ProQuest Dissertations - Historia Antigua

Aesernia (263). 10 These colonies are incorporated in the following account of the historyof colonization in this region, but they cannot, for obvious reasons, be included in theanalysis of the commissioners which follows this narrative.The first colony the Romans founded in south-central Italy was Cales, establishedin 334 BCE by Caeso Duillius, T. Quinctius Poenus Capitolinus Crispinus, and M.Fabius. 11The commissioners founded the Latin colony in the Ausonian city of the samename after they captured the place in retaliation for its inhabitants attacking their fellowAurunci with the Samnite Sidicini. 12Cales was perfectly situated along the Liris River tomonitor both Samnite Teanum and Capua as well as provide an excellent market site forthe surrounding communities. 13It was also the first Latin colony founded by Rome afterthe Latin War ended in 338 BCE, thus beginning the juristic concept of the ius Latii. 14Six years later in 328, the unknown commissioners founded another Latin colony,Fregellae, on the Liris at the crossing near the junction with the Melfa River along theroute to the Tyrrhenian Sea. 15In the fullness of time, this river crossing made Fregellaeinto an important market community. 1Since the commissioners established the colonyon the eastern side of the River, however, this foundation most likely broke the treaties ofThe modern names for or near these colonies are: Fregellae (Ceprano), Luceria (Luceria), SuessaAurunca (Sessa), Pontiae (Ponza), Interamna Lirinas (Termini near Pignataro Interamna), Sora (Sora),Minturnae (Minturno), Sinuessa (Cellole/Mandragone), Beneventum (Benevento), Paestum (Paestum), andAesernia (Isernia).11 Livy 8.16.14, Veil. Pat. 1.14.3. For the text of this and other colonial foundations with knowncommissioners, see Appendix 1.12 Salmon (1970), p. 55.13 Frayn (1993), pp. 40, 5314 Ibid. p. 56.15 Livy 8.19.1, 22.2. For a more detailed discussion of the foundation of this colony and subsequenttroubles, see Chapter 4.16 Frayn (1993), p. 49. Fregellae continued to be the site of a rural fair during religious festivals after itsdestruction in 125 BCE (Strabo 5.3.10 and Frayn pp. 139-140).58