Italian allies and access to ager Romanus in the Roman Republic

Abstract

This paper argues that Italians could gain access to ager publicus in various ways, for example by working land which was not used by the Roman state. Italians are widely attested as being active in the commercial exploitation of land, including possible ager publicus. Therefore, events during the Gracchan period damaged their interests, which, together with other sources of resentment occurring in the late 2nd century BC, contributed to the outbreak of the Social War in 91-88 BC. Settlement patterns in Republican Italy were more complex than is often assumed. Many Latin and Roman colonies, founded on former ager publicus, show evidence for the presence of Italians, although I argue that these were not official colonists, but had moved in after the foundation of the colony. Thus colonies served as an important point of contact between Romans and Italians, and played a crucial role in the integration of Republican Italy.