27.36
Hasdrubal's appearance in Italy was
looked forward to with daily increasing anxiety. The first news came from
the Massilians, who reported that he had passed into Gaul, and that there
was widespread excitement amongst the natives owing to a rumour that he
had brought a large amount of gold for the payment of auxiliary troops. The
Massilian envoys were accompanied on their return by Sextus Antistius and
M. Raecius, who were sent to make further investigations. These reported
that they had sent emissaries, accompanied by some Massilians who had
friends amongst, the Gaulish chieftains, to gain information and that they had
definitely ascertained that Hasdrubal intended to cross the Alps the next
spring with an enormous army. The only thing that kept him from advancing
at once was that the Alps were insurmountable in winter. P. Aelius Paetus
was appointed and consecrated augur in place of M. Marcellus, and Cnaeus
Cornelius Dolabella was consecrated "King of Sacrifices" in place of M.
Marcius, who had been dead for two years. The lustrum was closed by the
censors P. Sempronius Tuditanus and M. Cornelius Cethegus. The census
returns gave the number of citizens as 137,108, a considerably smaller
number than the one before the beginning of the war. For the first time since
Hannibal had invaded Italy the comitium is stated to have been covered over
and the Roman Games were celebrated for one day by the curule aediles Q.
Metellus and C. Servilius. The Plebeian Games also were celebrated for two
days by the plebeian aediles C. Mamilius and M. Caecilius Metellus. They
also gave three statues to the temple of Ceres, and a banquet was held in
honour of Jupiter on the occasion of the Games. The consuls then entered
upon office; C. Claudius Nero for the first time, M. Livius for the second. As
they had balloted for their provinces they ordered the praetors to ballot for
theirs. The urban jurisdiction fell to C. Hostilius, and the jurisdiction over
aliens was also committed to him in order that three praetors might be
available for foreign service. A. Hostilius was allotted to Sardinia, C.
Mamilius to Sicily and L. Porcius to Gaul. The total military strength
amounted to twenty-three legions and were thus distributed: each of the
consuls had two; four were in Spain; each of the three praetors had two in
Sardinia, Sicily and Gaul respectively; C. Terentius had two in Etruria;
Quintus Fulvius had two in Bruttium; Q. Claudius had two in the
neighbourhood of Tarentum and the Sallentine district; C. Hostilius Tubulus
had one at Capua; and two were raised in the City for home defence. The
people appointed the military tribunes for the first four legions; the consuls
commissioned the rest.
