Speaker 1: Section ten of the Grochy Marius and Sola by A. H. Beasley.
Speaker 1: This librovox recording is in the public domain. Read by Pamelinagami,
Speaker 1: Chapter eight the Social War in a previous chapter, the
Speaker 1: relations now existing between Rome and her dependents have been
Speaker 1: described for two centuries. The Italians had remained faithful to
Speaker 1: Rome through repeated temptations and even through the fiery trial
Speaker 1: of Hannibal's victorious occupation. But the loyalty, which no external
Speaker 1: or sudden shock could snap, had been slowly eaten away
Speaker 1: by corrosives which the arrogance or negligence of the government supplied.
Speaker 1: It is clear from the episode of Drusus that there
Speaker 1: was as wide a breach between Italian capitalists and cultivators
Speaker 1: as there had been between Roman occupiers and the first
Speaker 1: clamorers for agrarian laws. So at the outbreak of the war,
Speaker 1: Umbria and Etruria, whence Philippus had summoned his supporters, because
Speaker 1: the farmer class had been annihilated and large landowners held
Speaker 1: the soil, remained faithful to Rome. But where the farmer
Speaker 1: class still flourished, as among the Marsi, the Marusini, and
Speaker 1: the adjacent districts discontent had been gathering volume for many years.
Speaker 1: No doubt the demoralization of the metropolis contributed to this result,
Speaker 1: And as intercourse with Rome became more and more common,
Speaker 1: familiarity with the vices of their masters would breed indignation
Speaker 1: in the minds of the hardier dependents, who they would
Speaker 1: ask themselves, were these scouri these Philippi men fit only
Speaker 1: to murder patriots and sell their country and themselves for gold,
Speaker 1: that they should lord it over Italians? Why should a
Speaker 1: Roman soldier have the right of appeal to a civil
Speaker 1: tribunal and an Italian soldier be at the mercy of
Speaker 1: martial law? Why should two Italians for every one Roman
Speaker 1: be forced to fight Rome's battles? Why should insolent young
Speaker 1: Romans and the fine ladies of the metropolis in sold
Speaker 1: Italian magistrates and murder Italians of humbler rank. This was
Speaker 1: the reward of their long fidelity. If here and their
Speaker 1: estatesman was willing to yield them the franchise, the flower
Speaker 1: of the aristocracy, the Skyvalaye the Crossi expelled them by
Speaker 1: an alien act from Rome. They had tried all parties,
Speaker 1: and by all been disappointed. For Roman factions were united
Speaker 1: on one point, and one only, in obstinate refusal to
Speaker 1: give Italians justice. The two glorious brothers had been slain
Speaker 1: because they pitied their wrongs, So had Scipio, so had
Speaker 1: the fearless Saturninus. And now their last friend, this second Scipio, Drusus,
Speaker 1: had been struck down by the same cowardly hands. Surely
Speaker 1: it was time to act for themselves and avenge their benefactors.
Speaker 1: They were more numerous, they were heartier than their tyrants,
Speaker 1: and if not so well organized, still by their union
Speaker 1: with Drusus, they were in some sort welded together. And
Speaker 1: now or never was the time to strike. For the
Speaker 1: friends of Drusus were marked men. Let them remain passive,
Speaker 1: and either individual Italians would perish by the dagger which
Speaker 1: had slain Drusus, or individual communities by the sentence of
Speaker 1: the Senate which had exterminated for Gelli. The revolt broke
Speaker 1: out at Ascalum. Various towns were exchanging hostages to secure
Speaker 1: mutual fidelity. Gaius Servilius, the Roman priter here, daring this
Speaker 1: was going on at Ascalum, went there and sharply censured
Speaker 1: the people in the theater. He and his escort were
Speaker 1: torn to pieces, the gates were shut. Every Roman in
Speaker 1: the town was slain, and the Marci Polygni, Marosini Frentani
Speaker 1: was tini picuenttini Hirpini. The people of Pompeii and Venusia,
Speaker 1: the Iapies, the Lucani and the Samnites, and all the
Speaker 1: people from the Lyris to the Adriatic flew to arms.
