Titus Livius (Livy), The History of Rome, Book 29
Frank Gardener Moore, Professor Emeritus in Columbia University, Ed.

15. While they were discussing the men needed to recruit the legions in the provinces, certain senators suggested that, since now by favour of the gods fear had at last been removed, it was time for them no longer to tolerate what had been endured as best they could in critical circumstances. [2] As the senate was alert and in suspense, they added that the twelve Latin colonies¹ which had refused to furnish soldiers in the consulship of Quintus Fabius and Quintus Fulvius had been exempt from service for now [3??] about five years, as though it were an honour and a favour bestowed upon them, whereas in the meantime good and obedient allies, in return for their loyalty and submission to the Roman people, had been exhausted by successive levies every year. These words revived the memory of an affair almost obliterated and correspondingly inflamed the anger of the senators. [4] Accordingly, allowing the consuls to bring up no other question first, they decreed that the consuls should summon to Rome [5??] the magistrates² and ten leading citizens in each case from Nepete, Sutrium, Ardea, Cales, Alba, Carsioli, Sora, Suessa, Setia, Circeii, Narnia, Interamna, for these were the colonies concerned; that they should order them to furnish double the maximum number of infantry that each of those colonies had ever furnished to the Roman people since the enemy was [p. 265]in Italy, and also one hundred and twenty horsemen³ in each case. [6] If any colony should be unable to make up that number of horsemen, it should be permitted to give three foot-soldiers for-one horseman. Men having the largest means should be chosen for infantry and cavalry and sent to any place outside of Italy where supplements were needed. [7] If any delegation should refuse, it was decided that the magistrates and envoys of that colony should be detained, and that if they asked for a hearing in the senate, it should be refused until they had done what was required of them. [8] It was further ordered that a tax of one as for each thousand be laid upon those colonies and exacted, every year, and that a census be taken in those colonies on the basis of a census-list⁴ furnished by the Roman censors. [9] They resolved also that it be the same which was given to the Roman people —and [10] that it be sworn to by the censors of the colonies and brought to Rome before they laid down their office.⁵

In accordance with this decree of the senate the consuls summoned the magistrates and leading citizens of those colonies to Rome and required of them soldiers and the tax. [11] Thereupon they outdid each other in refusing and loudly protesting. [12] They said that such a number of soldiers could not be made up; that even if the normal number were required according to the original compact,⁶ they could hardly reach it. [13] They begged and implored that they be permitted to go before the senate and make their plea. No such offence, they said, had been committed that they deserved to perish. But even if perish they must, neither their crime nor the anger of the Roman people could enable them to [p. 267]furnish more soldiers than they had. [14] The consuls,⁷ disinclined to yield, ordered the envoys to remain at Rome, the magistrates to go to their homes in order to conduct levies, adding that unless the number of soldiers demanded of them was first brought to Rome, no one would give them a hearing in the senate. [15] Thus, after their hopes of appearing before the senate and of making their plea had been shattered, a levy was carried out in those twelve colonies without difficulty, since owing to long exemption the number of younger men had increased.