[
39]
When the revolt broke out all the neighboring peoples showed their
preparedness at the same time, the Marsi, the Peligni, the Vestini, the
Marrucini; and after them the Picentines, the Frentani, the Hirpini, the
Pompeiians, the Venusini, the Apulians, the Lucanians, and
the Samnites, all of whom had been hostile to the
Romans before; also all the rest extending from the river Liris (which is
now, I think, the Liternus) to the extremity of the Adriatic gulf, both
inland and sea-coast. They sent ambassadors to
Rome to complain that although they had coöperated
in all ways with the Romans in building up the empire, the latter had not
been willing to admit their helpers to citizenship. The Senate answered
sternly that if they repented of what they had done they could send
ambassadors, otherwise not. The Italians, in despair of any other remedy,
went on with their preparations for war. Besides the soldiers which were
kept for guards at each town, they had forces in common amounting to about
100,000 foot and horse. The Romans sent an equal force against them, made up
of their own citizens and of the Italian peoples who were still in alliance
with them.
