LATIUM, a country of Italy formerly occupied by the Latini, now covered by the Pontine marshes and uninhabitable. The Latins, one of the oldest known nations of Italy, are said to have migrated from the central Apennines, and settled the land between Anio, the Tiber, the Alban mountains, and the sea, which was named Latium after them. Over these plains they spread themselves in small settlements, which grew into villages, and even became important towns long before the foundation of Rome. Among those towns were Lau•entum, Lainivium, Alba Longa, Tusculum, Aricia, etc. These Latin communities were united by religious rites, which were celebrated in a temple of Diana in a grove near Aricia; in a temple of Venus between Lavinium and Ardea; and elsewhere. The original deities of the Latins were Saturnus, Janui, and Faunus; Venus and others appear to have been introduced into their mythology at a later period. The towns of Latium were strongly built in positions favorable for defense, and surrounded by massive walls. This was a necessary precaution, as the growing wealth and power of the inhabitants brought them into conflict with their neighbors, the Volscians, and with Rome. From the time of Tullus Hostilius there was constant warfare with the latter country, until, under the consulship of Spurius Cassius and Postumus Cominius, in the beginning of the 5th c. ii.c.,_a solemn league and treaty was established between Rome and Latium, which existed for about 100 years. But -after the conclusion of the invasion of the Gauls, and when these barbarians had retired.
from the ruined city, the Latins, Volscians, Etruscans, and other ancient enemies of Rome took advantage of her extremity to attack her. They were, however, defeated, and forced to make peace on terms favorable tb Rome. This condition was not, how ever, permanent, the Latins being always aggressive, and jealous of the supremacy of Rome. The "great Latin war," as it is termed in history—said to be the greatest in
which Rome ever engaged—occurred in 340 B.C. ; lasted during 3 years; and ended in a decisive battle in the plain near the base of Vesuvius, in which Rome was entirely suc cessful, and barely one-fourth of the Latins escaped. Soon afterwards they made their submission to Rome, and a portion of their land was taken from them. Then city after city of Latium was brought under subjection; the general assemblies of the Latins for self-government were abolished; the walls of Velitrw—a Latin city, formerly a Roman colony—were razed to the ground, and its senators banished; and thus terminated the existence-of Latium as an independent state. It is said of Latium that probably never on the earth's surface were crowded together so many cities in so small a space. They numbered about 60 authentic towns, on no extent of territory 64 m. by 28 in dimensions. After their subjugation the inhabitants permitted their system of drainage and sewerage to become disordered; the water-courses stagnated; and in place of the thriving, bus/ plain, alive with bustling cities, there grew to be a vast swamp, unproductive and unhealthy, the present Roman Campagna. This locality is not only malarious, but in every way desolate and forbidding. The ground is volcanic, the many lakes which cover it being formed in craters. Hot sulphur springs exist in the district lying between. Rome and Tivoli. The marshes which existed at the period when Latium was in its prime, but were drained in the inhabited portion, were the favorite habitat, in their unreclaimed part, of wild boars, which were bunted for the tables of the Roman aris tocracy. Even at the present time, the Pontine marshes are famous for this species of game.