Roman-Sardinian Wars Explained

Conflict:	Roman-Sardinian Wars
Place:	Sardinia
Date:	238 - 230 BC^[1] ^[2] 226 - 225 BC^[3] ^[4] 217 - 216 BC^[5] ^[6] 181 BC^[7] 178 - 172 BC^[8] 126 - 122 BC^[9] ^[10] 115 - 111 BC^[11] 106 BC^[12] 6 - 19 AD^[13]
Territory:	Conquest and occupation of coastal Sardinia, while the interior resists conquest
Result:	Roman victory Roman conquest of coastal Sardinia Roman failure to pacify the people of the interior (Barbaria)
Combatant1:	Roman Republic, succeeded by Roman Empire
Combatant2:	Principal belligerents: Ilienses Balares Corsi Allies: Carthage

The Roman-Sardinian Wars (Latin: Bellum Sardum^[14]) were a series of conflicts in Sardinia between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD. These wars pitted the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire against the major Sardinian tribes: the Ilienses (later Ioles or Diagesbes), the Balares and the Corsi (located in today's Gallura),^[15] in a struggle for control of the coastal cities.

The island, especially the mountainous interior (also known as Barbaria, "land of the Barbarians"), was never completely pacified by the Romans. In contrast, the coasts, known as Romania ("land of the Romans"), were significantly influenced by the Romans during their centuries of dominion. The Roman presence was eventuallyu eroded by the arrival of the Vandals; however, these new invaders were likewise unable to take control of the interior and consequently settled in the coastal cities for at least 80 years.^[16] The Byzantines then arrived in Sardinia, struggling with the peoples of Barbaria for a period, before finally signing a peace treaty with Hospiton, chief of the Ilienses.^[17]

References

Citations

See also

• Sardinia and Corsica

Notes and References

1. Polyb. I 83
2. Mastino, Attilio. Storia della Sardegna antica, Il Maestrale, Nuoro, 2005, pg. 138
3. Zonar. VIII 19 extr., p. 403
4. Mastino, Attilio. Storia della Sardegna antica, Il Maestrale, Nuoro, 2005, pg. 155
5. Polyb. III 75, 4; see Bell. Ann. 8. Livio (XXI 49, 2)
6. Mastino, Attilio. Storia della Sardegna antica, Il Maestrale, Nuoro, 2005, pg. 156
7. Liv. XL 19 ad a. 181: Pestilentiae tanta vis erat, ut, cum propter defectionem Corsorum bellumque ab Iliensibus concitatum in Sardinia octo milia peditum ex sociis Latini nominis placuisset scribi et trecentosequites, quos M. Pinarius praetor secum in Sardiniam traiceret, tantumhominum demortuum esse, tantum ubique aegrorum consules renuntiaverint, ut is numerus effici militum non potuerit. quod deerat militum, sumere a Cn. Baebio proconsule, qui Pisis hibernabat, iussus praetor atque inde in Sardiniam traicere.
8. Liv. XLI 9 ad a. 177 a.C.: Provinciae deinde quae in bello erantSardinia atque Histria [consulibus] decretae. in Sardiniam duae legiones scribi iussae, quina milia in singulas et duceni pedites treceni equites et duodecim milia peditum sociorum ac Latini nominis et sescentiequites et decem quinqueremes naves si deducere ex navalibus vellet.tamtumque peditum equitumque in Histriam quantum in Sardiniamdecretum… ib. 98: Claudio Histria, Sempronio Sardinia obvenit.
9. Periocha Livi LX ad a. 126: L. Aurelius consul rebellantes Sardossubegit. Vedi Fasti Triumph. ad a. 122 a.C.: L. Aurelius L. f. L. n. Orestespro cos ex Sardinia VI idus Dec.
10. Caec. Metell.apud Val. Max. IX 7, 2: tres tantum modo filios Ti. Gracchi fuisse, equibus unum in Sardinia stipendia merentem
11. CIL X 7852
12. Pais, Storia, vol. I, p. 224. Although see vol. I, p. 298 and vol. II, p. 34 (104a.C.). see also Porcu, I magistrati cit., p. 25.
13. Mastino, Attilio. Storia della Sardegna antica, Il Maestrale, Nuoro, 2005, pg. 26, 232
14. Mastino, Attilio. Storia della Sardegna antica, Il Maestrale, Nuoro, 2005, pg. 68
15. Plin. N. h. III 7, 85
16. [Francesco Cesare Casula]
17. Cod. Iust. de off. praef. Africae I 27, 2, 3: In Sardinia autem iubemus ducem ordinari et eum iuxta montes, ubi Barbaricini videntur sedere, habentem milites pro custodia locorum quantos et ubi tua magnitudo providerit.