﻿ULTTUX. 



LATIUM. 



LATIUM, the country of tli« aucienl Latiof, now fonui ths Cam- 

 VAOHA VI Roma, kod a part of the Ncapolitaa prarinoe of Terrm di 

 Lavora [ Latoro, Teura di], under whioti bead* the phyaical geography 

 of the country i« noticed. 



The Latini, or Latina, one of the oldaat known nation* of Ita]^, are 

 ■dd to haTa oome down at *om« raoota time, lone before the building 

 of Rome, from the Central Apennioe* in the nei^botuhood of Raate 

 (the modem Rieti) into the lower country between the Anio, the 

 Tiber, the Alban Itountain^ and the sea, which was aft^'rwarda odled 

 Lathnn. Vairo aaya that they ware a branch of the oldeat inhabitanti 

 of the paninaula, whilat Dionyaioa and other* thought that they were 

 deaoanoanta of an Arcadian colony aettled in Italy long before the 

 Trojan war, and identical with the (Euotriana. Theae aborigines met 

 in the lowlands the Siouli, who are represented by aome as a oolony 

 from the waat, partiaps from Spain, and by others as indigenous in 

 Italy, and identioal with the Tyrrbeni. Theae Siculi, or Siceli, were 

 partly driven by the aborigines to the southward, and the rest amal- 

 gamated with the new-comers ; and thus the nation was formed called 

 afterwarda Latini Prisd, and by Ennius called Caaci, which in the 

 Sabine or Oscan language, according tu Yarro, meant old, or the earliest. 

 Theae Latina appear to hiaTe formed their settlements in the lowlands 

 by small communities, perhaps small tribea or even families ; a oii^ 

 emnatance which would account for the great number of rilliiges or 

 towns spread over a limited surface. Several of these became in course 

 of time oonaiderable plaoea long before the existence of Rome. Such 

 were Laorentum, Lanuvinm, Lavininm, Aricia, Qabii, Toaoulam, 

 Tibnr, Pnneate, Labicum, Collatin, Cora, kc The story of ^neas 

 landing at the mouth of the Tiber, assisting the Latins against the 

 Rutuli, and marrying Lavinia, the daughter of king Latinus, is 

 probably an embeUishment invented in aftertimes. The hiiin com- 

 munities were united by religious ritea, which were celebrated in the 

 temple of Diana in a grove near Aricia ; in a temple dedicated to 

 Venus between Lavinium and Ardea, which was under the care of the 

 Ardeatea; and at the Lucus Ferentinic. where the wood of Marino 

 now is. (Cato, ' Originea ;' Livy, i. 60,57; vii. 26.) The indigenous 

 deities of the Latins were — Satumus, who first taught agriculture to 

 their ancestors the aboriginea ; Janus ; and Faunus, who delivered his 

 oracular answers from the depth of the forest of Albunea. Venus 

 and others appear to have been of later introduction into the Latin 

 mythology. 



The Latini are described as a race robust, hardy, frugal, and war- 

 like, and their early union with Rome, great part of whoso population 

 was recruited amongst theni, contributed mainly to the growth and 



simple. Their towns 



of that republic. Their morals were simpl 

 (trong, both by their position and their massive walls. The 

 foundation of Alba is involved in great obscurity, but the fact of its 

 being an important town several centuries before tlie existence of 

 Rome is indubitable. [Alba Lowoa.] Whether Alba was at the head 

 of the Latin Confederation, or was the centre of another confederation 

 distinct from that of the Latins though connected with it, has been a 

 matter of doubt 



Under Tullus Hostilius war broke out between Rome and Alba, 

 which ended in the destruction of Alba and the removal of the 

 inhabitants to Rome. (Livy, i. 29.) In the following reign of Ancus 

 Marcius the first war of the Latins against Rome is mentioned, the 

 result of which was that I'olitorium, Tellenic, and Ficana were taken 

 by the Romans, and the iuhabitants transferred to Rome, where they 

 were settled on Mount Avcntine. Tarqiiinius the Klder took several 

 more of the Latin towns. Servius TuUius obtained, by agreement 

 with the leaders of the Latin cities, that the Latins should unite with 

 the Romans in building a temple to Diana on the Aventine, to be 

 common to both people. This was considered as an acknowledgment 

 that Rome was the head of the Latin nation. The unscrupulous 

 Tarauinius Sunerbus convoked the Latins to an assembly in tho wood 

 of Ferentuia (Livy, i. 60, 61), where he persuaded them not only to 

 renew the treaty with I^me, but to acknowledge him as their chief, 

 and to send thi-ir youth to serve no longer as auxiliaries, but mixed 

 with the Romans in the same legion. He united a century of Latins 

 and a century of Romani in every maniple commanded by a Roman 

 eanturion. Tarqoin also assumed theprendency of the Ferite Latinnc, 

 or iMtivals of the Latin state, which by an ancient nsage were held 

 OBce a year on the summit of the Alban Mount, and were dedicated 

 to Jupiter Ijitiaris, or Latulis. These ferin continued to be hehl 

 down to the latest period of the Roman republic, and one of the two 

 eoosuU always attended them. (Cioero, ' De Nat Deor.,' i. 6 ; ' Ep. 

 •d Fam.,' viii 6; ' Divinat,' i. 11.) 



After the expulmon of the Tarquins, the Latin cities, partly to tree 

 themselves from Roman supremacy, and partly instigated by Mamilius, 

 Tarqnin's son-in-law, and the other connections of the Taniuins, rose 

 in arms, and a war ensued between them and Rome, wliich ended in 

 the toUl defeat of the I^tin forces by the Roman dictator Posthumius, 

 nau- the lake Regillup, between Labicum and Oabii, 11.0. 499. Peace 

 was made three years after, on condition that the Latins should expel 

 the refugee partisans of the Tnrquiua A few years later, under the 

 consulship of Spurius Cueius nud Postiimus Cominius, a solemn 

 ' fcedua,' or treaty of alliance (the Caiuian L<-«pie), was made between 

 Rome and the Latina, by which was renew.ii tho iaoi>nliUn franchise 

 formerly existing in tho time of Sorviua io each of the two nations 



with respect to tho other. The conditions of the treaty were 

 engraved on • braal oolunin mentioned by Livy, and the anhatanoe of 

 them is given by Dionysius. (Niebuhr, vol. iL) Seven yean after 

 this league Spurius Caaaius concluded a tnaty with the Hemiei on 

 similar terms ; and it is remariiable that in aome eases, as at Antiom, 

 colonies were sent oonoiating of equal portions of the three nations. 



The laa^e of the Latins with Rome lasted for about a century, till 

 the irruption of the Oails, during which period there were but a few 

 partial interruptions of tho harmony between the two states. (Livy, 

 lii. 71, 72; iv. », 10, 11.) The IMin state oonaated of thirty towns, 

 which appear to have been independent mnniripalitiea ; they had their 

 patrioiana and plebeians ; each had ila senate and its own magistrates, 

 the chief of whom was styled dictator. Deputies from each town 

 constituted the senate or assembly of the whole state, whidi met at 

 the grove of Fercntino. A dictator, probably taken by turn from the 

 dictators of the respective cities, was the tem|)orary head of tho whole 

 state, presided at the Latin festivals on the Alban Mount, and signed 

 treatiaa, such aa that of allianoa with the consul Spurius Caaaius. 

 (Sigonius, 'Da Jure antiqno Italia;' Niebuhr, 'History of Rome,' 

 vol ii.) 



After the invssion of the Oauls and their retreat from Rome, we 

 £nd both the Latin* and the Homici, at least in part, joining the 

 Volsci, ./Equi, and the Etruscans, the old enemies of the Riomana, and 

 endeavouring to annihilate the city, which was just rising from its 

 ruins. Camillus defeated the Latin towns one after the other. 