Speaker 1: And though here and there a town like Pinna of
Speaker 1: the Westini, or a partisan like Minutius Maggius of Iclonum
Speaker 1: remained loyal to Rome, all the center and south of
Speaker 1: Italy were soon in insurrection. Perhaps at Pinna, the large
Speaker 1: landowners or capitalists were supreme, as in Umbria and Itituria,
Speaker 1: which sided with Rome, as also did most of the
Speaker 1: Latin towns, the Greek towns of Neapolis, Regium, and most
Speaker 1: of Campania, where Coppua became an important Roman post during
Speaker 1: the war. The insurgents, emboldened by the swift spread of
Speaker 1: the rebellion, sent to demand the franchise as the price
Speaker 1: of submission. But the old dogged spirit which extremity of
Speaker 1: danger had ever aroused at Rome, was not dead. The
Speaker 1: offer was sternly rejected, and the Equitaise turned furiously on
Speaker 1: the Optimus, or the Italianizing section of the Optimis, to
Speaker 1: whose folly they felt that the war was due. With war,
Speaker 1: the hope of their gains was gone. And enraged at this,
Speaker 1: they took advantage of the outbreak to repay the Senate
Speaker 1: for its complicity in the attempt of Drusus to deprive
Speaker 1: them of the judicia under a law of Varius, who
Speaker 1: is said by Cicero to have been the assassin of
Speaker 1: Drusus and Metellus. Italian sympathizers were brought to trial and
Speaker 1: either convicted and banished or overawed into silence. Among the
Speaker 1: accused was Scourus. But now, as ever, that shifty man
Speaker 1: emerged triumphant from his intrigues. He aped the defense of Scipio,
Speaker 1: and retired not only safe, but with the dignity so
Speaker 1: well studied that but for his antecedents, it might have
Speaker 1: seemed sincere a Spaniard accused him, he said, and Scourus,
Speaker 1: chief of the Senate, denied the accusation. Whether of the
Speaker 1: twain should the Romans believe for such prosecutions, there was
Speaker 1: indeed some excuse, for the prospect was threatening Mithridates might
Speaker 1: at any moment stop the supplies from Asia. The soldiers
Speaker 1: of the enemy were men who had fought in Roman
Speaker 1: armies and been trained in Roman discipline. They were led
Speaker 1: by able captains and were more numerous than the forces
Speaker 1: opposed to them. And yet the war must be a
Speaker 1: war of detachment, where numbers were all important. It was
Speaker 1: no time for hesitation about purging out all traders or waverers.
Speaker 1: But the courts that tried other cases were closed for
Speaker 1: the time. The distributions of grain were curtailed, the walls
Speaker 1: were put in order, arms were prepared as fast as possible.
Speaker 1: A fleet was collected from the free cities of Greece
Speaker 1: and Asia. Minor levies were raised from the citizens from
Speaker 1: Africa and from Gaul. Lastly, in view of the inevitably
Speaker 1: scattered form which the fighting would take, each consul was
Speaker 1: to have five lieutenants. Lupus was to command in the
Speaker 1: northern district from Picenum to Campania. Among the generals who
Speaker 1: acted under him were the father of Pompeius, Magnus and
Speaker 1: Marius Somnium Campania, and the southern district fell to Lucius
Speaker 1: Julius Caesar, and among the five officers who went with
Speaker 1: him were also two men of mark Publius Licinius Crassus
Speaker 1: and Sullah. We shall see how by an exhaustive process,
Speaker 1: the Romans, after a series of defeats, were at last
Speaker 1: driven to employ as generals in chief the two rivals,
Speaker 1: who were now subordinates and were thus carefully kept aloof
Speaker 1: the confederates. On their part, were equally energetic. They had
Speaker 1: chosen as their capital Corfinium on the river Atyrnus Pescara,
Speaker 1: because of its central position with reference to the insurrection,
Speaker 1: and soon made it evident that the Roman franchise was
Speaker 1: no longer the limit to their aspirations, but that they
Speaker 1: aimed at the conquest of Rome herself. They called their
Speaker 1: capital Etalica. In it, they built a form and fortified
Speaker 1: its walls. They issued a new coinage. They chose two
Speaker 1: consuls twelve prits, and a senate of five hundred, and
Speaker 1: gave the franchise to every community in arms on their side.
