ProQuest Dissertations - Historia Antigua

colonists after the first census. 56Thus the Ferentinates' misstep was in claiming Romancitizenship before they had acquired it, not in claiming it at all. 57Further proof thatLatins and allies could enroll as colonists comes in the form of the poet Ennius, aCOMessapian from Rudiae, who became a colonist and a Roman citizen in 184.Thus, theaverage colonist population was probably a mix of Roman citizens by birth, immigrantsto Rome, and Roman allies from Latium.Another answer to the problem of too few colonists was to include also the localpopulation into the colony, either de iure as colonists with parcels of land or de facto asincolae. This was the practice in the archaic period, but also throughout latercolonization to foster a stronger community and mitigate the hostility of the localpopulation. 59Patterson observes as matter for further inquiry that "epigraphic andprosopographical data suggests that local populations could play a significant role in theaffairs of Latin colonies." 6Modern historians have taken up this line of inquiry on apiecemeal basis. Bispham briefly discusses the mixed populations of Cales andAriminum. 61Bradley notes that the commissioners of Antium did not make a policy ofexcluding local Volscians from the colony. 62Crawford cautiously comments that the56 Smith (1954), pp. 18-20. Cf. Salmon (1970), n. 165 pp. 184-185 contra Sherwin-White (1939), p. 92,where S.W. claims this as proof only Romans enrolled to become colonists.57 1 follow Smith (1954) in the observation that this passage does not imply that non-Romans were notallowed to enroll for citizen colonies, but that the Ferentinates erred in claiming their Roman citizenshiptoo soon, before they had moved to the colony. Cf. Laffi (2007), p. 23, Feig Vishnia (1996), p. 143.Salmon (1970), p. 99 asserts that this episode indicates that the non-Romans were more interested inacquiring Roman citizenship than living in the colony. He cites the rapid depopulation of Sipontum andBuxentum by 186 BCE as further evidence of this reluctance. Cf. Laffi (2007), pp. 23-24.58 Cic. Brut. 79; Cf. Arch. 22, De or. 3.168. Salmon (1970), p. 105. Ennius' citizenship may have come asa gift by one of the founding commissioners, according to Cicero {Brut. 79).59 Bradley (2006), pp. 178-179. See, for example, the inscription at Isernia of a dedication to Venus fromthe Samnite incolae (CIL I 2 3201).50 Patterson (2006), p. 199.61 Bispham (2006), p. 91.52 Bradley (2006), p. 167 f.17