sessed, possibly, three hundred square miles of territory. The number o
Etrurians. The Celts, in revenge, marched upon Rome. The disastrous battle of the ALLIA, a small river about eleven miles north of the city, was fought on July 18, 390. The Romans were thoroughly defeated and their city lay at the merc
tory were destroyed, and we have no trustworthy
olonies, of which the Romans subsequently planted many, were outposts established to protect conquered territory. A band of Roman citizens was armed and equipped, as if for military purposes. They took with them their wives and children, slaves and followers, and e
lf superior to them all, until finally, in 353, she had subdued the whole of Southern Etruria, and gained poss
ship, but were permitted to govern their own city in local matters as they wished. Many towns were subs
untries as far south as TARRACíNA. To the north, across the Tiber,
mountainous districts of Central Italy. This people, spreading over the southern half of Italy, had in 423 captured the Etruscan
g war upon the Volsci. The Samnites went so far as to attack Teánum, a city of Northern Campania, which appealed t
eaty. This was furnished by the Capuans surrendering their city unconditionally to R
arying success, and which were interrupted by two truces. It is usual to
SAMNITE WA
etails can be given. It resulted in no material advantage to either side, except t
N WAR (3
me a proposition that one of the Consuls and half of the Senate be Latins; but it was rejected. A war followed, in the third year of which was fought the battle of Trigánum, near Mount Vesuvius. The Romans, with their Samnite allies, were v
stress. Four of the Latin cities, TIBUR, PRAENESTE, CORA, and LAURENTUM, were left independent, but all the rest of
ed, as municipia, three more towns, Fundi
lude all the country from
onists retained all their rights as Roman citizens, whereas the military colonists relinquished these rights and became Latins. The first of
, and the beaks (rostra) of its ships were taken to Rome, and placed as ornam
a centre for political discussions and financial proceedings. The bankers and brokers had their offices here. Smalle
as chiefly instrumental in bri
THIRD SAMNITE
in War were, as we have seen, to break up the La
mnites, and the Etruscans. The last of these was the weakest, and had been decl
ry nearly matched. Rome had her power more compact and concentrated, while the Samn
sful, and the Samnites were forced to sue for peace. In this period Rome gained
e Romans for seven years (321-315). He allured the Romans into a small plain, at each end of which was a defile (Furculae Caudinae). On reaching this plain they found Pontius strongly posted to oppose them. Af
Spurius Postumius, according to which peace was to be
the Roman arms. The army was made to pass under the yoke,-which was made of three spears, two stuck
nergy was devoted to repairing the disaster. Compliance with the terms of the treaty was refused, on the ground that no treaty
es were so thoroughly whipped by QUINTUS FABIUS, then Dictator, at LAKE VADIMóNIS in Etruria, that they could no longer make any effective r
attack the military colony of Sutrium, which had been founded seventy-six years before. The Consul Quintus Fabius we
ime was employed by the Samnites in endeavoring to unite Italy against Rome. They w
battle of SENTINUM (295) in Umbria. The Samnites, led by Gellius Egnatius, we
of his illustrious father, the Consul vowed his life to the Infernal Gods if victory were granted, and, rushing into the midst of the enemy, was slain. (Footnote: It is said that the father of Decius acted in a similar manner in a
allowed their independence, and became allies of Rome. The Sabines were made Roman citizens (sine suffragio), and their territory was annexed to the Ager Románus. This territ
eated the Senonian and Boian Gauls, and f