Speaker 1: They mustered an army of one hundred thousand men and
Speaker 1: intrusted the command against Lupus in the north and west
Speaker 1: to Pompeidius Silo, with six lieutenants under him. The command
Speaker 1: against Caesar in the south and east was given to
Speaker 1: a noted sam knight named Gaius Papius Mutalus. It is
Speaker 1: easier to get a general idea of the war than
Speaker 1: of its details, though the latter are not without interest.
Speaker 1: The results of the first year were, in spite of
Speaker 1: some victories, most unfavorable to Rome. The insurgents were encouraged.
Speaker 1: The insurrection had spread to Umbria and Etruria, and the
Speaker 1: Romans had at one time almost despaired, But in council
Speaker 1: they retrieved what they had lost in the camp. A
Speaker 1: most politic concession of the franchise checked all further disaffection.
Speaker 1: In the very nick of time. The revolt in Umbria
Speaker 1: and Etruria was speedily suppressed, and at the close of
Speaker 1: the second year of the war BC eighty nine, the
Speaker 1: insurrection itself was virtually at an end. For though the
Speaker 1: Sulpacian revolution at Rome prevented its absolute extinction, and some
Speaker 1: embers of it still lingered for five years more, and
Speaker 1: though Roman forces were still required after eighty nine BC
Speaker 1: among the Sabines in Samnium, in Lucania and at Nola,
Speaker 1: the war as a war ended in that year. Consequently,
Speaker 1: we may divide it into two periods, each well defined
Speaker 1: and each consisting of a year, the first in which
Speaker 1: the Confederate cause triumphed and Marius lost credit, the second
Speaker 1: in which the cause of Rome triumphed and Sullah enhanced
Speaker 1: his reputation and became the foremost man at Rome. The
Speaker 1: war began, as was natural, with an attempt to take Ascalum,
Speaker 1: but the townsmen manning the walls with the old men passed.
Speaker 1: Serves surprised Nius Pompeius by a sally and defeated him. Subsequently,
Speaker 1: he was again defeated at Faleria and driven into Firmum,
Speaker 1: a Latin colony which held out for Rome. There he
Speaker 1: stayed till Servius Sulpicius came to his help. On the
Speaker 1: approach of Sulpicius, he sallied out the enemy, taken in
Speaker 1: front and rear were routed, and Pompeius began the siege
Speaker 1: of Ascalum. It was not taken till the next year,
Speaker 1: eighty nine, and only after a desperate battle before its walls. Judicilius,
Speaker 1: who had come to relieve the town of which he
Speaker 1: was a native, though the day was lost, forced his
Speaker 1: way inside the walls and held out for several months longer. Finally,
Speaker 1: when it was impossible to protract the defense, he had
Speaker 1: a pile of wood made and a table placed on it,
Speaker 1: at which he feasted with friends. Then taking poison, he
Speaker 1: had the pile fired. When the Romans got in, they
Speaker 1: took fearful vengeance, slaying all the officers and men of position,
Speaker 1: expelling the rest of the inhabitants, and confiscating their property.
Speaker 1: Such was the fate of the ringleaders of the rebellion.
