The Samnite Wars were a series of three armed conflicts fought between Rome and the Samnites, who formed a confederations of tribes that inhabited the central and eastern part of the Italic peninsula. It was when Rome was a prosperous young Republic as it was constantly under attacks by neighboring tribes. As it came victorious at the end of these wars, it expanded its territory, creating buffer zones and exerting even stronger hegemony in the region.
The first war began in 343 BC when the war-like Samnites attacked Capua, the capital of Campania, whose inhabitants asked Rome for military help. Although in the past Rome and the Samnites had been allied in their war against the Gauls, the Roman Republic decided to help the Campani sending an army that defeated the attacking forces and invaded the Samnite territory. However, as the Romans advanced through a narrow valley they were ambushed and totally beaten. As the Roman Senate rejected the Samnite hard peace proposal, the struggle raged on in the form of a second war.
In order to destroy Rome, the Samnites organized a military coalition with the Estruscans, Umbri and other Italic tribes. After many vicious military encounters, the Romans finally defeated the Allied forces in the famous and big battles of Sentino and Aquilonia. Thus, the third and final war ended with the Roman occupation of all the Samnite territories in 290 BC.
The Samnite Wars, like other armed struggle in the Italic peninsula, showed that whenever Rome was attacked to be destroyed and conquered, the Roman Republic was able to muster all its military strength and to overcome all obstacles, emerging as a victor as it expanded even more its border and cultural influence. In the Second Punic War, it would be the Carthagenian General Hannibal who would try to destroy Rome; and once again, Rome would come out a winner with even more territory.