33. Ancus, having committed the care of sacred things to the flamines
and other priests, set out with a new army, which he had levied, and
took Politorium, a city of the Latins, by storm; and following the
example of former kings, who had increased the Roman state by taking
enemies into the number of the citizens, he transplanted all the people
to Rome. And since the Sabines occupied the Capitol and citadel, and the
Albans the Cœlian mount around the Palatium, the residence of the old
Romans, the Aventine was assigned to the new people; not long after, on
Telleni and Ficana being taken, new citizens were added in the same
quarter. After this Politorium was taken a second time by force of arms,
because the ancient Latins had taken possession of it when vacated. This
was the cause of the Romans demolishing that city, that it might not
ever after serve as a receptacle to the enemy. At last, the whole war
with the Latins being concentrated in Medullia, they fought there with
various fortune, sometimes the one and sometimes the other gaining the
victory; for the town was both well fortified by works, and strengthened
by a strong garrison, and the Latins, having pitched their camp in the
open fields, had several times fought the Romans in close engagement. At
last Ancus, making an effort with all his forces, obtained a complete
victory over them in a pitched battle, and having got a considerable
booty, returned thence to Rome; many thousands of the Latins being then
also admitted into the city, to whom, in order that the Aventine might
be joined to the Palatium, a settlement was assigned near the temple of
Murcia. The Janiculum was likewise added, not for want of room, but lest
at any time it should become a lodgment for the enemy. It was determined
to join it to the city, not only by a wall, but likewise, for the sake
of the convenience of passage, by a wooden bridge, then for the first
time built across the Tiber. The Fossa Quiritium, no inconsiderable
defence against the easy access to the city from the low grounds, is the
work of king Ancus. The state being augmented by such great accessions,
seeing that, amid such a multitude of persons, the distinction of right
and wrong being as yet confounded, clandestine crimes were committed, a
prison is built in the heart of the city, overlooking the forum, to
intimidate the growing licentiousness. And not only was the city
increased under this king, but the territory also and the boundaries.
The Mæsian forest was taken from the Veientes, the Roman dominion was
extended as far as the sea, and the city of Ostia built at the mouth of
the Tiber; salt-pits were formed around it, and, in consequence of the
distinguished success achieved in war, the temple of Jupiter Feretrius
was enlarged.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account