Speaker 1: As Ascalum was the first object of Roman vengeance, so
Speaker 1: the confederates directed their first efforts against the towns in
Speaker 1: their neighborhood which refused to join them. See Lo assailed
Speaker 1: Alba and Moodalus. Isernia. The consul Caesar, sending ahead Marcellus
Speaker 1: and Crasses into Somnium and Lucania, followed in person as
Speaker 1: soon as he could, but he was beaten by Vetti
Speaker 1: Scato in Samnium with the loss of two thousand men.
Speaker 1: Vanaphram thereupon revolted, and though one account says that Sulla
Speaker 1: relieved Isernia, it was at best only a partial or
Speaker 1: a temporary relief, for it capitulated before the close of
Speaker 1: the year. How the siege of Alba ended we do
Speaker 1: not know. Defeat after defeat was now announced at Rome,
Speaker 1: preparin A lost four thousand men, and most of his
Speaker 1: other soldiers threw away their arms on the battlefield. For this,
Speaker 1: Lupus deprived him of his command and attached his troops
Speaker 1: to those of Marius. Crassus was beaten in Leucania and
Speaker 1: shut up in Grumentum, which was besieged and taken. A
Speaker 1: pleasant story is told about some slaves of this town.
Speaker 1: They had deserted to the Confederates, and when the town
Speaker 1: was taken, made straight for the house where they had lived,
Speaker 1: and dragged their mistress away, telling people they were going
Speaker 1: to have their revenge on her at last, and so
Speaker 1: they saved her. While the troops of Crassus were cooped
Speaker 1: up in Grumentum, Moutalus descended into Campania and obtained possession
Speaker 1: of Nola by treason. Two thousand soldiers also went over
Speaker 1: to him. The officers remained loyal and were starved to death.
Speaker 1: Staby Eyes, Salernum, Pumpede, Herculaneum, and probably Nusaria were taken
Speaker 1: in quick succession, and with his armies follen by deserters
Speaker 1: and recruits from the neighborhood. Mudalus laid siege to Acharai.
Speaker 1: Caesar hastened to relieve it, but Canusium and Venusia had
Speaker 1: joined the insurgents, and in Venusia Occinus, son of Jagurtha,
Speaker 1: had been kept prisoner by the Romans. Mudalus now put
Speaker 1: royal robes on him, and the Numidians in Caesar's army
Speaker 1: when they saw him deserted in troops, so that Caesar
Speaker 1: was forced to send the whole corps home. But out
Speaker 1: of this misfortune came the first gleam of success which
Speaker 1: had as yet shown on the Roman arms. Mudalus ventured
Speaker 1: to attack Caesar's camp, but was driven back, and in
Speaker 1: the retreat the Roman cavalry cut down six thousand of
Speaker 1: his men. Though Marius Ignatius soon afterwards defeated Caesar, this victory,
Speaker 1: in some sort disas painted the gloom of the capitol,
Speaker 1: and while the two armies settled again into their old
Speaker 1: position at Acharai, the garb of mourning was laid aside
Speaker 1: at Rome for the first time since the war began.
Speaker 1: Lupus and Marius meanwhile had marched against the Marcie. Marius
Speaker 1: in accordance with his old tactics against the Kimbri, advised
Speaker 1: Lupus not to hazard a battle. But Lupus thought that
Speaker 1: Marius wanted to get the consulship next year and reserved
Speaker 1: for himself the honors of the war, so he hastened
Speaker 1: to fight, and, throwing two bridges over the Tolanis, crossed
Speaker 1: by one himself, leaving Marius to cross by the other.
