Similar to Greece, Italy was a confederation of city-states rather than a single nation. Throughout history, both Sparta and Rome have had a significant impact on the political landscapes of their respective territories. According to the UNRV History website, Sparta's main objective in the Peloponnesian War was to keep Athens from growing too strong (UNRV History, n.d.). Rome's goal, on the other hand, was to unite Italy under its control and eliminate potential rivals like Carthage (UNRV History, n.d.).
Similarities
Both Sparta and Rome used military might and diplomacy to achieve their objectives. Rome used legions to subjugate nearby Italian city-states and Carthage, but Sparta used its powerful hoplite army to overcome Athens (UNRV
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In the Delian League, which was established after the Persian Wars to defend Greece from Persian assaults, Athens had grown to prominence (Britannica, 2020). Sparta grew more concerned about Athenian hegemony as Athens' dominance and influence over other city-states grew (Steiner & Commons, 2009). As a result, Sparta's main goal was to undermine Athens and prevent it from becoming too powerful (Cartwright, 2018).
Instead of simply capturing nearby city-states, Rome's main objective in Italy was to create a single nation under its control. Veii, an Etruscan city, was conquered in the fourth century BCE, signaling the start of the conquest of Italy (UNRV History, n.d.). The Samnites, who had been a pain in Rome's side for decades, the Latin Revolt of 340 BCE, which was under the power of the Latin League, and the Greek city-state of Tarentum, which was conquered in The Pyrrhic War come next in terms of Roman conquests of Italy (UNRV History, n.d.). However, the Romans' objective in their conflict with Carthage was to secure Roman authority by removing Carthage as a potential adversary (UNRV History,