History of Rome

​At the beginning of the year in which Publius Scipio Africanus for the second time and Tiberius Sempronius Longus were consuls, ​ambassadors of the tyrant Nabis came to Rome. An audience with the senate was granted to them outside the city in the temple of Apollo. They petitioned that the peace, which had been agreed upon with Titus Quinctius, should be ratified, and they obtained it.

​When the question of the provinces was referred to them, a full senate was inclined to the opinion that, since the wars in Hispania and Macedonia had been brought to an end, both consuls should have Italy as their province.

​Scipio was of the opinion that one consul was enough for Italy, and that Macedonia should be decreed to the other; that a serious war was threatening from Antiochus, who had already of his own accord crossed over into Europe; what did they think he would do next, ​when on one side the Aetolians, undisputed enemies, were calling him to war, and on the other, Hannibal, a commander renowned for the disasters he had inflicted on the Romans, was urging him on?

​While the discussion was going on concerning the provinces of the consuls, the praetors drew lots; the city jurisdiction fell to Gnaeus Domitius, the foreign jurisdiction to Titus Juventius, Further Hispania to Publius Cornelius, and Nearer Hispania to Sextus ​Digitius, and of the two Gnaeus Cornelii, Blasio obtained Sicily and Merenda Sardinia. It was not resolved that a new army should be transported into Macedonia, ​but that the one which was there should be brought back to Italy by Quinctius and disbanded; likewise, that the army should be disbanded which was with Marcus Porcius Cato in Hispania;

​and that both consuls should have Italy as their province, and that they should enlist two city legions, so that when the armies which the senate had decreed had been disbanded, there should be eight Roman legions in all.