previous next
45. in the consulship of Publius Sulpicius1 Saverrio and Publius Sempronius Sophus, the Samnites, whether seeking to end or only to postpone hostilities, sent envoys to Rome to treat for peace. [2] to their humble supplications the answer was returned, that if the Samnites had not frequently sought peace while preparing for war, a treaty could have been arranged by mutual discussion: as it was, since words had hitherto proved of no effect, the Romans must needs take their stand on facts. [3] Publius Sempronius, the consul, would shortly be in Samnium with an army; he was one whom they would be unable to deceive as to whether their hearts inclined to peace or war; after a thorough investigation he would report his findings to the senate; and on his leaving Samnium their envoys might attend him. [4] The Roman army marched all over Samnium; the people were peaceable and furnished the army liberally with supplies; accordingly their ancient treaty was in that year restored again to the Samnites.2

[5] The arms of Rome were then directed against the Aequi, who had been her enemies of old, but for many years past had remained quiet,3 under colour of a peace which they observed but treacherously. [6] The reason for making war on them was as follows: before the overthrow of the Hernici they had repeatedly joined with them in sending assistance to the Samnites,4 and after the subjugation of the Hernici, almost the entire nation had gone over to the enemy, without attempting to disguise their policy; [7] [p. 347]and when fetials had applied to them for reparation,5 after the adoption of the Samnite treaty at Rome, they had persistently asserted that the Romans were attempting under threats of war to intimidate them into becoming Roman citizens; and how little that was a thing to be desired had [8??] been shown, they said, by the Hernici, since those who had been permitted to do so had chosen their own laws in preference to Roman citizenship, while those who had not been given an option were to have citizenship thrust upon them as a punishment.6 [9] because of such expressions, publicly uttered in their assemblies, the Roman People decreed that war should be made upon the Aequi. [10] both consuls set out for the new seat of operations, and took up a position four miles from the enemy's camp.

[11] The army of the Aequi, who for many years had made no war on their own account,7 like a hastily levied militia, under no definite commanders and subject to no supreme authority, were in a state of panic. some were for offering battle, others for defending [12] the camp. The consideration that affected most of them was the devastation which their farms would suffer and the subsequent destruction of their cities, which they had left [13] inadequately garrisoned. and so when a proposal was heard —amongst many others —which disregarded the common welfare and made every one think of his own interest, to wit, that in the first watch they should leave the camp, and going their several ways, [14??] carry off all their possessions from the fields and defend their cities by means of their walls, they all with loud acclaim adopted it. The enemy were scattered over the countryside when at break of day the Romans came [p. 349]out and formed in order of battle, and encountering8 nobody, advanced at a quick pace towards the [15] Aequian camp. but not perceiving any outposts before the gates or anybody on the rampart, and missing the usual noises of a camp, they were troubled by the unaccustomed silence, and apprehending an [16] ambush, halted. later, when they had scaled the rampart and found everything deserted, they attempted to follow the enemy by his tracks; but the tracks, which led in all directions —as they would when an army had dispersed —at first [17] bewildered them. afterwards they found out through their scouts what the enemy designed to do; and attacking his cities in succession, one after another, they captured thirty —one of them within fifty days, in every instance by assault. of these the greater number were dismantled and burnt, and the Aequian name was almost [18] blotted out. a triumph was celebrated over the Aequi; and warned by the example of their downfall, the Marrucini, Marsi, Paeligni, and Frentani sent ambassadors to Rome to sue for peace and friendship. These nations, at their request, were granted a treaty of alliance.

1 B.C. 304

2 In 354 B.C. the Samnites' had sought and obtained a treaty with the Romans, upon what terms is not known, but they were doubtless liberal (vii. xix. 4)

3 Since 388 B.C. (vi. iv. 8).

4 Chap. xlii. § 8, where, however, the Aequi are not specified.

5 B.C. 304

6 cf. chap. xliii. 23 f. for the two groups.

7 i.e. while Aequians had volunteered for service in other armies, they had engaged in no war as a nation —at any rate with Rome —since 388 B.C. (vi. iv. 8).

8 B.C. 304

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.

load focus Notes (W. Weissenborn, H. J. Müller, 1898)
load focus Summary (Latin, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D., 1926)
load focus Summary (Latin, W. Weissenborn, H. J. Müller, 1898)
load focus Summary (English, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D., 1926)
load focus Latin (W. Weissenborn, H. J. Müller, 1898)
load focus Latin (Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D., 1926)
load focus Latin (Charles Flamstead Walters, Robert Seymour Conway, 1919)
load focus English (Rev. Canon Roberts, 1912)
load focus English (D. Spillan, A.M., M.D., Cyrus Evans, 1849)
hide Dates (automatically extracted)
Sort dates alphabetically, as they appear on the page, by frequency
Click on a date to search for it in this document.
388 BC (2)
354 BC (1)
hide References (48 total)
  • Commentary references to this page (11):
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 31-32, commentary, 31.28
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 33-34, commentary, 34.15
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 35-38, commentary, 36.2
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 35-38, commentary, 36.27
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 35-38, commentary, 36.7
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 35-38, commentary, 38.47
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 35-38, commentary, 38.8
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 39-40, commentary, 40.34
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 43-44, commentary, 43.5
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, books 43-44, commentary, 44.24
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn, book 45, commentary, 45.13
  • Cross-references to this page (19):
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Marrucini
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Marsi
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Peligni
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, P. Sempronius Sophus
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, P. Sulpicius Saverrio
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Samnites
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Aequi
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Annales
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Bellum
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Civitas
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Dedicatio
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Fecialium
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Foederis
    • Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Index, Frentani
    • A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), JUS CIVI´LE FLAVIA´NUM
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), AEQUI
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MARRUCI´NI
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), MARSI
    • Smith's Bio, Sophus, P. Sempro'nius
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries to this page (18):
hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: