340 ELEMENTS OF SCIENCE 



cities of what had been Magna Grcecia. The populations 

 thus subdued were divided into three categories, (i) 

 Those to whom the great privilege of Roman citizen- 

 ship was conceded ; (2) those to whom a few municipal 

 privileges in connection with the Government of Rome 

 were granted. Such were first bestowed upon the Latin 

 cities, on which account it has been termed the Latin 

 franchise; (3) those known as " Italians," who were 

 merely allies, having no municipal privileges (save their 

 own independent ones), but being bound to follow the 

 lead of Rome in matters military. 



The next objects of attack were the Grecian cities of 

 the south, beginning with Tarentum, which applied for 

 help to Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, who came and was 

 joined not only by the Italian Greeks, but 'also by some of 

 the more lately conquered, true Italian people. After 

 some success he was, however, defeated at Beneventum 

 (276 B.C.) and had to leave Italy. A few years later, 

 Rome subdued the whole of Southern Italy. 



The time had now come for the powerful and warlike 

 Roman republic to enter into contest with States alto- 

 gether external to Italy, and first with the neighbouring 

 State in Africa. 



Carthage was a very wealthy, powerful, and influ- 

 ential city long before Rome began to attempt the 

 subjugation of Italy, and a treaty was made between 

 the two cities when the regal government of Rome came 

 to an end. Carthage was governed by a senate which 

 does not seem to have formed a close aristocracy, and the 

 extent of its commercial expeditions and conquests no 

 doubt largely contributed to greatly develop the in- 

 telligence of the community which peopled what seems 

 to have been a generally tranquil and well-governed 

 city. As early as 490 B.C. Darius is said to have in 



