GEO POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND ITS IMPACT ON ROMAN MILITARY STRATEGY (264–27 BC)

Abstract

This Study explores the interaction between the geopolitics of the Mediterranean and the trajectory of Roman military strategic policy during the period 264-27 BCE, a pivotal historical period in Rome's transformation from a regional power within the Italian peninsula to a dominant force in the Mediterranean. The study examines the geographical and geopolitical attributes of the Mediterranean and their influence on Roman military conception of strategy and ideology, with a particular emphasis on geopolitical positions in both the eastern and western regions of the sea. Additionally, this study explores the impact of conflicts with Carthage, Macedonia, and the Hellenistic kingdoms, which shaped the trajectory of Roman strategic decisions. The research aims to elucidate the geopolitical dimension of the Mediterranean Sea and its effect on the development of Roman naval strategy, based on a historical-analytical approach to the understanding of historical events. The study concludes that Roman dominance in the Mediterranean and the adaptation of military strategy were necessitated by geopolitical factors and significantly contributed to the success of the imperial project. Supremacy in the Mediterranean was not only of military importance but also crucially formed the backbone of the subsequent Roman economy.