(1) Īnsequentī annō Valeriō Mārcō et Otāciliō <Crassō> cōnsulibus in Siciliā ā Rōmānīs rēs māgnae gestae sunt. Tauromenītānī, Catinēnsēs et praetereā quīnquāgintā cīvitātēs in fidem acceptae.

(2) Tertiō annō in Siciliā contrā Hierōnem rēgem Siculōrum bellum parātum est. Cum omnī nōbilitāte Syrācusanōrum pācem ā Rōmānīs impetrāvit deditque argentī ducenta talenta.

(3) Āfrī in Sicilia victī sunt et dē hīs secundō Rōmae triumphātum est.

    Roman Invasion of Sicily, 264262 BCE

    19. Īnsequentī annō Valeriō Mārcō et Otāciliō <Crassō> cōnsulibus: ablative absolute with form of esse assumed (AG 419.a). Manius Valerius Maximus Corvinus Messalla and Marcus Otacilius Crassus were consuls in 264 BCE.

    rēs māgnae: "great operations" (Hazzard)

    Tauromenītānī, Catinēnsēs: Tauromenium (Taormina) and Catina (Catania) are on the island of Sicily.

    cīvitātēs: urbēs (Hazzard)

    in fidem acceptae: supply sunt, "were taken under their protection"; i.e., they were made tributary (Hazzard).

    (2) contrā Hierōnem rēgem Siculōrum: In 263 BCE Manius Valerius invested Syracuse but, realizing the futility of besieging such a strongly fortified city, shrewdly made peace with Hiero and detached him from his alliance with the Carthaginians for a small indemnity of 100 talents. For this diplomatic victory Valerius assumed the cognomen Messalla and celebrated a triumph in 262 BCE (Bird).

    (3) Āfrī: the Carthaginians

    dē hīs: "over them"; the regular expression used for a triumph celebrated for a victory over an enemy (Hazzard). Agrigentum was captured from the Carthaginians in 262 BCE and marked a turning point in the war (Bird). For more information on triumphs, see triumphs.

    Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates

    insequor, ī, secūtus sum to pursue, follow up
    Valerius, ī, m. the name of a Roman gens.
    Marcus, ī, m.

    Valerius Marcus, consul 263 B.C.

    Otācilius, ī, m.

    (T.) Otācilius Crassus, consul 263 B.C.

    Sicilia, ae, f. the island of Sicily
    Tauromenītānī, ōrum, pl. m.

    the inhabitants of Tauromenium, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily

     
    Catinēnsēs, ium, pl. m.

    the inhabitants of Catina, or Catana, in Sicily

     
       
       
       
    Hierō, ōnis, m.

    king of Syracuse, an ally of the Romans

    Siculī, ōrum, pl. m. the inhabitants of Sicily
    nōbilitās, ātis [nōbilis], f. renown, nobility; the nobles  
    Syrācūsānī, ōrum, pl. m.

    the inhabitants of Syracuse, a Greek city in Sicily

     
    impetrō, āre, āvī, ātus

    to procure, gain; accomplish, bring to pass; succeed

    talentum, ī, n.

    a talent, a Greek money measure which weighs about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds

    Āfer, Āfrī, m.

    an African, especially an inhabitant of Carthage

     
    secundō [secundus], adv. for the second time
    triumphō, āre, āvī, ātus to celebrate a triumph  
    article nav
    Previous
    Next