43.9
In
Liguria nothing of any importance took place, the enemy made no hostile
movement and the consul did not take his legions into their country. As he
was tolerably certain that there would be peace for that year, he demobilised
the men of the two Roman legions within two months of his coming into the
province. The army of the Latin allies went early into winter quarters at Luna
and Pisae, and he with his cavalry visited most of the towns in his province
of Gaul. Nowhere but in Macedonia was there a state of war. Gentius,
however, the king of Illyria, had fallen under suspicion. The senate
accordingly made an order that eight ships fully fitted out and manned
should be sent from Brundisium to C. Furius, who with two ships furnished
by the inhabitants was in charge of the island of Issa. Two thousand soldiers
were placed on board the eight ships; they had been raised by M. Raecius, on
instructions from the senate, in that part of Italy which lies opposite to
Illyria. The consul Hostilius sent Appius Claudius with 4000 infantry into
Illyria to protect the adjacent population. Not feeling satisfied with the
troops he had brought with him, Claudius made the friendly cities furnish
him with troops, and he succeeded in arming a mixed force of 8000 men.
After marching through the whole of that district he fixed his headquarters at
Lychnidus, a town in Dassaretia.