ch. 301.30 [Note] The fall of Alba led to the growth of Rome.
The number of the citizens was doubled,
the Caelian hill was included in the city, and that it might become more populated,
Tullus chose it for the site of his palace, and for the future lived there. He nominated Alban
nobles to the senate that this order of the State might also be augmented, amongst them
were the Tullii, the Servilii, the Quinctii, the Geganii, the Curiatii, and the Cloelii. To
provide a consecrated building for the increased number of senators he built the senate-house, which down to the time of our fathers went by the name of the Curia Hostilia. To
secure an accession of military strength of all ranks from the new population, he formed ten
troops of knights from the Albans; from the same source he brought up the old legions to
their full strength and enrolled new ones.
[Note] Impelled by the confidence in his strength which these
measures inspired, Tullus proclaimed war against the Sabines, a nation at that time second
only to the Etruscans in numbers and military strength. Each side had inflicted injuries on
the other and refused all redress. Tullus complained that Roman traders had been arrested
in open market at the shrine of Feronia; the Sabines' grievance was that some of their
people had previously sought refuge in the Asylum and been kept in Rome. These were the
ostensible grounds of the war. The Sabines were far from forgetting that a portion of their
strength had been transferred to Rome by Tatius, and that the Roman State had lately been
aggrandised by the inclusion of the population of Alba; they, therefore , on their side began
to look round for outside help. Their nearest neighbour was Etruria, and, of the Etruscans,
the nearest to them were the Veientines. Their past defeats were still rankling in their
memories, and the Sabines, urging them to revolt, attracted many volunteers; others of the
poorest and homeless classes were paid to join them. No assistance was given by the State.
With the Veientes-it is not so surprising that the other cities rendered no assistance—the
truce with Rome was still held to be binding. Whilst preparations were being made on both
sides with the utmost energy, and it seemed as though success depended upon which side
was the first to take the offensive, Tullus opened the campaign by invading the Sabine
territory. A severe action was fought at the Silva Malitiosa. Whilst the Romans were strong
in their infantry, their main strength was in their lately increased cavalry force. A sudden
charge of horse threw the Sabine ranks into confusion, they could neither
offer a steady resistance nor effect their flight without great slaughter.
