The Social War, or Marsique, opposed the Senate of the Roman Republic and the Italians between 90 and 88 BC. It broke out following the assassination of the tribune of the plebs Livius Drusus in October 91 BC. J.-C., when he tried to obtain Roman citizenship for Italian allies of Rome.
The Social War takes its name from the Latin socius, which means ally:it opposes Rome to its Italian allies, who claim Roman citizenship. Indeed, while Italy has been under Roman rule since the end of the First Punic War (242 BC), either by alliance or conquest, only Romans have full citizenship rights. .
This difference leads to a difference in treatment during trials, when paying taxes, prohibits access to public land auctions (ager publicus), etc. However, the allies provided as many troops to Rome as the citizens, and therefore participated in the conquests of Rome, which dominated the Mediterranean basin almost unchallenged at the beginning of the 1st century BC. In addition, Allied soldiers are generally more exposed during military operations and are only entitled to a smaller share of booty than Roman legionnaires.
Procedure
The Marse Q. Pompaedius Silo, spokesman for the peninsula in the negotiations with Livius Drusus (95 BC) and the Samnite C. Papius Mutilus lead the movement. The various Italian cities, to prevent all defections, surrender hostages. At Asculum, in Abruzzo, the praetor Servilius, who had brutalized the inhabitants and sought to intimidate them with threats, was put to death along with all the Romans present in the city. The movement developed in the central and southern Apennines, where political demands were coupled with a national and hereditary hatred against the Romans. The Marsians, the Pelignians, the Vestins, the Marrucinos, the Picentines, the Lucanians, the Apulians and the Samnites adhere to it. All of central and southern Italy as far east as Metaurus, and westward to the Bay of Naples, are in insurrection. To the north, Etruscans, Umbrians and Gauls remain temporarily on the sidelines.
The Italians attempt a last step in Rome. The Senate responds with a formal ultimatum and summons them to submit immediately. The Italians respond with secession and proclaim their independence. They form an Italic confederation and give themselves a government modeled on that of the Roman city:a Senate of 500 members, an assembly of the people, two consuls, Q. Pompaedius Silo and C. Papius Mutilus, twelve praetors. The capital is placed in Corfinium in Abruzzo, which receives the name of Italica. A federal mint is minted with the legend Italia. The Italians raise a strong army of 100,000 men under the command of the consuls and federal praetors. A territorial army, made up of local militias and commanded by native chiefs, provides for the defense of the country.
The Roman Senate quickly organizes its defense. It has the advantage of a central location, experienced executives, mastery of the seas and the resources in men and money of the provinces. A Roman army of 100,000 men, recruited from citizens, loyal allies and provincials, was set up and placed under the command of two consuls and ten legates (including Marius and Sylla). The Italians take the offensive. Two armies, coming from the south and from the north, march on Rome through the valleys of the Tiber and the Vulturn. The two Roman consular armies posted themselves at the mouth of the mountains to prevent them from reaching the plain. They reach it in the north, but in the south the Vulturn is forced and southern Campania invaded. At the end of the first year of war, the advantage is with the Italians. The operations quickly take on an atrocious character (Roman leaders and garrisons massacred, women scalped) and the appearance of a war of extermination. The Etruscans and the Umbrians begin to stir.
The alarmed Senate decides to grant the Italians the right of citizenship. He begins, with the "lex Julia", to grant it to the allies of Rome who have remained faithful. The insurgency stops spreading.
In 89 BC. J.-C., the lex Plautia Papiria of the two tribunes M. Plautius Silvanus and C. Papirius Carbo generalizes the previous concessions and grants in principle the right of citizenship to all Italians south of the Po without exception, under the sole conditions of to have their legal domicile in Italy and to come, within two months, to be registered in Rome by the praetor. The necessary presence in Rome and the short delay are two perfectly combined means to dislocate the armies of the insurgents. A large number of allies come to be registered, but the peoples of Abruzzo, in particular, remain recalcitrant.
The Senate resumes the offensive. Two large armies are set up, one to the north by the Tiber valley, the other to the south, commanded by Sylla. The insurgents put up desperate resistance. The army of the north invades the country of the Marses, and after a long siege takes Asculum, then the federal capital, Corfinium. The Marses, the Vestins, the Pelignians capitulated. Sylla reconquers Campania, goes up the valley of Vulturne and takes Bovianum where the capital of the league had been transferred. At the end of the year, except for a few remnants of the Samnite army, the insurgency was put down.
In 88 BC. J.-C., Sylla defeats the Samnites by a short campaign. Nole is taken, Pompaedius Silo is slain, and the remnants of the Samnite and Lucanian armies take refuge in the impenetrable forests of Bruttium.
Consequences
Finally, the allies of Rome obtain satisfaction, and Italy is unified under a single legal regime. Rome also defeated all of its allies in succession, relying on those who had not yet revolted, then relying on the first rebels who had returned under its authority to defeat the latter. Moreover, at the census of 70, the civic population of Rome increases to 900,000 citizens, more than double than 50 years earlier.
On the Roman political scene, Sylla acquired considerable prestige, through his victories and his skill in commanding his soldiers. Conversely, Marius saw his prestige diminish:originally from Latium and certainly more understanding of the rebels, he sought reconciliation between his troops and those of the rebels more than brutal confrontation. Sylla is now the providential man in Rome