ProQuest Dissertations - Historia Antigua

first century BCE. The lex coloniae granted the commission for a period of three years,although the foundation of the colony took anywhere from less than one year to over twoyears. 8 Beyond these generalities, it is difficult to specify the legal formula for all parts ofthe initiation and foundation of a colony because Livy's mentions of this procedure areinconsistent. 9For each notice that a colony was established, he mentions the election ofthe commissioners, or the foundation of the colony, or both. 1The legal procedures tofound colonies, as recounted by Livy, are a combination of senatorial decree, authorizingplebiscite obtained by a tribune of the plebs from the concilium plebis, the election ofmagistrates by the comitia tribute presided over by a consul or praetor, the enrollment ofcolonists, the leading out of the colonists by the commissioners, and the foundation itself.Livy does not even consistently mention the names of the commissioners among hisreferences to colonization. 11According to Velleius Paterculus, the senate ordered the foundation of all coloniesbefore the Gracchi, and for the middle Republic there are no known colonies founded7 Salmon (1970), p. 19.8 Gargola (1995), p. 61.9 Feig Vishnia (1996), p. 145 suggests that Livy was uninterested in the legal procedure, so only listed thefull process for the colonies Minturnae and Sinuessa (Livy 10.21.7-9) and Copia and Vibo Valentia (Livy34.53.1-2). Gargola (1995), p. 207 n. 4 thinks that "[t]he variation in Livy's notices is best ascribed tostylistic considerations."10 Cf. Gargola (1995), pp. 52 and 206 n. 2: Election of colonies: Luca (Livy 40.43.1); Foundation ofcolonies: Sipontum, Tempsa, Croton (Livy 34.45.3-5), Potentia and Pisaurum (Livy 39.44.10), Parma andMutina (Livy 39.55.6-8), Saturnia (Livy 39.55.9), Graviscae (Livy 40.29.1-2), Luna (Livy 41.13.4-5); Bothelection and foundation: Volturnum, Liternum, Puteoli, Salernum, Buxentum (Livy 32.29.3-4, 34.45.1-2),Vibo Valentia and Copia (Livy 34.53.1-2, 35.9.7-8, 35.40.5-6), Bononia (Livy 37.46.9-47.2, 37.57.7-8),Aquileia (Livy 39.55.5-6,40.34.2-3). See also Feig Vishnia (1996), p. 144 for a list of these sources.11 Feig Vishnia (1996), p. 144 says otherwise, but Livy mentions the legal procedure but no commissioners'names for the foundations of Minturnae and Sinuessa (Livy 10.21.7-9) and for the foundation of Castra(198), (Livy 32.7.1L), where the censors enrolled the colonists.100