In the year s.c. 293, the Roman senate obtained information from the Lusatian. and the Notate% that the Sunnite. had urged them to join in a new war %mint Rome, and anew war ensued. The Etruscans having joined the Samna*s with a large force, in which were auxiliaries from Cisalpine Gaul, the Romans chose for their new consuls Q. Fabius Maximus, notwithstanding his great age, and I'. Docile, Mum (ac. 297). After ravaging a large tract of country, Fabius met the Sanenite army on the banks of the Tifernus, and for a long time the Romans could make DO impression on the enemy's ranks ; but at last Fabius, having sent the hatted of the first legion round a mountain to attack the &meas in the rear, the latter, thinking that the other consul with his army had arrived, made a precipitate retreat, leaving 3040 killed on the field and 330 prisoners. Decius, who had marched through CADVGILI IA, also entered Samnium, and the two consular armies spread themselves over the country, which they ravaged for five months At Last those Samnite. who were still in arms, being unable any longer to defend their country, migrated in a body under their leader Gellius Egnatius into Etruria. For several years afterward, the war with Sam clam however gave the Roman armies occupation, without any decisive success on either side The Sunnite host which had migrated into Etruria fought bravely in conjunction with the Etruscans and Gauls; and on one occasion, near Santini:u, the Oslle-Samnite army spread disorder into the Roman ranks, when the consul P. Deci us, perceiving the critical moment, devoted himself to the infernal gods, and, rushing into the thickest of the fight, fell covered with wounds. This act restored confidence to the Romans, and they finally routed the enemy after a severs lase on both aisles. In the year ac the consul L. Papirius, son of the former conqueror of the Samnites, marched into Samnium, and laid siege to Aquilonia, near the Apulian borders, whilst his colleague Carvilius besieged Comiuium. An army of 40,000 Sam mites, 16,000 of whom were picked men and bound by solemn oaths to fight to the last, moved to the relief of Aqtulooia. Papirius, having attacked them, met with a desperate resistance; but ultimately the Samnites were routed, after losing a great number of men. The remainder of the Semnite Infantry took refuge within Aquilonia, whilst the cavalry rode off towards Boebtuum. Both Aquilooia and Coo:lint= were taken by the Romans and burnt. Papiritei next besieged•Sepinum, which he entered after a brave resistance ; and his colleague, Carviliva, took Volano, Palumbinum, and Herculaneum. The snow, which fell deep in the mountains, obliged the Romans to evacuate Samnium.
In the following year, B.O. 292, one of the new consols, Fabius Gorges, son of Fabius Maximus, marched against the Samnites, and was defeated by them with a severe loss. The senate proposed to
deprive him of his command; but his veteran father, deprecating this humiliation, offered to serve under his son as his legatus. A new battle was fought, in which the Semites were finally routed. Pontius, the conqueror at the Furculso Caudinse, was taken prisoner. After taking Veousia, to which the Romans sent a colony, the two Fabii, father and son, returned to Rome, and the senate granted to Fabius Gurges the honour of a triumph, in which Pontius appeared with his hands tied behind his back : after the ceremony he was beheaded.
In the year s.c. 290, the Samnites, worn out by their repeated defeats, sued for peace, which the Romans, likewise exhausted by their dearly.bought victories, felt disposed to grant. The consul M. Curius Dentatus, being charged with the negotiation, concluded a peace, the conditions of which are not known. (Livy, Epitome,' xi) In the war of Pyrrhus, the Samnites joined that prince, after whose second retreat from Italy sod subsequent death they found themselves attacked by two Roman armies, under their old antagonists L Papi rins Cursor the younger and S. Carvilius, who utterly defeated them (n.c. 2721. It was then that Samninro became a conquered country, and the Romans sent colonies to Maluctitinu and other places. In the war of Hannibal the Ilirpini joined the Cru-thaginisos after the battle of Canine, hut the Pentri did not At last, in the Social War, the Samoitee having joined the Marsi, Vestini, Peligni, and others in the common league against Rome, remained last in tho field, and were defeated and slaughtered without mercy by Sulk. Tho devastation of Samnium by Sidle was most effectual ; the towns were burnt and razed to the ground; Beneventum alone was spared. During the war of Sulla azamat the younger Marius, Pontius Telesinus, who had joined the latter at the head of 40,000 Samnites and Lucanians, stole a march upon Snlla, who was besieging Prreneste, and advanced within ten stadia of Rome, which was without any adequate defence. Sulla however came in time to save the city. A desperate battle ensued : the &mulcts% defeated the left wing of the Itomaas, com manded by Sulla himself; but Creams, who commanded the right wing, having defeated Carina, a Romeo officer of the party of Marine, who was opposed to him, fell upon the flank of the Samnitem, who were obliged to retire to Aotemme, where Telesinus was killed. Between 7000 and 8000 Samuites surrendered to Suite, who marched them to Rome; and, having shut them up in the Circus :Maximus, had them all butchered iu cold blood, while he was haranguing the senate In the neighbouring temple of Belloria. The remainder of the &modes were slaughtered in the same manner at the taking of Prieneste.