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First Samnite War

Type Event Region Europe Time -343–-341

From 343 to 341 BCE, the Roman Republic fought its first large-scale war against the Samnites, a mountain people of central Italy.…

Timeline

  1. -343Capua · CampaniaThe Campanian city of Capua, pressed by the Samnites, requested military protection from Rome. The Roman Senate accepted the alliance request and sent legions south, formally entering the struggle for power in central Italy.
  2. -343–-341Samnium · SamniumRoman legions repeatedly seesawed between the plains of Campania and the Samnite mountains, with neither side gaining a decisive edge. The Samnites excelled at mountain guerrilla warfare, while Rome gradually adapted and consolidated its hold on Campania.
  3. -341Central Italy · ItalyThe two sides signed a peace treaty; Rome confirmed its protective relationship with Capua and other Campanian cities, while the Samnites retained most of their mountain territories. The peace was brief, setting the stage for the Second Samnite War.

Sources