The War of the Allies (91-88 BC) was a conflict between Rome and most of its Italic neighbors to achieve Roman citizenship, which meant equalizing one and the other in the face of a historical imbalance resulting from the overwhelming superiority of the Republic. The most novel thing is that it was the first time since its conquest by Rome that the neighboring peoples rose together without any external stimulus, as had been the case with Hannibal in the past.
Year 91 BC Rome was immersed in a convulsive time led by various wars and invasions (Numidia, invasion of Cimbri and Teutones, War of Pontus...), as well as strong internal crises such as that of the Gracchi, or the most recent led by Saturnino. To complicate the situation, the problem of the Italic allies and their claim to acquire Roman citizenship was added. A right that everyone would benefit from:the wealthiest could access the cursus honorum (political career) and occupy relevant positions in the Republic, and the humblest classes would be freed from the payment of tribute and would obtain advantages in the exercise of arms (they would cease to be auxiliaries to become legionnaires). On the other hand, the political class and, in general, the plebs of Rome were not willing to share the benefits of citizenship with Italian careerists. For this reason, in order to stop the numerous Italics who had obtained citizenship fraudulently, the Lex Licinia Mucia was enacted. to avoid and punish these cases.
1st century
The tribune of the plebs Livius Drusus Aware of the aspirations of the Italics since he maintained close relations with some of his leaders, he proposed to include all the Italics in the body of citizens as his clients, a fact that horrified the Senate. Pulling from a legal technicality –Lex Satura -, the Senate, led by the conservative faction, the optimates , scuppered these proposals alleging that they had been presented en bloc. Mysteriously, a few days later the proponent was found murdered... (the dog died, the rabies ended ). Given that this decision closed the doors to legal action, the Italian allies opted for force and began to recruit an army. When the news reached Rome, it was sent to Asculum (one of the champions of the claims) to the praetor Servilio Augur to test the ground. During the night, and to feel the atmosphere of the city, the praetor decided to attend a theatrical performance. One of the actors, seeing that Servilio was among the audience, decided to improvise and turned the praetor into the protagonist of a burlesque satire. Right there, the offended Roman ordered his escort to execute him... and with it started a popular revolt that ended his life.
and dangerous , rose up in arms against Rome and declared their independence, establishing a new republic, Italy. The insurgents placed their capital at Corfinium , the most important city of the pelignos and a strategic crossroads enclave in the Apennines, and there they reproduced the Roman institutions:Senate of 500 members and the corresponding magistracies.
Due to the centuries-long traditional alliance, strong ties existed between Romans and Italics, many of them forged on the battlefield, where italic legionnaires and auxiliaries had fought side by side. In addition, this fact had led to the Italic veterans being familiar with the tactics, formations and weapons of the Roman legions, reorganizing their own troops according to these patterns. The Italian army, made up of some 100,000 soldiers, operated on two main fronts:
- Northern scenario:in the central region, led by the consul Quintus Popedio Silón .
- South scenario:in the southern region of Italy, led by the consul Caius Papio Mutilo .
Although the Roman institutions reacted late, since they were busy with domestic problems and, especially, in the persecution and subsequent elimination of the followers of the late Drusus, Rome continued to have its own resources far superior to those of the rebels, in addition to some faithful allies. Aware of the danger, 14 legions were recruited, along with their corresponding auxiliary troops (Gauls, Hispanics and Africans, mainly cavalry), divided into two armies commanded by the consuls Rutilio Lupo and Lucius Julius Caesar.
The first incursions took place in the year 90 BC, when the Romans were unable to subdue the forces of the Marsi in the north and the Samnites In the south. Rutilio Lupo will be defeated and will die on the northern front, leaving his army under the command of the already prestigious Cayo Mario (6 times consul and war hero in Africa of the Germans), who will manage to restore the front thanks to his martial prowess. On the southern front, Lucius Julius Caesar, advised by his legate Cornelius Sulla , he will manage to resist, not without difficulties. Given that it was difficult to contain the insurgents by force, Rome used the political route:through the Lex Julia (90 BC) Roman citizenship was granted to the Italic cities that had remained faithful and through the Lex Plautia Papiria (89 BC) by which citizenship was granted to any Italic, including rebels, who requested it before the praetor within two months. These concessions changed the scenario, and many of the rebels laid down their arms having achieved their purpose. Only Asculum in the north and the warlike Samnites in the south they continued to fight. In 89 BC the consul Gnaeus Pompey Strabo (father of Pompey the Great ), who had been defeated a year before as legate of the consul Rutilio Lupo, went to Asculum to defeat that last redoubt and, furthermore, avenge the death of the praetor Servilio. He rejected any kind of negotiation and ordered… a butchery.
Despite losing the war, the Italic communities will achieve their goal, becoming de facto Roman citizens with legal equality with respect to the Romans. But the Roman Senate, always keeping one last card, will manage with a series of laws to temporarily neutralize the political weight of the new citizens, including them for the tributa comitia in a reduced number of tribes and devaluing the votes of these. Even so, the waterway had already penetrated Rome, and surnames of Italian origin will appear more and more among Roman political positions, including the Senate.
Italy was already Rome.