ch. 331.33After handing over the care of the various sacrificial rites to the Flamens and
other priests, and calling up a fresh army, Ancus advanced against Politorium, a city
belonging to the Latins. He took it by assault, and following the custom of the earlier kings
who had enlarged the State by receiving its enemies into Roman citizenship, he transferred
the whole of the population to Rome. The Palatine had been settled by the earliest Romans,
the Sabines had occupied the Capitoline hill with the Citadel, on one side of the Palatine,
and the Albans the Caelian hill, on the other, so the Aventine was assigned to the newcomers. Not long afterwards there was a further addition to the number of citizens through
the capture of Tellenae and Ficana. Politorium after its evacuation was seized by the Latins
and was again recovered; and this was the reason why the Romans razed the city, to
prevent its being a perpetual refuge for the enemy. At last the whole war was concentrated
round Medullia, and fighting went on for some time there with doubtful result. The city
was strongly fortified and its strength was increased by the presence of a large garrison.
The Latin army was encamped in the open and had had several engagements with the
Romans. At last Ancus made a supreme effort with the whole of his force and won a
pitched battle, after which he returned with immense booty to Rome, and many thousands
of Latins were admitted into citizenship. In order to connect the Aventine with the Palatine,
the district round the altar of Venus Murcia was assigned to them. The Janiculum also was
brought into the city boundaries, not because the space was wanted, but to prevent such a
strong position from being occupied by an enemy. It was decided to connect this hill with
the City, not only by carrying the City wall round it, but also by a bridge, for the
convenience of traffic. This was the first bridge thrown over the Tiber, and was known as
the Pons Sublicius. [Note] The
Fossa Quiritium also was the work of King Ancus and afforded no inconsiderable
protection to the lower and therefore more accessible parts of the City .Amidst this vast
population now that the State had become so enormously increased, the sense of right and
wrong was obscured, and secret crimes were committed. To overawe the growing
lawlessness a prison was built in the heart of the City overlooking the Forum.
The additions made by this king were not confined to the City. The Mesian Forest
was taken from the Veientines and the Roman dominion extended to the sea, at the mouth
of the Tiber the city of Ostia was built, salt pits were constructed on both sides of the river,
and the temple of Jupiter Feretrius was enlarged in consequence of the brilliant successes in
the war.
