History of Rome

​At the beginning of this year, Publius Licinius Crassus, the pontifex maximus, died, in whose place Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus was co-opted as pontifex;

​Gaius Servilius Geminus was created pontifex maximus. For the funeral of Publius Licinius, a distribution of meat was given, one hundred and twenty gladiators fought, funeral games were celebrated for three days, and after the games a feast was held. During this, when triclinia had been spread throughout the whole Forum, ​a storm arose with violent gusts and forced most people to set up tents in the Forum.

​A little later, when it had cleared up on all sides, the same tents were removed; and people commonly reported that they had discharged their obligation to fate, because the prophets had chanted among the fatal predictions that it was necessary for tents to be set up in the Forum.

​Once they were freed from this religious fear, another was cast upon them, because it had rained blood for two days in the area of Vulcan; and a supplication was proclaimed through the decemviri for the purpose of expiating that prodigy. Before the consuls set out for their provinces, ​they introduced the embassies from overseas into the senate. Never before had there been so many men of that region in Rome.

​For from the time when the rumor was spread among the nations that dwell around Macedonia that the charges and complaints against Philip were not listened to negligently by the Romans, and that for many it had been well worth their while to complain, ​each of the states and nations on their own behalf, and even individuals privately—for he was a troublesome neighbor to all—came to Rome, either in the hope of having their wrongs alleviated, or for the solace of lamenting them.

​An embassy also came from King Eumenes, with his brother Athenaeus, to complain both because the garrisons were not being withdrawn from Thrace, and because auxiliary troops had been sent to Prusias, the king of Bithynia, who was waging war against Eumenes.