Cataclysm 90 BC: The Forgotten War that Almost Destroyed Rome

by Philip Matyszak

Overall, there were almost a hundred Roman and Latin colonies scattered across strategic locations all over Italy. In later centuries the political commentator Machiavelli considered Roman colonies as the most effective source of Roman strength. Not only did the colonies have a strategic role, but they were also effective instruments of romanization, the process that was later to knit Italy into a unified cultural entity. From the point of view of those plotting rebellion against the power of Rome, the colonies were collectively and individually a royal pain in the neck. They were too numerous and too well-defended to be defeated individually and too well situated to be ignored. And, as it turned out, they were also too loyal to be subverted – apart from one notorious exception, which we will come to later. It is reasonable to claim that without the colonies, Rome might well have lost the approaching war. With the colonies, Roman armies, even those deep in otherwise hostile territory always had a secure base on which to fall back and mountain passes and river crossings were secured for them even as they were denied to the rebels. It was the existence of the Roman colonies as much as any lingering sentiments of moderation that made the Italians of the late 90s BC decide to give peace one last chance. At this time, their hopes that the coming cataclysm might be averted rested on the shoulders of one man – Livius Drusus.