45.26
While
these various events were taking place in Caria, Macedonia and Rome, L.
Anicius was campaigning in Illyria. After receiving the submission of King
Gentius, as stated above, he placed a garrison in Scodra, the capital, with
Gabinius in command, and others in Rhizon and Olcinium, cities well
adapted for the purpose, under C. Licinius. He then advanced with the rest
of his army into Epirus. The first city to surrender to him here was Phanota,
where the whole population streamed out to meet him with fillets of
supplication round their brows. He garrisoned the place and marched into
Molossia. All the towns with four exceptions made their surrender. Those
who stood out were Passaron, Tecmon, Phylace and Horreum. The first to
be attacked was Passaron. Antinous and Theodotus were the leaders in this
city. They had distinguished themselves by their support of Perseus and their
hatred of the Romans; it was through them that the whole nation had
revolted from Rome. Knowing that the guilt rested on them personally and
hopeless of obtaining pardon, they shut the gates that they might be buried in
the general ruin of their country, and appealed to the inhabitants to prefer
death to servitude. No one ventured to open his lips against such powerful
men. At last a certain Theodotus, a young man of noble birth, whose dread
of the Romans proved stronger than his fear of his chiefs, exclaimed, "What
madness possesses you that you should make the whole body of citizens
accessories to the guilt of two men? I have often heard tell of men who have
met death on behalf of their country; these are the first who have been found
to think it right that their country should perish for their sake. Why do we
not open our gates and accept the sovereignty which the whole world has
accepted?" As he said this the whole multitude followed him, Antinous and
Theodotus rushed against the nearest outpost of the enemy and died of the
wounds they had invited, the city surrendered to the Romans. At Tecmon the
chief magistrate was equally defiant and closed the gates. He was put to
death and the place surrendered. Neither Phylace nor Horreum stood a siege.
When Epirus was finally pacified and the army distributed amongst
the cities suitable for their winter quarters Anicius returned to Scodra, where
the five commissioners had arrived from Rome. Here he summoned the chief
magistrates from all parts of the province to a conference. Ascending the
tribunal, he made the following announcement as agreed upon with the
commissioners: "It is the order of the senate and people of Rome that the
Illyrians shall be a free nation. I shall withdraw my garrisons from all your
towns, citadels and forts. The Issenses, the Taulantii, the Pirustae of
Dassaretia, the cities of Rhizon and Olcinium, shall be not only free
politically, but exempt from all tribute, because they revolted to the Romans
whilst Gentius was still in power. Similar exemption is also granted to the
Daorsei, because they deserted Caravantius and went over fully armed to the
Romans. The people of Scodra, Dassara, and Selepeta will have half the
tribute imposed upon them that they paid to the king." He then announced a
threefold division of Illyria. One has been mentioned already; the second
comprised the whole country up to Lake Libeatus; the third included the
Agravonites, the Rhizonites, the Olciniates and the settlers on their borders.
After laying down this constitution for Illyria he returned to Passaron in
Epirus for the winter.
