The story of how the Roman Republic came to dominate Italy is a tale of constant struggles to survive on a peninsula filled with warring city-states. The Romans’ persistence and stubbornness, even in the face of defeat, eventually allowed them to score key victories and become the most powerful state in the region.

Theme: The Early Roman Republic

• Ross Cowan, "Historical introduction: the Early Roman Republic"
• Jona Lendering, "The fast-working historian: Livy and his sources" (The Source)
• Mark McCaffery, "Fetiales and the Law of Nations: how Romans justified their wars"
• Massimo Drago, "Lacus Regillus: the battle that confirmed the Republic"
• Michael Taylor's "Populus: the army and society in the Early Roman Republic"
• Matthew Beazley, "The First Samnite War, 343–341 BC"
• Edwin de Vries, "The heavy yoke: Livy and the defeat at the Caudine Forks, 321 BC"
• Gareth Williams, "Fabius and phobos: a strategy using fear"

• David Mitchell, "Diversity in ancient armies"
• David Kraetzer, "The Gaesates: Männerbund, ancient navy seals or what?"