4.
At the end of this year, when a proposal was made for a distribution of land1 to the veterans [p. 13]who had brought to an end the war in Africa under2 the leadership and auspices of Publius Scipio,3 the Fathers voted that
[2]
Marcus Junius, the praetor of the city,4 should, if it seemed advisable to him, appoint a board of ten5 to survey and assign such lands in Samnium and Apulia6 as were the public property of this the Roman people.7
[3]
The board selected consisted of Publius Servilius, Quintus Caecilius Metellus, Gaius and Marcus Servilius (both having the surname Geminus), Lucius and Aulus Hostilius Cato, Publius Villius Tappulus, Marcus Fulvius Flaccus, Publius Aelius Paetus, and Titus Quinctius Flamininus.
[4]
At this time, the consul Publius Aelius holding the elections, Publius Sulpicius Galba and Gaius Aurelius Cotta were chosen consuls, and later Quintus Minucius Rufus, Lucius Furius Purpurio, Quintus Fulvius Gillo, and Gaius Sergius Plautus were elected praetors.
[5]
Dramatic performances at the Roman Games8 in that year were given with splendour and magnificence by the curule aediles,9 Lucius Valerius [p. 15]Flaccus and Lucius Quinctius Flamininus; the performance10 of two days was renewed;11
[6]
a huge quantity of grain, sent from Africa by Publius Scipio, they sold to the populace at four asses a measure, with the most scrupulous fairness and to the great satisfaction of the people.
[7]
Also the Plebeian Games, entire, were thrice repeated by the plebeian aediles, Lucius Apustius Fullo and Quintus Minucius Rufus; the latter was chosen praetor at the close of his term as aedile. A banquet to Jupiter12 was likewise held in connection with the games.
1 At this time only landowners served in the army, but some of these soldiers had been under arms for sixteen years and had lost all their property. This is, according to Livy, the first such measure to aid veterans, but in the later Republic such distributions were common. See also xlix. 5 below.
2 B.C. 201
3 Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, who had brought the war to a successful conclusion.
4 One of the four praetors was at this time assigned by lot as praetor urbanus, in charge of judicial administration. He ranked next after the consuls and administered affairs in the city in their absence.
5 Such boards usually consisted of three members only. This task seemed especially difficult or important.
6 These districts had revolted to Hannibal, and part of their land was taken from them in punishment.
7 Apparently a fragmentary quotation from the law itself.
8 The ludi Romani, of great antiquity, and the ludi plebeii, dating from the period of the Second Punic War, were celebrated in September and November respectively. In the later Republic each festival lasted two weeks. The object of each was the worship of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, and in his especial honour a banquet was held on the thirteenth of the month. Performances were supervised by the curule and plebeian aediles respectively, the cost being paid by the state, though private funds were contributed in addition, and lavish expenditures of this sort were considered necessary for an aspirant to political distinction. As early as the middle of the fourth century B.C., dramatic performances were added to the other spectacles, at least in the ludi Romani. Since these were religious ceremonies, admission was free.
9 The office of plebeian aedile was created with the tribunate in 494 B.C., and that of curule aedile, reserved to patricians, in 366 B.C. By this time both were open to patricians and plebeians alike. The supervision of the games was one of their chief functions.
10 B.C. 201
11 Religious flaws in the performance, unfavourable omens, and similar occurrences might cause the partial or total repetition of the games. The aediles might also desire to gain increased prestige by expenditures on a grand scale, and so find or manufacture causes for their renewal: this may have been the case on this occasion.
12 See note on “Roman Games” above.
Livy. Books XXXI-XXXIV with an English Translation. Cambridge. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1935: no copyright notice.
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