By 146, Rome had established itself as the leading Mediterranean power. Over the next century, it consolidated its power into an immense territorial empire. At the same time, the internal balance of power shifted dramatically, as a narrow ruling elite was challenged first by the rest of Italy, and then by military commanders, a process which culminated in the civil war between Pompey and Caesar and the re-establishment of monarchy. This volume traces the story from the sacks of Carthage and Corinth to the assassination of Caesar, combining a lucid narrative of events with detailed analysis of political and cultural change.