Spoils in the Roman Republic

Warfare was a common occurrence in the Ancient World, and the Roman Republic was no exception in this regard. Rome was exceptionally successful in its military endeavours, which led to the conquest of the Italian Peninsula and the historically unique creation of a Mediterranean empire. The origins and motifs for this were complex and many-faceted, but there can be little doubt that the material rewards of military aggression played a central role in driving and maintaining annual warfare.