29.13
P.
Sempronius and M. Cornelius entered upon their consulship in the fifteenth
year of the Punic War. To the latter was decreed the province of Etruria with
the standing army there; Sempronius received Bruttium and had to enrol
fresh troops. Of the praetors, M. Marcius took over the City jurisdiction, L.
Scribonius Libo was charged with the jurisdiction over aliens and also the
administration of Gaul, Sicily fell to M. Pomponius Matho, and Sardinia to
Tiberius Claudius Nero. P. Scipio had his command extended for twelve
months with the army and fleet which he already had. P. Licinius was to
remain in Bruttium with two legions as long as the consul thought it
advisable for him to retain his command there. M. Livius and Sp. Lucretius
were also to retain the legions with which they had been protecting Gaul
against Mago. Cnaeus Octavius was to hand over his legion and the
command in Sardinia to Nero and take charge of a fleet of forty ships for the
protection of the coast within the limits fixed by the senate. The remains of
the army of Cannae, amounting to two legions, were assigned to M.
Pomponius, the praetor commanding in Sicily. T. Quinctius was to hold
Tarentum and C. Hostilius Tubulus Capua with the existing garrisons -both
with the rank of propraetor. With regard to the command in Spain it was left
to the people to decide upon the two proconsuls who were to be sent into
that province and they were unanimous in retaining L. Cornelius Lentulus
and L. Manlius Acidinus in command there. The consuls proceeded with the
enlistment, as ordered by the senate, for the purpose of raising fresh legions
for Bruttium and bringing the other armies up to full strength.