Pedum ( grc, Πέδα) was an ancient town of

Latium Latium ( , ; ) is the region of central western Italy in which the city of Rome was founded and grew to be the capital city of the Roman Empire. Definition Latium was originally a small triangle of fertile, volcanic soil ( Old Latium) on w ...

in central

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, located between

Tibur Tivoli ( , ; la, Tibur) is a town and in Lazio, central Italy, north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river where it issues from the Sabine hills. The city offers a wide view over the Roman Campagna. History Gaius Julius Solin ...

and Praeneste, near modern Gallicano nel Lazio. The town was a member of the Latin League.

History

In around 488 BC, Pedum was captured by an invading army of the

Volsci The Volsci (, , ) were an Italic tribe, well known in the history of the first century of the Roman Republic. At the time they inhabited the partly hilly, partly marshy district of the south of Latium, bounded by the Aurunci and Samnites on the ...

, led by

Gaius Marcius Coriolanus Gnaeus (or Gaius) Marcius Coriolanus was a Roman general who is said to have lived in the 5th century BC. He received his toponymic cognomen "Coriolanus" following his courageous actions during a Roman siege of the Volscian city of Corioli. He ...

and Attius Tullus Aufidius. In 358 BC, the area around Pedum was occupied by

Gauls The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They sp ...

, who were defeated by Gaius Sulpicius Peticus. In 339 BC, a combined force from the Latin cities of

, Praeneste,

Velitrae Velletri (; la, Velitrae; xvo, Velester) is an Italian '' comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, approximately 40 km to the southeast of the city centre, located in the Alban Hills, in the region of Lazio, central Italy. Neighbouring com ...

Antium Antium was an ancient coastal town in Latium, south of Rome. An oppidum was founded by people of Latial culture (11th century BC or the beginning of the 1st millennium BC), then it was the main stronghold of the Volsci people until it was conqu ...

, Aricia, and

Lanuvium Lanuvium, modern Lanuvio, is an ancient city of Latium vetus, some southeast of Rome, a little southwest of the Via Appia. Situated on an isolated hill projecting south from the main mass of the Alban Hills, Lanuvium commanded an extensive vie ...

mustered at Pedum.

Tiberius Aemilius Mamercus Tiberius Aemilius Mamercus was a Roman senator active in the fifth century BC. He was consul in 470 and 467 BC. Family Mamercus was a member of the ''Aemilii Mamerci'', a branch of the ''gens Aemilia''. He was the son of Lucius Aemilius Mamercus ...

, who was a consul at the time, was sent to stop this force, but ultimately abandoned the effort. During the following year, 338 BC, the consuls Gaius Maenius and Lucius Furius Camillus were sent to finish off the forces at Pedum. While Maenius intercepted the Aricini, Lanuvini, Veliterni, and the Antiate

near the Astura River, Camillus engaged the Tiburtes and Praenestini. Maenius and Camillus regrouped at Pedum and defeated the Latin forces, bringing an end to the Latin War.Livy, ''Ab urbe condita'', 8.13

References

Ancient Italian history Roman towns and cities in Italy Geography of Lazio History of Lazio {{Italy-geo-stub