Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/110

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
96
CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT.

of them, Caere, was forced about 353 to surrender half its territory, received citizenship without political rights (civitas sine suffragio), and with very restricted rights of self-government, as a Roman official (praefectus) administered justice there and seems to have superintended the census. This was the first instance of such incorporation.

Dissolution of the Latin League. — After the renewal of the treaty, exasperation prevailed among the Latins. The federal assembly resolved not to furnish its contingent to the Romans. Later nearly all the old Latin towns and several Latin colonies rose in arms against Rome. The democratic party in Capua joined the revolt. The Romans early gained a decisive battle, and brought all the towns into subjection by 338. They now transformed the Latin league into an association for celebrating the Latin festival. In place of concluding one treaty with the league, they dealt with the federal towns separately. A few of the old Latin towns and the colonies that had remained loyal to Rome lost the right to conclude treaties with any community whatever except Rome, also the privilege of intermarriage, and temporarily that of commercial intercourse with any others than the Romans. But they retained their formal independence, and most of them also their former privileges in other respects. The other old Latin towns and Latin colonies forfeited their independence and were incorporated into the Roman state. Several were put on the footing of Tusculum, which kept its old position. One or two others were granted about the same rights as Caere. A Roman colony, that is, a colony of people that possessed the rights of Roman citizenship, was established at Antium, and the old inhabitants became Roman citizens. Another colony was afterward established at Tarracina.