bal, remained in their previous federate relationship with Rome.
However, the Romans were no longer careful to adhere strictly to their
treaty rights, and began to trespass upon the local independence of their
allies. Roman magistrates did not hesitate to issue orders to the
magistrates of federate communities, and to punish them for failure to
obey or for lack of respect. The spoils of war, furthermore, were no
longer divided in equal proportions between the Roman and allied troops.
Added to these aggravations came the fact that the allies were after all
dependents and had no share in the government or the financial
administration of the lands they had helped to conquer. But their most
serious grievance was their obligation to military service, which was
exacted without relaxation, and which, owing to reasons which we shall
discuss later, had become much more burdensome than when originally
imposed. It is not surprising, then, to find that by 133 B. C. the
federate allies were demanding to be admitted to Roman citizenship.

However, it was not in Rome or in Italy, but in Rome's foreign possessions
that the important administrative development of the third and second
centuries occurred.

II. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROVINCES

*The status of the conquered peoples.* The acquisition of Sicily in 241,
and of Sardinia and Corsica in 238 B. C. raised the question whether Rome
should extend to her non-Italian conquests the same treatment accorded to
the Italian peoples and include them within her military federation. This
question was answered in the negative and the status of federate allies
was only accorded to such communities as had previously attained this
relationship or merited it by zeal in the cause of Rome. All the rest were
treated as subjects, not as allies, enjoying only such rights as the
conquerors chose to leave them. The distinguishing mark of their condition
was their obligation to pay a tax or tribute to Rome. Except on special
occasions they were not called upon to render military service.

*The provinces.* At first the Romans tried to conduct the administration
of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica through the regular city magistrates, but
finding this unsatisfactory in 227 B. C. they created two separate
administrative districts--Sicily forming one, and the other two islands the
second--called provinces from the word _provincia_, which meant the sphere
of duty assigned to a particular