So long as Rome was still but one among the many urban communities of Italy, although that one might be the first, admission even to the unrestricted Roman franchise was universally regarded as a gain for the admitting community, and the acquisition of that franchise by non-burgesses was facilitated in every way, and was in fact often imposed on them as a punishment.

But after the Roman community became sole sovereign and all the others were its servants, the state of matters changed.

The Roman community began jealously to guard its franchise, and accordingly put an end in the first instance to the old full liberty of migration; although the statesmen of that period were wise enough still to keep admission to the Roman franchise legally open at least to the men of eminence and of capacity in the highest class of subject communities.

The Latins were thus made to feel that Rome, after having subjugated Italy mainly by their aid, had now no longer need of them as before.
Non-Latin Allied Communities Lastly, the relations of the non-Latin allied communities were subject, as a matter of course, to very various rules, just as each particular treaty of alliance had defined them.

Several of these perpetual alliances, such as that with the Hernican communities,( 35) passed over to a footing of complete equalization with the Latin.
Others, in which this was not the case, such as those with Neapolis( 36), Nola( 37), and Heraclea( 38), granted rights comparatively comprehensive; while others, such as the Tarentine and Samnite treaties, may have approximated to despotism.
Dissolution of National Leagues-- Furnishing of Contingents As a general rule, it may be taken for granted that not only the Latin and Hernican national confederations--as to which the fact is expressly stated--but all such confederations subsisting in Italy, and the Samnite and Lucanian leagues in particular, were legally dissolved or at any rate reduced to insignificance, and that in general no Italian community was allowed the right of acquiring property or of intermarriage, or even the right of joint consultation and resolution, with any other.