24.11
When
all had been done to secure "the peace of the gods," the consuls brought
before the senate the questions relating to the policy of the State, the
conduct of the war, and the amount and disposition of the military and naval
forces of the republic. It was decided to place eighteen legions in the field.
Each of the consuls was to have two, Gaul, Sicily, and Sardinia were each to
be held by two, Q. Fabius, the praetor, was to take command of two in
Apulia, and Ti. Gracchus was to keep his two legions of volunteer slaves at
Luceria. One legion was left with C. Terentius at Picenum, and one also with
M. Valerius at Brundisium for the fleet, and two were to defend the City. To
make up this number of legions six new ones had to be raised. The consuls
were directed to raise these as quickly as possible, and to fit out a fleet so
that with the vessels stationed off the Calabrian coast the navy might that
year be increased to 150 vessels of war. After the troops were levied and
100 new vessels launched, Q. Fabius held the election for the appointment of
censors; those elected were M. Atilius Regulus and P. Furius Philus. As the
rumours of war in Sicily became more frequent, T. Otacilius was directed to
sail thither with his fleet. As there was a deficiency of sailors, the consuls,
acting upon the instructions of the senate, published an order to meet the
case. Every one who had been assessed or whose father had been assessed in
the censorship of L. Aemilius and C. Flaminius at from 50,000 to 100,000
ases or whose property had since reached that amount, was to furnish one
sailor with six months' pay; those whose assessment was from 100,000 to
300,000 were to supply three sailors with twelve months' pay; from 300,000
to 1,000,000 the contribution was to be five sailors, and above that amount
seven. The senators were to furnish eight sailors and a year's pay. The sailors
forthcoming under this order, after being armed and equipped by their
masters, went on board with thirty days' rations. This was the first occasion
on which a Roman fleet was manned by seamen provided at private cost.
