forebearance. But tiring of these endless dissensions they lost
patience, invaded Greece, burned down Corinth (to "encourage the other
Greeks") and sent a Roman governor to Athens to rule this turbulent
province. In this way, Macedonia and Greece became buffer states which
protected Rome's eastern frontier.

Meanwhile right across the Hellespont lay the Kingdom of Syria, and
Antiochus III, who ruled that vast land, had shown great eagerness when
his distinguished guest, General Hannibal, explained to him how easy it
would be to invade Italy and sack the city of Rome.

Lucius Scipio, a brother of Scipio the African fighter who had defeated
Hannibal and his Carthaginians at Zama, was sent to Asia Minor. He
destroyed the armies of the Syrian king near Magnesia (in the year 190
B.C.) Shortly afterwards, Antiochus was lynched by his own people. Asia
Minor became a Roman protectorate and the small City-Republic of Rome
was mistress of most of the lands which bordered upon the Mediterranean.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE

HOW THE REPUBLIC OF ROME AFTER CENTURIES OF UNREST AND REVOLUTION BECAME
AN EMPIRE

WHEN the Roman armies returned from these many victorious campaigns,
they were received with great jubilation. Alas and alack! this sudden
glory did not make the country any happier. On the contrary. The endless
campaigns had ruined the farmers who had been obliged to do the hard
work of Empire making. It had placed too much power in the hands of the
successful generals (and their private friends) who had used the war as
an excuse for wholesale robbery.

The old Roman Republic had been proud of the simplicity which had
characterised the lives of her famous men. The new Republic felt ashamed
of the shabby coats and the high principles which had been fashionable
in the days of its grandfathers. It became a land of rich people ruled
by rich people for the benefit of rich people. As such it was doomed to
disastrous failure, as I shall now tell you.

Within less than a century and a half. Rome had become the mistress of
practically all the land around the Mediterranean. In those early days
of history a prisoner of war lost his freedom and became a slave. The
Roman regarded war as a very serious business and he showed no mercy to
a conquered foe. After the fall of Carthage, the Carthaginian women and
children were sold into bo