The Second, or the GREAT, Samnite War is composed of 20 years of complicated battles, with many other “elements”, joining Rome and the Samnites in battle.

The Second Samnite War was signaled by the broke out of another war between the Samnites and the Campanians in 327 BC. The Campanians, again, sought for Rome’s assistance, which Rome did answered.

The war was not really a good record for Rome as its first half, which was triggered by a hard-hitting humiliation by a Samnite to two Roman consuls and by the imprisonment of 600 Equites, chronicled Rome’s serious defeats and sufferings. But the second half saw Rome’s recovery and victory. When the war stalled for five years, Rome took the chance to strengthen its military by increasing recruitment.

In 320 and 319 BC, the start of the second half of the Second Samnite War, the Romans returned for revenge against the Samnites and defeated them. But in 315 BC, again Rome suffered defeat and the success seemed to flow with the Samnites until 314 BC. As a result, Campania was on the verge of deserting Rome. The war erupted again when in 311 BC, the Samnites were joined by Etruscan cities that had decided to test the Roman power.

The Romans defeated the newly formed alliance and the war became a contest for the dominance of much of Italy. Between 311 and 304, the Romans and their allies won a series of victories against both the Etruscans and the Samnites.

In 308 BC the Etruscans sued for peace which was granted on severe terms and in 304 BC the Samnites obtained peace on terms probably severe but not crushing.

The war resulted to Rome having found13 more colonies against the Samnites and created six new rustic tribes in annexed territory. The Romans also extended their power into northern Etruria and Umbria.