Speaker 1: As soon as the consul had reached the opposite bank,
Speaker 1: an ambuscade set by Vettius Scato attacked him and slew
Speaker 1: him and eight thousand of his men, their bodies floating
Speaker 1: down the river. Told Marius what had happened. Like the
Speaker 1: good soldier that he was, he promptly crossed and seized
Speaker 1: the enemy camp. This disaster happened on June eleventh BC
Speaker 1: ninety and caused great consternation in Rome, but at Rome
Speaker 1: small merit was now discerned in any success gained by
Speaker 1: the veteran general and Kpeo, who had opposed Drusus and
Speaker 1: was therefore a favorite with the Equitaise, was made joint
Speaker 1: commander in the north. It was a foolish choice, the
Speaker 1: prudence of Marius, and a victory over the polygny gained
Speaker 1: by Sulpicius were neutralized by the new general's rashness. Pompitius Silo,
Speaker 1: who must have been a thoroughly gallant man, came in
Speaker 1: person to the Roman camp, bringing two young slaves whom
Speaker 1: he passed off as his own children and offered as hostages.
Speaker 1: For the sincerity of the offer he made, which was
Speaker 1: to place his camp in Kitpio's hands. Kypio went with him,
Speaker 1: and Pompitius, running up a hill to look out, as
Speaker 1: he said, for the enemy, gave a signal to men
Speaker 1: whom he had placed in ambush. Kaypio and many of
Speaker 1: his men were slain, and at last Marius was sole commander.
Speaker 1: He advanced steadily but warily into Marcian territory. Cilo tauntingly
Speaker 1: told him to come down and fight if he was
Speaker 1: a great general. Nay replied, Marius, if you are a
Speaker 1: great general, do you make me at length? He did fight,
Speaker 1: and as he always did, won the day. In another battle,
Speaker 1: the Marsinian leader and six thousand of the marci were slain,
Speaker 1: but Solah was at that time co operating with Marius,
Speaker 1: having apparently when the Romans evacuated, most of Campania marched
Speaker 1: north to form a junction with him, and beside his star,
Speaker 1: that of Marius always paled. Marius had shrunk back from
Speaker 1: following the enemy into a vineyard, Solah on the other
Speaker 1: side of it cut them off. Not that Mario was
Speaker 1: always overcautious. Once in this war he said to his men,
Speaker 1: I don't know which are the greatest cowards. You were
Speaker 1: the enemy, for they dare not face your backs, nor
Speaker 1: you theirs. But everything he now did was distrusted at Rome.
Speaker 1: And while some men disparaged his successes and said that
Speaker 1: he was grown old and clumsy, others were more afraid
Speaker 1: of him than of the enemy, with whom indeed there
Speaker 1: was some reason to think that he had too good
Speaker 1: an understanding. For once, when his army and se Loos
Speaker 1: were near each other, both generals and men conversed, cursing
Speaker 1: the war, and with mutual embraces, adjuring each other to
Speaker 1: desist from it. If the story be true, it is
Speaker 1: a sufficient reason for the Senate's conduct, inexplicable except by
Speaker 1: political reasons, in not employing Marius at all in the
Speaker 1: following year. It was probably at the close of this
Speaker 1: year that the revolt of the Umbrians and Etruscans took place,
Speaker 1: and that Plotius defeated the Umbrians and Porscha's Cato the Etruscans.
Speaker 1: On a general review of this piecemeal campaign, it is
Speaker 1: plain that the Romans had been worsted. On the main
Speaker 1: scene of the war Campania, they had been decisively defeated,
Speaker 1: and the country was in the enemy's power. In Pequanum
Speaker 1: and the Marcian territory the balance was more even. But
Speaker 1: Lupus and Chypio had been slain, Properna and Pompeius had
Speaker 1: been defeated, and on the whole the Confederates had carried
Speaker 1: off the honors of the war. Now Umbria was an insurrection,
Speaker 1: Mithridatees was astir in Asia, and there were symptoms of
Speaker 1: revolt in Transalpine Gaul. A selfish intriguer like Marius might
Speaker 1: very well have thought of throwing in his lot with
Speaker 1: the Italians, for theirs seemed to be the winning side.
Speaker 1: But on honester Men, such considerations produced quite another effect.
Speaker 1: The party of Drusus took heart again and appealed to
Speaker 1: the results of the war as a proof of his
Speaker 1: patriotic foresight and of the moderation of his councils. They
Speaker 1: got the administration of the Varian law into their own
Speaker 1: hands and turned it against its authors, Varius himself being exiled.
