of the fleet:  for which offence she is tried and fined. [Y.  R. 507.  B. C. 245.] Two praetors now first created.  Aulus Postumius, consul, being priest of Mars, forcibly detained in the city by Caecilius Metellus, the high priest, and not suffered to go forth to war, being obliged by law to attend to the sacred duties of his office. [Y.R. 508.  B.C. 244.] After several successful engagements with the Carthaginians, Caius Lutatius, consul, puts an end to the war, [Y.R. 509.  B.C. 243.] by gaining a complete victory over their fleet, at the island of Aegate.  The Carthaginians sue for peace, which is granted to them. [Y.R. 510.  B.C. 242.] The temple of Vesta being on fire, the high priest, Caecilius Metellus, saves the sacred utensils from the flames. [Y.R. 511.  B.C. 241.] Two new tribes added, the Veline and Quirine.  The Falisci rebel; are subdued in six days.

BOOK XX.—­A colony settled at Spoletum. [Y.R. 512.  B.C. 240.] An army sent against the Ligurians; being the first war with that state.  The Sardinians and Corsicans rebel, and are subdued. [Y.R. 514.  B.C. 238.] Tuccia, a vestal, found guilty of incest.  War declared against the Illyrians, who had slain an ambassador; they are subdued and brought to submission. [Y.R. 515.  B.C. 237.] The number of praetors increased to four.  The Transalpine Gauls make an irruption into Italy:  are conquered and put to the sword. [Y.R. 516.  B.C. 236.] The Roman army, in conjunction with the Latins, is said to have amounted to no less than three hundred thousand men. [Y.R. 517.  B.C. 235.] The Roman army for the first time crosses the Po; fights with and subdues the Insubrian Gauls. [Y.R. 530.  B.C. 222.] Claudius Marcellus, consul, having slain Viridomarus, the general of the Insubrian Gauls, carries off the spolia opima. [Y.R. 531.  B.C. 221.] The Istrians subdued; also the Illyrians, who had rebelled. [Y.R. 532.  B.C. 220.] The censors hold a lustrum, in which the number of the citizens is found to be two hundred and seventy thousand two hundred and thirteen.  The sons of freed-men formed into four tribes; the Esquiline, Palatine, Suburran, and Colline. [Y.R. 533.  B.C. 219.] Caius Flaminius, censor, constructs the Flaminian road, and builds the Flaminian circus.

BOOK XXI.

Origin of the second Punic war.  Hannibal’s character.  In violation of a treaty, he passes the Iberus.  Besieges Saguntum, and at length takes it.  The Romans send ambassadors to Carthage; declare war.  Hannibal crosses the Pyrenees:  makes his way through Gaul; then crosses the Alps; defeats the Romans at the Ticinus.  The Romans again defeated at the Trebia.  Cneius Cornelius Scipio defeats the Carthaginians in Spain, and takes Hanno, their general, prisoner.