This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER II Roman Conquest And Organization Of The Province I. The First Punic War In the first quarter of the third century before Christ, affairs in Sicily came to take on a new aspect. Pyrrhus, in his fruitless attempt at Sicilian domination, succeeded only in increasing the burdens of a people already much harassed by strife.1 Carthage had gained possession of the greater part of the island, and the territory of Syracuse had dwindled, except for Tauromenium, to the southeast corner of the island. Rome, the real antagonist of Carthage, had extended her rule over all southern Italy, except Tarentum, which fell into her hands in 272. It took no great political sagacity in Pyrrhus to predict the future clash of Carthage and Rome over the rich and beautiful island which would give to either, if conqueror, so great a military advantage over the other. The question whether the desire of Rome for the island was chiefly strategic or economic is difficult to answer. That Rome was already dependent upon countries outside of Italy for a part of her grain may be argued from the fact that Hiero sent grain to Rome during the Celtic Wars,2 that at the end of the First Punic War he distributed two hundred thousand modii of wheat among the people of Rome,8 that he offered to supply grain gratuitously, as well as clothing and arms, at the beginning of the Second Punic War,1 and that he did contribute large quantities of food just before the Battle of Cannae.2 Polybius relates that in the Second Punic War the allies of the interior of Sicily were obliged to furnish grain.3 It must be remembered, however, that all this was in time of war, when Rome's own production of food, even if ordinarily sufficient, would be seriously interrupted. The fact that Hiero...