Speaker 1: The consul Caesar had personal reasons for being disquieted with
Speaker 1: the war. If the story of Erosius be true that
Speaker 1: when he asked for a triumph for his victory at Acharai,
Speaker 1: the senate sent him a mourning robe as a sign
Speaker 1: of what they thought of his request. In any case,
Speaker 1: he was the author of that Lex Julia, which really
Speaker 1: terminated the social war. There are different accounts given of
Speaker 1: this law. According to Gellias, it enfranchised Alatium, by which
Speaker 1: he must mean to include all the Latin colonies. According
Speaker 1: to Cicero, it enfranchised all Italy except ciss Alpine Gaul.
Speaker 1: According to Appian, it enfranchised all the Italians still faithful.
Speaker 1: In any case, those enfranchised were not to be enrolled
Speaker 1: in the old tribes, lest they should swamp them by
Speaker 1: their votes, but in eight new ones, which were to
Speaker 1: vote only after the others. The Lex Julia was immediately
Speaker 1: followed by the Lex Plautia Papiria, framed by the tribunes
Speaker 1: Marcus Ploudius, Sylvanus and Caius Papirius Carbo. This law seems
Speaker 1: to have been meant to supplement the other. The Lex
Speaker 1: Julia rewarded the Italians who had remained faithful. The Lex
Speaker 1: Plaudia Papiria held out the olive branch to the Italians
Speaker 1: who had rebelled. It enfranchised any citizen of an allied
Speaker 1: town who at the date of the law was dwelling
Speaker 1: in Italy and made a declaration to the pritor within
Speaker 1: sixty days. In the same year, and in connection no
Speaker 1: doubt with these measures, the Us Latii was conferred on
Speaker 1: a number of towns of the po by which every
Speaker 1: magistrate in his town might, if he chose, claim the franchise.
Speaker 1: Some of the free Allies of Rome did not look
Speaker 1: upon the Lex Julia, as Boone, Heraclia and Neopolis hesitated
Speaker 1: to accept it, the latter having special privileges such as
Speaker 1: exemption from service by land, which it valued above the franchise.
Speaker 1: Probably these towns in Reegia made a special bargain, and
Speaker 1: while accepting the franchise, retained their own language and institutions.
Speaker 1: The general result of the legislation was this all Italy
Speaker 1: and all Latin colonies in Cicalpine Gaul, together with all
Speaker 1: allied communities in sicial Pine Gaul south of the Po
Speaker 1: received the franchise. All the other Sicalpine towns north of
Speaker 1: the Poe received the us latte. A general amnesty was
Speaker 1: in fact offered, and though the provisions as to the
Speaker 1: new tribes were unsatisfactory, its effect was soon aparent. The
Speaker 1: consuls for eighty nine were Lucius Porcius Cato, who took
Speaker 1: command of the army in the Marian district, and Nius Pompeius,
Speaker 1: who retained the command of Picinum. Caesar was succeeded in
Speaker 1: Campania by Sullah. Flushed with hope, the Confederates opened the
Speaker 1: campaign by dispatching fifteen thousand men across the Apennines to
Speaker 1: join the Etruscan insurgents, but Pompeius intercepted and slew five
Speaker 1: thousand of them and dispersed the rest, who, even if
Speaker 1: they had reached Etruria, would have found that they had
Speaker 1: come on a bootless Errand he followed up this success
Speaker 1: by blow after blow. One of his lieutenants, Sulpicius, crushed
Speaker 1: the Marusini at Teat another, Quintus Metellus Piso subdued the Marci.
