The same year Pyrrhus retired to Sicily to defend Syracuse against the Carthaginians, who were allied to the Romans. He remained on the island three years. Upon his return to Italy he met the Romans for the last time in 274, near BENEVENTUM, where he was defeated by the Consul MANIUS CURIOUS DENTATUS. The Romans had by this time become accustomed to the elephants, and used burning arrows against them. The wounded beasts became furious and unmanageable, and threw the army into disorder. With this battle ended the career of Pyrrhus in Italy. He returned home, and two years later was accidentally killed by a woman at Argos. The departure of Pyrrhus left all Italy at the mercy of Rome. Two years later, in 272, the garrison at Tarentum surrendered, the city walls were demolished, and the fleet given up. CHAPTER XI. DIVISIONS OF THE ROMAN TERRITORY.--NOTED MEN OF THE PERIOD. Rome was now mistress of all Italy south of the Arnus and Aesis. This country was divided into two parts. I. The AGER ROMANUS, including about one quarter of the whole, bounded on the north by CAERE, on the south by FORMIAE, and on the east by the APENNINES. II. The DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES. The _Ager Romanus_ was subdivided, for voting and financial purposes, into thirty-three, afterwards thirty-five districts (tribes), four of which were in Rome. The elections were all held at Rome. These districts were made up,-- a. Of ROME. b. Of the ROMAN COLONIES, mostly maritime, now numbering seven, but finally increased to thirty-five. c. Of the MUNICIPIA (towns bound to service). d. Of the PRAEFECTURAE (towns governed by a praefect, who was sent from Rome and appointed by the Praetor). The DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES were made up,-- a. Of the LATIN (military) COLONIES, now numbering twenty-two, afterwards increased to thirty-five. b. Of the ALLIES of Rome (_Socii_), whose cities and adjoining territory composed more than one half of the country controlled by Rome. These allies were allowed local government, were not obliged to pay tribute, but were called upon to furnish their proportion of troops for the Roman army. The inhabitants of this country were divided into five classes, viz.-- a. Those who possessed both PUBLIC and PRIVATE RIGHTS as citizens, i. e. FULL RIGHTS. (Footnote: Public rights consisted of the _jus suffragii_ (right of voting at Rome); _jus honorum_ (right of holding office), and _jus provocationis_ (right of appeal). Private rights were _jus connubii_ (right of intermarriage); and _jus commercii_ (right of trading and holding property). Full rights were acquired either by birth or gift. A child born of parents, both of whom enjoyed the _jus connubii_, was a Roman citizen with full rights. Foreigners were sometimes presented with citizenship (_civitas_)) b. Those who were subjects and did not possess full rights. c. Those who were ALLIES (_Socii_). d. Those who were SLAVES, who possessed no rights.