Roman Colonisation and Romaization

The earliest colonies of Roman citizens were small groups of 300 families at Ostia, Antium (mod. Anzio, 338 bc), and Tarracina (mod. Terracina, 329 bc. The view that such small communities were to serve as garrisons guarding the coasts of Italy, has been disputed and a more political ‘Romanizing’ or ‘urbanizing’ purpose envisaged. (See Roman Urbanism.) Coloni retained Roman citizenship because the early colonies were within Roman territory, and were too small to form an independent res publica; some colonies, such as those at Antium and Minturnae (295 bc), seem to be part of a double community, rapidly assimilated. Citizen colonies are distinct from Latin, which, though largely manned by Romans, were autonomous states established outside Roman territory and with acknowledged strategic aims.

About 177 bc the system of citizen colonies was reorganized. They were assimilated to Latin colonies, and the use of the latter to all appearances abandoned. Henceforth citizen colonies were large—2,000–5,000 men—and were employed for the same purpose as Latin colonies formerly. Generous allotments of land were given to the new colonies and their internal organization was changed also. They remained citizen colonies but received extensive powers of local government for their annual magistrates. Henceforth they were founded for social and political as much as for strategic reasons, either as emigration schemes for the landless or to provide for veteran soldiers. They could, as with the Sullan settlements in Etruria and Pompeii (see Sulla), cause friction with the original inhabitants and give rise to unrest

The first foundation outside Italy was at Carthage (122 bc).

Roman Cities