The Bacchanalia: The Year 186 BCE

Summary The consuls Spurius Postumius Albinus and Quintus Marcius Philippus suppress the Bacchanalia in Rome and the rest of Italy; The Senate adopts the Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, which allows the Bacchanalia to continue under very strict conditions only; The consul Quintus Marcius Philippus is heavily defeated by the Ligurian…

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Relative Peace: The Year 185 BCE

Summary Lucius Manlius Acidinus celebrates an ovatio for his victories in Nearer Spain; The consuls Appius Claudius Pulcher and Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus campaign against the Ligurian tribes; The praetor Lucius Postumius puts down a slave rebellion in Apulia; After first suffering a reverse, the praetors Gaius Calpurnius Piso and Lucius…

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Cato the Censor: The Year 184 BCE

Summary Marcus Porcius Cato and Lucius Valerius Flaccus serve as censors; The censors take several measures: Lucius Quinctius Flamininus is removed from the Senate for killing a man just to please his catamite; Lucius Scipio is stripped of his public horse; Lucius Valerius Flaccus at some point becomes the new…

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The Deaths of Scipio and Hannibal: The Year 183 BCE

Summary Dozens of Greek diplomatic missions visit the Senate in Rome; The Kingdom of Pontos captures Sinope on the Black Sea; The last Agiad King of Sparta, Agesipolis III, is killed by pirates while sailing to Rome; Scipio Africanus dies at his country estate in Liternum; Hannibal Barcas commits suicide…

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The Greek Tragedy: The Year 182 BCE

Summary More Greek diplomatic missions visit the Senate in Rome; First diplomatic contacts between Rome and the Kingdom of Pontos; The Achaean strategos Philopoimen is captured by the Messenians and forced to drink poison; Tensions are growing between Perseus and Demetrios, the two sons of King Philippos of Macedonia; The…

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Aquileia: The Year 181 BCE

Summary A serious epidemic hits Rome and the rest of Italy; The Romans once again elect duumviri navales to protect their coast and allies against Illyrian and Ligurian pirates; The praetor Marcus Pinarius defeats the rebellious Corsi on Corsica and the Ilienses on Sardinia; The Ligurian Ingauni besiege the proconsul…

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Lex Villia Annalis: The Year 180 BCE

Summary The epidemic in Rome and Italy continues to claim many lives, including those of several magistrates and priests; The Lex Villia Annalis sets minimum age requirements for holding the public offices of aedile, praetor and consul; The proconsuls Publius Cornelius Cethegus and Marcus Baebius Tamphilus force the Ligurian Apuani…

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Gracchus in Spain: The Year 179 BCE

Summary The brothers Quintus Fulvius Flaccus and Lucius Manlius Acidinus Fulvianus are elected consul, the only time in the history of the Roman Republic that two brothers share the consulship; Quintus Fulvius Flaccus celebrates a triumph for his victories in Nearer Spain; Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Marcus Fulvius Nobilior serve…

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Into Histria: The Year 178 BCE

Summary Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and Lucius Postumius Albinus celebrate triumphs for their victories in Spain; Rebellious Ilienses on Sardinia join forces with a group of Balari; The consul Aulus Manlius Vulso launches a campaign against the Histri; after losing his camp in a surprise attack, the consul strikes back and…

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Interregnum: The Years 176-175 BCE

Summary Ligurians overrun the Roman colony of Mutina (late 177 or early 176 BCE); The consul Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Hispalus dies after attending the Latin festival (176 BCE); The proconsul Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus brings all of Sardinia back under Roman control (176 BCE); The proconsul Gaius Claudius Pulcher recaptures Mutina…

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The Death of Flamininus: The Year 174 BCE

Summary Titus Quinctius Flamininus dies; Quintus Fulvius Flaccus and Aulus Postumius Albinus serve as censors; Scipio Africanus’ son Lucius is removed from the Senate for unknown reasons; Another epidemic hits Italy; The propraetor Appius Claudius Cento wins a victory over the Celtiberians in Nearer Spain; A delegation led by Gaius…

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Prelude to the Third Macedonian War: The Year 172 BCE

Summary For the first time in Roman history, two plebeian consuls are elected; A new law mandates the censors to lease public land in Campania to Roman citizens for cultivation; The row between the Senate and Marcus Popilius Laenas continues as the latter again attacks the Ligurian Statellati without justification;…

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