Ab urbe condita

The Roman regarded the possibility of war as involving the certainty of victory, whilst the Samnites looked upon the renewal of hostilities by the Roman as equivalent to their own defeat. In the meantime, Satricum revolted to the Samnites. The latter made a sudden descent on Fregellae and succeeded in occupying it in the night, assisted, there is no doubt by the Satricans.

Mutual fear kept both the Samnites and the Fregellans quiet till daylight, with the return of light the battle began. For some time the Fregellans held their ground, for they were fighting for their hearths and homes and the noncombatant population assisted them from the roofs of the houses.