Latin War
Encyclopedia
The Latin War was a conflict between the Roman Republic
and its neighbors the Latin
peoples of ancient Italy
. It ended in the dissolution of the Latin League
, and incorporation of its territory into the Roman sphere of influence, with the Latins gaining partial rights and varying levels of citizenship.
A push by the Latin people for independence from Rome
was the main impetus for starting the war. In 340 BC
, an embassy was sent to the Roman Senate
to ask for the formation of a single republic between Rome and Latium
, with both parties on the same level. Since Rome had been, in the previous years, the leader of the Latin League
, it refused to put the Latin people on her same level and to accept Latins in the Roman Senate. With Rome's refusal, the war began. The Romans had been fighting alongside the Latin and Campania
n peoples against the Samnites in the First Samnite War
when the Romans withdrew from the war. The Latins continued fighting beside the Campanians, while Rome switched sides, joining the Samnites to attack the Latins. Only the Laurentes in Latium and the equites of Campania adhered to the Romans, who on their part found support among the Paeligni
.
The Latins entered Samnium
; the Roman-Samnite army moved to the Fucine Lake
, then, avoiding Latium, entered the Campanian territory and attacked the Latins and Campanians near Mount Vesuvius
. In the Battle of Vesuvius
, the Romans, under consuls Decius Mus
and T. Manlius Torquatus Imperiosus
, defeated the Latins. According to Roman sources, Manlius reinstated army discipline by executing his son for his unintentional disobedience, while Decius sacrificed his own life to the gods for the Roman victory.
One year later, Manlius defeated the Latins at the Battle of Trifanum
. The Latins, forced to leave Campania, moved to Latium, where they put up a long yet unsuccessful resistance against the Roman forces. The defeated Latin peoples were obliged to recognize Roman pre-eminence. Some of the Latin towns were Romanized, others became partially Roman, adopting Roman magistratures, while some others became Roman colonies.
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
and its neighbors the Latin
Latins
"Latins" refers to different groups of people and the meaning of the word changes for where and when it is used.The original Latins were an Italian tribe inhabiting central and south-central Italy. Through conquest by their most populous city-state, Rome, the original Latins culturally "Romanized"...
peoples of ancient Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It ended in the dissolution of the Latin League
Latin league
The Latin League was a confederation of about 30 villages and tribes in the region of Latium near ancient Rome, organized for mutual defense...
, and incorporation of its territory into the Roman sphere of influence, with the Latins gaining partial rights and varying levels of citizenship.
A push by the Latin people for independence from Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
was the main impetus for starting the war. In 340 BC
340 BC
Year 340 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Torquatus and Mus...
, an embassy was sent to the Roman Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
to ask for the formation of a single republic between Rome and Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
, with both parties on the same level. Since Rome had been, in the previous years, the leader of the Latin League
Latin league
The Latin League was a confederation of about 30 villages and tribes in the region of Latium near ancient Rome, organized for mutual defense...
, it refused to put the Latin people on her same level and to accept Latins in the Roman Senate. With Rome's refusal, the war began. The Romans had been fighting alongside the Latin and Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
n peoples against the Samnites in the First Samnite War
Samnite Wars
The First, Second, and Third Samnite Wars, between the early Roman Republic and the tribes of Samnium, extended over half a century, involving almost all the states of Italy, and ended in Roman domination of the Samnites...
when the Romans withdrew from the war. The Latins continued fighting beside the Campanians, while Rome switched sides, joining the Samnites to attack the Latins. Only the Laurentes in Latium and the equites of Campania adhered to the Romans, who on their part found support among the Paeligni
Paeligni
The Paeligni or Peligni were an Italic people who lived in the Valle Peligna, in what is now Abruzzo, central Italy.-History:The Paeligni are first mentioned as a member of a confederacy which included the Marsi, Marrucini and Vestini, with which the Romans came into conflict in the Second Samnite...
.
The Latins entered Samnium
Samnium
Samnium is a Latin exonym for a region of south or south and central Italy in Roman times. The name survives in Italian today, but today's territory comprising it is only a small portion of what it once was. The populations of Samnium were called Samnites by the Romans...
; the Roman-Samnite army moved to the Fucine Lake
Fucine Lake
The Fucine Lake was a large lake in central Italy, stretching from Avezzano in the northwest to Ortuccio in the southeast, and touching Trasacco in the southwest. It was drained in 1875.-Roman drainage:...
, then, avoiding Latium, entered the Campanian territory and attacked the Latins and Campanians near Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting...
. In the Battle of Vesuvius
Battle of Vesuvius
-The Battle of Vesuvius:The Battle of Vesuvius was fought near Mount Vesuvius in 340 BC. The battle was fought between the Romans and the Latin army...
, the Romans, under consuls Decius Mus
Publius Decius Mus (340 BC)
Publius Decius Mus, son of Quintus, of the plebeian gens Decia, was a Roman consul in the year 340 BC. He is noted particularly for sacrificing himself in battle through the ritual of devotio, as recorded by the Augustan historian Livy.-Career:...
and T. Manlius Torquatus Imperiosus
Titus Manlius Torquatus (347 BC)
Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus held three consulships of republican Rome and was also three times Roman Dictator.His father Lucius was appointed dictator in 363 BC in order to fulfill religious duties, but instead undertook preparations for war...
, defeated the Latins. According to Roman sources, Manlius reinstated army discipline by executing his son for his unintentional disobedience, while Decius sacrificed his own life to the gods for the Roman victory.
One year later, Manlius defeated the Latins at the Battle of Trifanum
Battle of Trifanum
The Battle of Trifanum was fought in 339 BC between the Roman Republic and the Latins. The Roman force was led by Manlius Imperiosus, and they were victorious....
. The Latins, forced to leave Campania, moved to Latium, where they put up a long yet unsuccessful resistance against the Roman forces. The defeated Latin peoples were obliged to recognize Roman pre-eminence. Some of the Latin towns were Romanized, others became partially Roman, adopting Roman magistratures, while some others became Roman colonies.