Latin & Samnite Wars

Background (the Sabellian Migration (Invasion)

• c. 450. Dominate Campanian plain
• 423. Overtake Capua
• 420. Overtake Cumae
• c. 350. Control greater part of Southern Italy
• Samnites = rustic Sabellian population remaining in Appenines uplands
• Lucanians = similar to Samnites but more organized as a federation
• Campanians = urban Sabellian population influenced by Greeks and Etruscans

First Samnite War (343-341 BC)

• 354. Fear of Gauls inspires treaty between Rome and Samnites
• 343. Capua appeals to Rome against Samnites (First Samnite War begins)
• 342. Plebeian secessio (mutiny of army?)
• 341. Rome renews previous treaty with Samnites (First Samnite War ends)

Great Latin War (340-338 BC)¹

• Latins demand restoration of foedus aequum (Great Latin War begins)
• Latins (with Campanians and Volscians) vs. Romans (with Samnites)
• 340. Latins and Campanians defeated near Suessa Aurunca
• Romans give Campanians favorable terms (and so they leave the war)
• Romans defeat Volscians, capture Antiate pirate ships², and seize Antium
• 338. Latin League dissolved, many cities granted full or half-citizenship

Second Samnite War (326-304 BC)³

• The Road to War
  • 334. Colony at Cales secures Capua from Samnite raids
  • 334. Rome signs treaty with Tarentum, whom the Samnites are fighting
  • 328. Colony at Fregellae blocks Samnites' descent through Liris valley
  • 327. Samnites introduce garrison into Neapolis (Naples)
• 326. At request of Capua, Rome seizes Neapolis from Samnites (war begins)
• 325. Romans gain support of the Marsi and the Peligni against Samnites
• 321. Disaster at Caudine Forks
  • Samnites subjugate Roman and allied force of 20,000
  • Consuls make truce (sponsio)
    • Fregellae and other Roman outposts given to Samnites
    • Six-hundred Roman equites as hostages
    • Roman soldiers humiliated by subjugation (yolk made using their own spears)
• 316. Rome repudiates treaty (war renewed)
• 315. Q. Fabius Rullianus suffers disastrous defeat at Lautulae; Capua changes sides
• 314. Roman victory at Tarracina; Capua surrenders
• 312. Via Appia built for reliable access to Tarracina and Capua
• Samnites recruit new allies:
  • 311. Tarquinii and Falerii (upon lapse of their 40-year truce with Rome)
  • 310. the Hernici, the Marsi, and the Peligni
• Rome systematically defeats the opposition
  • 310. Rullianus defeats Etruscan League near Lake Vadimo
  • 310-308. One-by-one, Etruscan and other cities make terms with Rome
  • 308. Alliance with Tarquinii renewed for 40 years
• 304. Samnites sue for peace (war ends)

Third Samnite War (298-290 BC)

• 298. Lucanians appeal to Rome for aid against the Samnites
• 298. L. Scipio Barbatus drives Samnites from Lucania (war begins)
• 296. Samnite leader Gellius Egnatius recruits Rome's enemies: Etruscan cities and Gauls
• 295. Battle of Sentinum.  Rullianus and Decius Mus victorious over Samnites, Gauls, and Umbrians
• 294. Etruscan cities make peace with Rome
• 293. Battle of Aquilonia.  L. Papirius Cursor defeats Samnite's "Linen Legion"
• 290. Samnites apply for peace (end of war)

Wrapping-up in Central Italy

• 284. Senones (who were defeated but not crushed at Sentinum) invade Etruria and defeat Roman relief force
• Several Etruscan cities revolt (e.g. Vulci, Volsinii)
• Senones defeated and the lands (the ager Gallicus) utterly wasted by Curius Dentatus
• 283. Boii invade Etruria (en route to Rome) and are defeated at Lake Vadimo by P. Cornelius Dolabella

1.  According to Cary & Scullard (p. 592), Livy's account of the Great Latin War is "confused."  For certamen, it's probably to just skip reading viii. 3-14 of Ab Urbe Condite.

2.  The prows of these vessels were displayed on the speaker's platform in the Forum Romanum.  For this reason, the platform was called the rostra (ships' prows).

3.  Page 91 of Cary & Scullard indicates the war was 326-304 BC but in the chronological table (p. 560), it is listed as 328-302 BC.  Hmmmm...

© Bradford Duncan 2000
Last modified: Mar-20-2005