Speaker 1: Pompeius in person fought a great battle before ascalim As
Speaker 1: before related and captured the town, and in the following
Speaker 1: year the Polygnia and Vestini submitted to him. In the
Speaker 1: southeast of Italy, Cosconius, the priter burnt Selapia in Apulia,
Speaker 1: received the submission of Canai and besieged Canusium. Marius Ignatius
Speaker 1: came to its aid, but though he at first drove
Speaker 1: back Cosconius to Canai, he or his successor was defeated
Speaker 1: and slain in another fight, and Cosconius became master of
Speaker 1: all Apulia and the Iapigian Peninsula, which he laid waste
Speaker 1: with fire and sword. While the Roman supremacy was thus
Speaker 1: re established all along the east coast, Sulla in Campania
Speaker 1: was equally triumphant. He recovered Stabiae in April, and his
Speaker 1: lieutenant Titus Didius, took Herculaneum in June. Didius, however, lost
Speaker 1: his life in the assault. Sola next besieged Pompeii, defeated Cluentius,
Speaker 1: who came to its aid again defeated him before Pompeii
Speaker 1: and Nola, and the third time at the gates of
Speaker 1: Nola where Cluuentius was slain. About this time, Aula's Postumius Albinus,
Speaker 1: while in charge of the fleet, was murdered by his
Speaker 1: own men, recruits, probably whom he was bringing from Rome
Speaker 1: to Sullah's army. Sullah pardoned the mutineers, saying that he
Speaker 1: knew they would wipe out their crime by their bravery,
Speaker 1: and they did so in the fights with Cluentius. By
Speaker 1: such politic clemency and never varying good fortune, Sullah bound
Speaker 1: the army to his own interests, leaving Nola behind him.
Speaker 1: He crossed the Herpinian frontier and marched on Iclonum. The townsmen,
Speaker 1: who were expecting a Leucanian reinforcement that day, asked for
Speaker 1: time to deliberate. Sulla gave them an hour and occupied
Speaker 1: the hour in heaping vinosiers round the wooden walls, not
Speaker 1: choosing to be burnt. The townsmen surrendered and Sullah sacked
Speaker 1: the place. He then marched northwards into Samnium. The mountain
Speaker 1: passes were held by Mudalus, who hemmed in Sullah near Isernia.
Speaker 1: Sulla pretended to treat for peace, and when the enemy
Speaker 1: were off their guard, marched away in the night, leaving
Speaker 1: a trumpeter to sound all the watches as if the
Speaker 1: army were still in position. He seems to have defeated
Speaker 1: Mudalus after this, and leaving Isernia behind as he had
Speaker 1: left Nola. Finally, before going home to sue for the
Speaker 1: consulship of eighty eight, b C stormed Bovianum. He had
Speaker 1: managed the campaign in a bold and able way, where
Speaker 1: lest daring generalship might have failed. As the insurrection was
Speaker 1: thus being stamped out on either coast, Bovianum had become
Speaker 1: the capital of the insurgents instead of Corfinium. Now Bovianum
Speaker 1: was taken and Isernia became its center. The occupation of
Speaker 1: the Hirpinian territory cut off the sam Nights from the
Speaker 1: south of Italy, where the Leucanians and Brudians remained in arms.
Speaker 1: Except for some trifling operations which Pompeius had to carry
Speaker 1: out in order to complete the pacification of his district,
Speaker 1: all that was now left for the commanders of eighty
Speaker 1: eight was to crush the rebels in these two isolated divisions,
Speaker 1: and the war would be at an end. The rebels
Speaker 1: indeed prepared for a desperate resistance five generals were appointed,
Speaker 1: Pompeidius Scillo the Marcian at their head, and by enrolling
Speaker 1: slaves and calling out fresh levies, the Samnites mustered an
Speaker 1: army of fifty thousand men. Once more almost single handed,
Speaker 1: they prepared to strive with their old enemy for the
Speaker 1: sovereignty of Italy. The gallant Selos signalized his appointment by
Speaker 1: recovering Bovianum, but he was soon afterwards slain. He is
Speaker 1: said to have been defeated in a great battle by
Speaker 1: Mamercus Emilius, and to have fallen in it. Appian says
Speaker 1: that Mattelus defeated him in Iopigia, Erosius that Sulpicius defeated
Speaker 1: him in Apulia. However that may be with him, the last
Speaker 1: gleam of hope for the sam Night cause fades away.
