Latin League

The Latin League (c. 7th century BC – 338 BC) was a confederation of about 30 villages and tribes in the region of Latium near ancient Rome, organized for mutual defense. The term “Latin League” is one coined by modern historians with no precise Latin equivalent.

It was originally created for protection against enemies from surrounding areas (the Etruscans) under the leadership of the city of Alba Longa. An incomplete fragment of an inscription recorded by Cato the Elder tells us that at one time the league included Tusculum, Aricia, Lanuvium, Lavinium, Cora, Tibur, Pometia and Ardea.

During the reign of Tarquinius Superbus, the Latins were persuaded to acknowledge the leadership of Rome. The treaty with Rome was renewed, and it was agreed that the troops of the Latins would attend on an appointed day to form a united military force with the troops of Rome. This was done, and Tarquin formed combined units of Roman and Latin troops.[4]

The early Roman Republic formed an alliance with the Latin League in 493 BC. According to Roman tradition, this treaty, the foedus Cassianum,[5] followed a Roman victory over the league in the Battle of Lake Regillus. The treaty provided that both Rome and the Latin League would share loot from military conquests (which would later be one of the reasons for the Latin War 341–338 BC), and provided that any military campaigns between the two be led by Roman generals. This alliance helped repel attacks from such peoples as the Aequi and the Volsci—nomadic tribes of the Apennine Mountains—who were prevented from invading Latium by the blending of armies.[1] It is still unclear if the Latins had accepted Rome as one into the League, or if the treaty had been signed as between the Roman State and the Latin League.

The Latin War (340–338 BC) 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 Campanian 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 were finally defeated in 338 BC at the Battle of Antium[1] on the river Astura, where Gaius Maenius commanded the Roman naval forces which defeated the combined Latin armies of Antium, Lanuvium, Aricia and Velitrae.[2]

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.

The increasing power of Rome gradually led to its domination of the league. The renewal of the original treaty in 358 BC formally established Roman leadership and eventually triggered the outbreak of the Latin War (343 BC – 338 BC). Following the Roman victory, the league was dissolved.

After 338 BC, the end of the Latin league, Rome renamed the cities municipiae and established coloniae inside them. This meant that the towns were now ruled by Rome (or the Roman Republic) and that the people living there were considered Roman colonists.