Chapter I: Preface

It would be scarcely possible for anyone writing on the period embraced in this volume, to perform his task adequately without making himself familiar with Mr. Long's 'History of the Decline of the Roman Republic' and Mommsen's 'History of Rome.' To do over again (as though the work had never been attempted) what has been done once for all accurately and well, would be mere prudery of punctiliousness. But while I acknowledge my debt of gratitude to both these eminent historians, I must add that for the whole period I have carefully examined the original authorities, often coming to conclusions widely differing from those of Mr. Long. And I venture to hope that from the advantage I have had in being able to compare the works of two writers, one of whom has well-nigh exhausted the theories as the other has the facts of the subject, I have succeeded in giving a more consistent and faithful account of the leaders and legislation of the revolutionary era than has hitherto been written. Certainly there could be no more instructive commentary on either history than the study of the other, for each supplements the other and emphasizes its defects. If Mommsen at times pushes conjecture to the verge of invention, as in his account of the junction of the Helvetii and Cimbri, Mr. Long, in his dogged determination never to swerve from facts to inference, falls into the opposite extreme, resorting to somewhat Cyclopean architecture in his detestation of stucco. But my admiration for his history is but slightly qualified by such considerations, and to any student who may be stimulated by the volumes of this series to acquire what would virtually amount to an acquaintance first-hand with the narratives of ancient writers, I would say 'Read Mr. Long's history.' To do so is to learn not only knowledge but a lesson in historical study generally. For the writings of a man with whom style is not the first object are as refreshing as his scorn for romancing history is wholesome, and the grave irony with which he records its slips amusing.

A.H.B.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

ANTECEDENTS OF THE REVOLUTION.

Previous history of the Roman orders--The Ager Publicus--Previous attempts at agrarian legislation--Roman slavery--The first Slave War--The Nobiles, Optimates, Populares, Equites--Classification of the component parts of the Roman State--State of the transmarine provinces

CHAPTER II.

TIBERIUS GRACCHUS.

Scipio Aemilianus--Tribunate of Tiberius Gracchus--His agrarian proposals--Wisdom of them--Grievances of the possessors--Octavius thwarts Gracchus--Conduct of Gracchus defended--His other intended reforms--He stands again for the tribunate--His motives--His murder

CHAPTER III.

CAIUS GRACCHUS.

Blossius spared--The law of T. Gracchus carried out--Explanation of Italian opposition to it--Attitude of Scipio Aemilianus--His murder--Quaestorship of Caius Gracchus--The Alien Act of Pennus--Flaccus proposes to give the Socii the franchise--Revolt and extirpation of Fregellae--Tribunate of Caius Gracchus--Compared to Tiberius--His aims--His Corn Law defended--His Lex Judiciaria--His law concerning the taxation of Asia--His conciliation of the equites--His colonies--He proposes to give the franchise to the Italians--Other projects--Machinations of the nobles against him--M. Livius Drusus outbids him--Stands again for the tribunate, but is rejected--His murder--Some of his laws remain in force--The Maria Lex--Reactionary legislation of the Senate--The Lex Thoria--All offices confined to a close circle

CHAPTER IV.

THE JUGURTHINE WAR.

Legacy of Attalus--Aristonicus usurps his kingdom--Settlement of Asia--Jugurtha murders Hiempsal and attacks Adherbal--His intrigues at Rome and the infamy of M. Aemilius Scaurus and the other Roman nobles--Three commissions bribed by Jugurtha--Adherbal murdered--Rome declares war and Jugurtha bribes the Roman generals, Bestia and Scaurus--Memmius denounces them at Rome--Jugurtha summoned to Rome, where he murders Massiva--He defeats Aulus Albinos--Metellus sent against him Jugurtha defeated on the Muthul--Keeps up a guerilla warfare--Marius stands for the consulship, and succeeds Metellus--Bocchus betrays Jugurtha to Sulla--Settlement of Numidia

CHAPTER V.

THE CIMBRI AND TEUTONES.

Recommencement of the Social struggle at Rome--Marius the popular hero--Incessant frontier-warfare of the Romans--The Cimbri defeat Carbo and Silanus--Caepio and 'The Gold of Tolosa'--The Cimbri defeat Scaurus and Caepio--Marius elected consul--The Cimbri march towards Spain--Their nationality--Their plan of operations--Plan of Marius--Battle of Aquae Sextiae--Battle of Vercellae

CHAPTER VI.

THE ROMAN ARMY.

Second Slave War--Aquillius ends it--Changes in the Roman army--Uniform equipment of the legionary--Mariani muli--The cohort the tactical unit--The officers--Numbers of the legion--The pay--The praetorian cohort--Dislike to service--The army becomes professional

CHAPTER VII.