Speaker 1: They made it his set a treaty with Mithridates, but
Speaker 1: long before that king could have reached Italy. If he
Speaker 1: had been able to make the attempt, there would have
Speaker 1: been no allies to support him. In Leucania, Aulus Gabinius,
Speaker 1: made rash by some successes, assaulted the confederate camp, but
Speaker 1: was repulsed and slain Lamponius, the Leucanian general, remained master
Speaker 1: of the country, and attempted to take Regium with the
Speaker 1: view of crossing over to Sicily and renewing the rebellion there,
Speaker 1: but the attempt failed. Nola, however, still held out in Campania,
Speaker 1: and now there occurred a revolution at Rome, which postponed
Speaker 1: the final subjugation of the insurgents till after the Battle
Speaker 1: of the Colleen Gate. For convenience and clearness, the part
Speaker 1: taken by them in this revolution may be here summarized
Speaker 1: as Consul was besieging Nola when he was recalled to
Speaker 1: Rome by the Sulpacian revolution and his election to the
Speaker 1: command against Mithridates. A Samnite army had come to relieve it,
Speaker 1: but had been defeated by Sullah. Three Roman corps still
Speaker 1: remained to keep the sam Knights in check and besiege
Speaker 1: Nola under Claudius, Metellus and Plotius. It was to Nola
Speaker 1: that Sine came and seduced a large portion of the
Speaker 1: besiegers to follow him to Rome. Upon this, the insurgents
Speaker 1: suddenly found themselves instead of hunted desperadoes, courted as allies
Speaker 1: by two parties. The Senate again offered the terms of
Speaker 1: the Lex Plaudia Papiria to all in arms, and some
Speaker 1: accepted them, but the Nolans, when Metellus was recalled and
Speaker 1: the Long Siege was then raised in eighty seven b C,
Speaker 1: marched out and burnt Abella. The sam knights demanded as
Speaker 1: the price of their assistance that the prisoners, spoils and
Speaker 1: deserters should be restored, and that they and the Romans
Speaker 1: who had joined them should receive the franchise. The Senate refused,
Speaker 1: and the Samnites at once joined Sinna and Marius, who
Speaker 1: were pledged not only to give the franchise but also
Speaker 1: to enroll all the new voters in the new tribes,
Speaker 1: a measure which was ratified by the Senate in the
Speaker 1: year of Cinna's last consulship eighty four BC. On Sullah's
Speaker 1: return to Italy, they, with the Lucanians, who had meanwhile
Speaker 1: been practically independent, were the most eager supporters of Marius's son.
Speaker 1: In eighty two, Pontius of Talasia, at the head of
Speaker 1: a Samnite force with the desperate hardihood inspired by centuries
Speaker 1: of hatred, marched straight on Rome, and the city was
Speaker 1: saved only by Sullah's victory at the Colleen Gate. Three
Speaker 1: days after the battle, Sulla massacred all his prisoners. He
Speaker 1: knew that death alone could disarm such implacable Foesnight name,
Speaker 1: he said, with his cold ferocity, must be erased from
Speaker 1: the earth, or Rome could never rest. The sam Knights
Speaker 1: evacuated Nola in the year eighty b C. And then
Speaker 1: their last great leader, Gaius Papius Moodalus, having fled in
Speaker 1: disguise to his wife at Taynum, was disowned by her
Speaker 1: and slew himself. Solah carried his threats into effect. He
Speaker 1: captured Isernia and spread a desolation all around from which
Speaker 1: the country has never recovered to this day. Then, and
Speaker 1: not till then, the stubborn resistance of the most relentless
Speaker 1: foes of Rome was finally suppressed. End of Section ten.