Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 1.djvu/70

 54 AEQUI. No iudiciiti<m is found in any andeat anUw of their origin or descent : but their constant associa- tion with the Volscians would lead as to refer them to a common stock with that nation, and this cir- cnmstance, as well as their position in the mgged npland districts of the Apennines, renders it probable that they belonged to the great Oscan or Anscnian race, which, so fkr as oor researches can extend, maj be regarded as the primeval popaladon of a large part of central Italj. Thej appear to have received at a later period a considonible amount of Sabine influence, and probably some admixture with that race, especially where the two nations bordered on one another: but there is no ground for assuming any community of origin (Niebuhr, voL L p. 72; Abeken, IfUtel ItaUen, pp. 46, 47, 84). The Aequians first appear in Roman history as occupying the mgged mountain district at the back of Tibur and Praeueste (both of which always con- tinued to be Latin towns), and extending from thence to the confines of the Hemicans, and the valley of the Trenis or Sacco, But they gradually encroached upon their LAtin neighbours, and ex- tended their power to the mountain front immediately above the plains of Latinm. Thus Bola, which was originally a Latin town, was occupied by them for a considerable period (Liv. iv. 49): and though they were never able to reduce the strong fortress oi Praeueste, they continually crossed the valley which separated them fixxn the Alban hills and occupied the heights of Mt. Algidus. The great development of their power was coincident with that of the Vol- scians, with whom they were so constantly asso- ciated, that it is probable that the names and operations of tlie two nations have frequently been confounded. Thus Niebuhr has pointed out that the conquests assigned by the l^endaiy hbtory to Coriolanus, doubtless represent not only those of the Volscians, but of the Aequians also: and the "cas- tellum ad lacum Fucinum,** which Livy describes (iv. 57) as taken from the Volscians in b. c. 405, must in all probability have been an Aequian fortress (Niebuhr, vol. i. p. 72, vol. ii. pp. 244, 259). It is impossible here to recapitulate the endless petty wars between the Aequians and Romans : the fol- lowing brief summary will supply a general outline of their |»incipal features. The first mention of the Aequi in Roman history is during the reign of Tarquinins Prisons*, who waged war with them with great success, and re- duced them to at least a nominal submission (Strab. V. p. 231 ; Cicde HepM. 20). The second Tarquin is also mentioned as having concluded a peace with them, which may perhaps refor to the same trans- action (Liv. i. 55; Niebuhr, vol. i. p. 359). But it was not till after the fall of the Roman monarchy that they appear in their more formidable aspect. In B. c. 494 Uiey are first mentioned as invading the territory of the Latins, which led that peo^e to apply for assistance to Rome : and from this time foith the wars between the Al^uians and Volscians on the one side, and the Romans assisted by the Latins and Hemicans on the other, were events of almost regular and annual recurrence (" statum jam other accounts of their habits and character, repre- sents th«n as the people from whom the Romans derived the Jus Fetiale (Liv. i. 32; Dion. Hal. IL 72). Others with more plausibility referred this to the Aequi Falisd (Serv. a<^ ^en. vii. 695). I AEQUL ac prope aolcnne m singulos annas bellum,* Liv. iii. 1 5). Notwithstanding the exaggerati<Mis and poetical embellishments with wfaieh the histoiy of th^ wars has been disguised, we may discern pretty clearly three different periods or phjwes into which Uiey may be divided. 1. From b. c. 494 to about the time of the Decemvirate b. c. 450 was the epoch of the greatest power and successes of the Aequians. In b. c. 463 they are first moitioned as encamping an. Mount Algidus, which from thenceforth became the constant scene of the conflicts between them and the Rinnans: and it seems certain that during tliis period the Latin towns of Bola, Vitellia, Corbio, La- bicum, and Pedum fell into their hands. The alleged victory of Cincinnatus in b. c. 458, oa which so much stress has been laid by some later writers (Floras i. 11), appears to have in reality done little to check their progress. 2. From b. c. 450 to the ' invasi(«i of the Gauls their arms were comparatively unsuccessful: and though we find them still con- tending on equal terms with the Romans and with many vicissitudes of fortune, it is dear that on tlie whote they had lost ground. The great victory gained over them by the dictator A. Postumius Tu- bertus in b. c. 428 may probably be regarded as the turning-point of their fortunes (Liv. iv. 26 — 29 ; Diod. xu. 64; Ovid. Fast, vi. 721 ; Niebuhr, vol ii. p. 454) : and the year b. c. 415 is the last in which we find them occupying their custcHnary positian on Mount Algidus (Liv. iv. 45). It is not improbable, as suggested by Niebuhr, that the growing power ol the Samnites, who were pressing on the Volscians upon the opposite side, may have drawn off the forces of the Aequians also to the support of thcit allies, and thus rendered them less able to cope with the power of Rome. But it is certain that before the end of this period most of the towns which they had ocmquered from the Latins had been again wrested from their hands. 3. After the invasion ot the Gauls the Aequians appear agaui in the field, but with greatly diminished resources: probably they suffered severely from the successive swxurms of barbarian invaders which swept over this part of Italy: and after two unsuccessful campaigns in b. c 386 and 385 they appear to have abandoned the contest as hopeless : nor does their name again ap- pear in Roman history for the space of above 80 years. But in b. o. 304 the fate of their neigh- bours the Hemicans aroused them to a last straggle, which terminated in their total defeat and subjection. Their towns fell one after another into the hands of the victorious Romans, and the Aequian natiini (says Liyy) was almost utterly extenninated (Liv. ix. 45). This expression is however certainly exaggerated, for we find them again having recourse to arms twice within the next few years, though on both occasiona without success (Liv. x. 1, 9). It was probably after the last of these attempts that they were ad- mitted to the rights of Roman citizens : and became included in the two new tribes, the Aniensis and Te- rentina, which were created at this period (Cic. de Off. i. 11; Liv. x. 9; "Niebuhr, vol. iii. p. 267). From this time the name of the Aequi altogether disappealTB from history, and would seem to liave fallen into disuse, being probably merged in that of the Latins: but those of Aequiculi and Aeqnicu- lani still occur for the inhabitants of the upland and more secluded vallles which were not iucluded within the limits of Latium, but belonged to the fourth region of Augustus: and afterwards to the province called Valeria. In Imperial times we evea
 * A tradition, strangely at variance with ^e