SATURNINUS AND DRUSUS.

Saturninus takes up the Gracchan policy, in league with Glaucia and Marius--The Lex Servilia meant to relieve the provincials, conciliate the equites, and throw open the judicia to all citizens--Agrarian law of Saturninus--His laws about grain and treason--Murder of Memmius, Glaucia's rival--Saturninus is attacked and deserted by Marius--The Lex Licinia Minucia heralds the Social War--Drusus attempts reform--Obliged to tread in the steps of the Gracchi--His proposals with regard to the Italians, the coinage, corn, colonies and the equites--Opposed by Philippus and murdered

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SOCIAL WAR.

Interests of Italian capitalists and small farmers opposed--The Social War breaks out at Asculum--The insurgents choose Corfinium as their capital--In the first year they gain everywhere--Then the Lex Julia is passed and in the second year they lose everywhere--The star of Sulla rises, that of Marius declines--The Lex Plautia Papiria--First year of the war--The confederates defeat Perperna, Crassus, Caesar, Lupus, Caepio, and take town after town--The Umbrians and Etruscans Revolt--Second year--Pompeius triumphs in the north, Cosconius in the south-east, Sulla in the south-west--Revolution at Rome--The confederates courted by both parties--The rebellion smoulders on till finally quenched by Sulla after the Mithridatic War

CHAPTER IX.

SULPICIUS.

Financial crisis at Rome--Sulpicius Rufus attempts to reform the government, and complete the enfranchisement of the Italians--His laws forcibly carried by the aid of Marius--Sulla driven from Rome flies to the army at Nola, and marches at their head against Marius--Sulpicius slain--Marius outlawed--Sulla leaves Italy after reorganizing the Senate and the comitia

CHAPTER X.

MARIUS AND CINNA.

Flight of Marius--His romantic adventures at Circeii, Minturnae, Carthage--Cinna takes up the Italian cause--Driven from Rome by Octavius, he flies to the army in Campania and marches on Rome--Marius lands in Etruria--Octavius summons Pompeius from Etruria and their armies surround the city--Marius and Cinna enter Rome--The proscriptions--Seventh consulship and death of Marius--Cinna supreme

CHAPTER XI.

THE FIRST MITHRIDATIC WAR.

Sertorius in Spain--Cyrene bequeathed to Rome--Previous history of Mithridates--His submission to Aquillius--Aquillius forces on a war--He is defeated and killed by Mithridates--Massacre of Romans in Asia--Mithridates repulsed at Rhodes

CHAPTER XII.

SULLA IN GREECE AND ASIA.

Aristion induces Athens to revolt--Sulla lands in Epirus, and besieges Athens and the Piraeus--His difficulties--He takes Athens and the Piraeus, and defeats Archelaus at Chaeroneia and Orchomenus--Terms offered to Mithridates--Tyranny of the latter--Flaccus comes to Asia and is murdered by Fimbria, who is soon afterwards put to death by Sulla

CHAPTER XIII.

SULLA IN ITALY.

Sulla lands at Brundisium and is joined by numerous adherents--Battle of Mount Tifata--Sertorius goes to Spain--Sulla in 83 is master of Picenum, Apulia, and Campania--Battle of Sacriportus--Sulla blockades young Marius in Praeneste--Indecisive war in Picenum between Carbo and Metellus--Repeated attempts to relieve Praeneste--Carbo flies to Africa--His lieutenants threaten Rome--Sulla comes to the rescue --Desperate attempt to take the city by Pontius--Battle of the Colline Gate--Sulla's danger--Death of Carbo, of Domitius Ahenobarbus--Exploits of Pompeius in Sicily and Africa--His vanity--Murena provokes the second Mithridatic War--Sertorius in Spain--His successes and ascendency over the natives

CHAPTER XIV.

PERSONAL RULE AND DEATH OF SULLA.

The Sullan proscriptions--Sulla and Caesar--The Cornelii--Sulla's horrible character--His death and splendid obsequies

CHAPTER XV.

SULLA'S REACTIONARY MEASURES.

The Leges Corneliae--Sulla remodels the Senate, the quaestorship, the censorship, the tribunate, the comitia, the consulship, the praetorship, the augurate and pontificate, the judicia--Minor laws attributed to him--Effects of his legislation the best justification of the Gracchi

LIST OF PHRASES

INDEX

MAPS.

MARCH OF SULLA AND ARCHELAUS BEFORE CHAERONEIA

BATTLE OF CHAERONEIA

THE

GRACCHI, MARIUS AND SULLA.

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