re of Pedum in B.C. 338 all the Latins laid down their arms, and
garrisons were placed in their towns. The Romans were now absolute
masters of Latium, and their great object was to prevent the Latin
cities from forming any union again. For this purpose not only were all
general assemblies forbidden, but, in order to keep the cities
completely isolated, the citizens of one town could not marry or make a
legal contract of bargain or sale with another.[24] Tibur and Praeneste,
the two most powerful cities of the League, which had taken the most
active part in the war, were deprived of a portion of their land, but
were allowed to retain a nominal independence, preserving their own
laws, and renewing from time to time their treaties with Rome. The
inhabitants of several other towns, such as Tusculum and Lanuvium,
received the Roman franchise; their territory was incorporated in that
of the Republic; and two new tribes were created to carry these
arrangements into effect. Many of the most distinguished Romans sprung
from these Latin towns.

Twelve years elapsed between the subjugation of Latium and the
commencement of the Second Samnite War. During this time the Roman arms
continued to make steady progress. One of their most important conquests
was that of the Volscian town of Privernum in B.C. 329, from which time
the Volscians, so long the formidable enemies of Rome, disappear as an
independent nation. The extension of the Roman power naturally awakened
the jealousy of the Samnites; and the assistance rendered by them to the
Greek cities of Palaeopolis and Neapolis was the immediate occasion of
the Second Samnite War. These two cities were colonies of the
neighboring Cumae, and were situated only five miles from each other. The
position of Palaeopolis, or the "Old City," is uncertain; but Neapolis,
or the "New City," stands on the site of a part of the modern Naples.
The Romans declared war against the two cities in B.C. 327, and sent the
Consul Q. Publilius Philo to reduce them to subjection. The Greek
colonists had previously formed an alliance with the Samnites, and now
received powerful Samnite garrisons. Publilius encamped between the
cities; and as he did not succeed in taking them before his year of
office expired, he was continued in the command with the title of
_Proconsul_, the first time that this office was created. At the
beginning of the following year Palaeopolis was taken; and Neapolis only
escaped the same