The Umbrians, who gave signs of marching on Rome, were intercepted by Rullianus with the army of Samnium on the upper Tiber--a step which the enfeebled Samnites were unable to prevent; and this sufficed to disperse the Umbrian levies.

The war once more returned to central Italy.

The Paeligni were conquered, as were also the Marsi; and, though the other Sabellian tribes remained nominally foes of Rome, in this quarter Samnium gradually came to stand practically alone.

But unexpected assistance came to them from the district of the Tiber.

The confederacy of the Hernici, called by the Romans to account for their countrymen found among the Samnite captives, now declared war against Rome (in 448)--more doubtless from despair than from calculation.