Italia (Social War confederation)

Origins

For two centuries Rome's Italian allies supplied soldiers for its wars without full citizenship. When the tribune Marcus Livius Drusus, who proposed giving it to them, was murdered in 91 BCE, the Marsi, Paeligni, Samnites, Picentes and other peoples rose in revolt, starting with a massacre of Romans at Asculum.

Rule and society

The rebels set up a federal state modelled on Rome, with Corfinium as its capital, renamed Italia, a senate of 500 members and two consuls, the Marsian Quintus Poppaedius Silo and the Samnite Gaius Papius Mutilus. They minted silver coins, some inscribed in Oscan as Víteliú, showing the Italian bull goring the Roman wolf. Their armies, trained in Roman methods, fought Rome on equal terms in 90 BCE.

Decline and legacy

Rome divided the rebels by granting citizenship to loyal allies in 90 BCE and to all who laid down arms in 89 BCE. Sulla, Pompeius Strabo and Marius defeated the remaining forces, and Silo was killed in 88 BCE. Within a generation all free Italians south of the Po were Roman citizens.