in
the third year of which was fought the battle of Triganum, near Mount
Vesuvius. The Romans, with their Samnite allies, were victorious
through the efforts of the Consul, TITUS MANLIUS TORQUATUS, one of the
illustrious names of this still doubtful period. The remainder of the
operations was rather a series of expeditions against individual cities
than a general war.

In 338 all the Latins laid down their arms, and the war closed. The
Latin confederacy was at an end. Rome now was mistress. Four of
the Latin cities, TIBUR, PRAENESTE, CORA, and LAURENTUM, were left
independent, but all the rest of the towns were annexed to Rome. Their
territory became part of the _Ager Romanus_, and the inhabitants Roman
plebeians.

Besides acquiring Latium, Rome also annexed, as _municipia_, three more
towns, Fundi, Formiae, and Velitrae, a Volscian town.

LATIUM was now made to include all the country from the Tiber to the
Volturnus.

Rome about this time established several MARITIME (Roman) COLONIES,
which were similar to her MILITARY (Latin) COLONIES, except that the
colonists retained all their rights as Roman citizens, whereas the
military colonists relinquished these rights and became Latins. The
first of these colonies was ANTIUM (338); afterwards were established
TARRACINA (329), MINTURNAE, and SINUESSA (296). Others were afterwards
founded.

Later, when Antium was changed into a military colony, its navy was
destroyed, and the beaks (_rostra_) of its ships were taken to Rome, and
placed as ornaments on the speaker's stand opposite the Senate-House.
Hence the name ROSTRA.

At this time the FORUM, which had been used for trading purposes of all
kinds, was improved and beautified. It became a centre for political
discussions and financial proceedings. The bankers and brokers had their
offices here. Smaller _Fora_ were started near the river, as the _Forum
Boarium_ (cattle market) and the _Forum Holitorium_ (vegetable market).

Maenius, one of the Censors, was chiefly instrumental in bringing about
these improvements.

THE SECOND AND THIRD SAMNITE WARS (326-290).

The results of the First Samnite War and the Latin War were, as we have
seen, to break up the Latin confederacy, and enlarge the domain of Rome.

There were now in Italy three races aiming at the supremacy, the Romans,
the Samnites, and the Etruscans. The last of these was the weakest, and
had been declining ever since the capture by the Romans of Veii in 3