Rome's success can be attributed to its ability to integrate conquered peoples and ideas, often granting them a degree of Roman citizenship.

The Romans, facing their darkest hour during the Second Punic War, adapted their strategies to survive and ultimately became an unbeatable force in the Mediterranean.

The Roman military was a massive force of half a million people, integrating foreigners and turning them into Romans over time.

The Romans would often take the sons of conquered tribal leaders, raise them as Romans, and incorporate them into their society, turning enemies into allies. As early as the second century AD, Roman emperors and senators began to come from provinces like Spain and North Africa, rather than just Italy.

During the late Republic, the Roman army primarily consisted of indigenous Italians, with the expansion of auxiliaries occurring later in the empire.

The Romans focused on flexibility in their military organization, allowing them to adapt and overcome traditional heavy infantry tactics used by their enemies.

Hannibal's plan to defeat Rome is to cut them off from their allies by invading Italy instead of waiting to fight them in Spain or North Africa.

Half-citizens and loyal allies of Rome felt entitled to full citizenship after their sacrifices, but traditional Roman conservatism denied them this recognition.

The loss of a unifying enemy like Carthage contributed to the breakdown of political cohesion in Rome, allowing for civil wars and the rise of personalist armies.