a, in the valley of the
upper Liris, and in Apulia. In 318, a Roman army attempting to penetrate
from Campania into Samnium was cut off and compelled to surrender at the
Caudine Pass. It is probable that as a result of this defeat the Romans
gave up Fregellae (occupied in 328) and other territory on the Liris, and
they may even have made a temporary truce. However, hostilities were soon
resumed. Once again, in 314, the Samnites won a great victory, this time
at Lautulae not far south of Circeii, and their party acquired control in
Campania. But this temporary success was quickly counterbalanced by Roman
victories in Campanian territory.

The war was prolonged by an Etruscan attack upon Roman territory that
necessitated a division of the Roman forces. But in two campaigns (309-7
B. C.), in the course of which a Roman army advanced through Umbria and
invaded northern Etruria, the cities which had taken up arms against Rome
were forced to make peace.

The war against the Samnites could be energetically prosecuted again. By
the construction of the Via Appia the Romans secured a military highway
from Rome to Capua which greatly facilitated the conduct of operations in
Campania. It is probable, too, that the reorganization of the Roman army,
which dates from this period, was beginning to bear fruit. From both
Campania and Apulia the Romans took the offensive, and several severe
defeats forced the Samnites to seek peace in 304. They retained their
independence, but the disputed territory on their borders fell to Rome.

It was about the close of this war that the Aequi, Marsi, Marrucini,
Frentani, Paeligni, some of the Umbrians, and other of the peoples of
Central Italy became federate allies of Rome. Apulia likewise passed under
Roman control. New Latin colonies and new tribal districts marked the
expansion of Roman territory.

*Wars with the Samnites, Gauls and Etruscans, 298-80 B. C.* In 298 war
broke out again between the Romans and Samnites, apparently because the
Lucanians had deserted the Roman alliance for the Samnites. Soon the
Samnites allied themselves with the Etruscans and Gauls, and succeeded in
uniting the forces of the three peoples in Umbria. But this host was
annihilated by the Romans in the battle of Sentinum (295). With this
victory all danger for Rome was over. By systematically ravaging the
enemy's country the Roman consuls in 290 B. C. forced the Samnites to sue
for peace. They entered the Roman allian