Roman Conquest of Italy (505-264 BC): Samnite and Latin Wars (343-290 BC), First Samnite War (343-341 BC)

First Samnite War (343-341 BC)

In 343 BC Teanum Sidicinum, in northern Campania, was attacked by the Samnites. The Sidicini called on the city of Capua, a town in the Latin League, for protection, but the Samnites defeated the Capuans twice and were soon threatening Capua itself. When the Capuans in turn asked Rome for help, the result was a war between Rome and the Samnites. 

According to Livy, both the consuls for 343 BC marched against the Samnites. Valerius (5) led his army into Campania and fought a battle at Mount Gaurus near Cumae. After a day of hard fighting and in fading sunlight the Samnites were finally routed in a last desperate charge by the Romans.

The other consul ⁰³Cornelius Cossus Arvina (fl.343-323 BC) led his army into Samnium and camped at Saticula. When the Samnites tried to trap him in a mountain pass, one of his tribunes ⁰¹Decius Mus (cos.340 BC) led a small detachment to seize a hilltop, distracting the Samnites and allowing the Roman army to escape. Decius and his men slipped away to safety during the night, and the following morning the unprepared Samnites were attacked and defeated by the Romans.

Still seeking victory, the Samnites collected their forces and laid siege to Suessula at the eastern edge of Campania. Now low on supplies, the Samnites dispersed the bulk of their army to forage for food. Valerius took his army by forced marches to Suessula. He easily captured the Samnites’ weakly held camp and his troops rounded up the Samnite foragers.

In 342 BC the Romans were preoccupied by an army revolt and a political crisis. When hostilities resumed in 341 BC the Samnites apparently sued for peace and the Romano-Samnite treaty of 354 BC was renewed. The Romans gained control of Capua, while the Samnites took control of Teanum.