 Tosoolum humbled itself, was forgiven, and ahorUy after obtained the 

 Roman citizenship, which enabled its inhabitanta to have a domicil* 

 at Rome, to vote in the Roman comitia, and to aspire to the publie 

 offices of the Roman republic. The I'neneatini were defeated, and 

 their town surrendered by capitulation to the dictator Titus Quintiua, 

 Soon after, B.a 870, the Latina joining the Volaci, encamped with 

 them near Satricum, a Volacian town on the borders of the Latini, 

 Being defeated after an obstinate engagement by the Roman military 

 tribunes .£milius and Valerius, the Volaci forsook their allies, upon 

 which the Latins in a fit of rage burnt Satricum, and then turned 

 their arms against Tusoulum, which they entered by force ; but Uie 

 inhabitants took refuge in the citadel, and the Romans under L. 

 QointiuB and Servius Sulpicius coming to their aaaistance, the Latins 

 were surrounded and sliiughtered. After a war with Tibur, which 

 led to no definite result, peace was granted, B.C. 357, to the Latins on 

 their demand, and they consequently furnished again a large auxiliary 

 force to Home. (Livy, vii 12.) When however, some years after, the 

 Oauls, though repeatedly defeated, appeared again in force and over* 

 ran the plains of Latium, the coasts of which were at the same time 

 infested by Oreek pirates, the Latin towns, in a meeting held at the 

 wood of Ferentina, sharply replied to the liomons, who insisted upon 

 their speedily furnishing their contingents, " that the Romans ought 

 not to talk so imperiously to those whose assitance was to them of 

 vital importance; that the Latins would fight rather for their own 

 liberties than for the pui-poae of extending the dominion of others." 

 (vii 26.) Soon after that time, the Carthaginians are mentioned by 

 Livy aa having entered into a treaty with Rome ; but Polybiua givei 

 us the text of a former treaty, said to have been ooncluded between 

 the two republics in the first year after the expulsion of the Tarquina, 

 This treaty, if really of the time of the Tarquina, would confirm the 

 notion that the Roman power under the last kings was much greater 

 than is commonly supposed. (Niebuhr; Heyne, in the 'Qotting. 

 Anzeigen.') 



After the termination of the first Samnite war (d.c. 340) the Latiiu^ 

 joined by the Companions, entered the Samnite territoir and ravaged 

 it The Somnitea complained to the Roman senate, which promised 

 to restrain the Campanians ; but as for the Latins, " there was nothing 

 in their stipulations with Rome that forbade them making war wi£ 

 whomsoever they pleased." This answer increased the audacity of the 

 Latins, and in their councils they began to plan together with the 

 Volsci and Campanians a new war against Rome. The senate 

 demanded explanations, to afford which ten of the chief men of the 

 Latins were sent to Rome : among these was L. Annius of Setaa, one 

 of the two prtotore, or chief magistrates, of tho whole Latin coniFede- 

 ration, who, in the preaenoe of the Roman senate, after boasting of the 

 power of tho Latins and their allies, and of their ability to assert their 

 own independence, proposed, with a view to a lasting peace, " that the 

 Latins should have the appointment of one of the two consuls, and of 

 one half of the senate, so that Rome and Latium ahould form in 

 future but one country and one republic, of whioh Rome would be 

 the capital, and all the people be called Romans." This proposal 

 ofi°endod Roman pride. The senate declared war against the LatiniL 

 and tho two consuls, Manlius Torquotus and Decius Mus, marched 

 each with an army through the territory of the Marsi and Pdigni 

 (the modem AbrucEO Ultra), and being joined on their march by the 

 Samnites, encamped near Capua, in front of the l.<atin and Companian 

 united forces. Here Manlius gave a dreadful instance of Roman 

 severity, in cauring hia own son to be beheaded for having engaged in 

 a skirmish with the enemy contrary to his orders. 



The decisive battle took place in the plain near the base of Vesuvius, 

 and it was one of the hardest fights in which the Romans had ever 

 engaged. (Livy, viii 8.) ISy the bnvety of Dedus however, who 

 devoted his life for the safety of his country, and the skilful general- 



