Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 35
Cyrus Evans, Ed.

2. At the time when these occurrences happened in Spain, Caius Flaminius, the praetor, had not yet set out from Rome: [2] therefore these events, as well prosperous as adverse, were reported by himself and his friends in the strongest representations; [3] and he laboured to persuade the senate, that, as a very formidable war had blazed out in his province, and he was likely to receive from Sextus Digitius a very small remnant of an army, and that, too, terrified and disheartened, they ought to decree one of the city legions to him, in order that, when lie should have united to it [4??] the soldiers levied by himself, pursuant to the decree of the senate, he might select from the whole number six thousand five hundred foot and three hundred horse. [5] He said, that “with such a legion as that, (for very little confidence could be placed on the troops [p. 1555]of Sextus Digitius,) he would conduct the war.” [6] But the elder part of the senate insisted, that “decrees of the senate were not to be passed in consequence of rumours fabricated by private persons for the gratification of magistrates; and that no intelligence should be deemed authentic except it were either written by the praetors, from their provinces, or brought by their deputies. [7] If there was a tumultuous commotion in Spain, they advised a vote, that tumultuary soldiers should be levied by the praetor in some other country than Italy.” The senate's intention was that such description of men should be raised in Spain. [8] Valerius Antias says, that Caius Flaminius sailed to Sicily for the purpose of levying troops, and that, on his voyage thence to Spain, being driven by a storm to Africa, he enlisted there many stragglers who had belonged to the army of Publius Africanus; [9] and that, to the levies made in those two provinces, he added a third in Spain.