A period of peace followed this long war, during which at one time, in
the year 235, the gates of the temple of Janus, which were always open
during war and had not been shut since the days of Numa, were closed,
but it was only for a short space. After this war, the Carthaginians
became involved with their own troops, who arose in mutiny because they
could not get their pay, and Rome took advantage of this to rob them of
the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, and at the same time to demand a
large addition to the indemnity fund that had been agreed upon at the
peace (B.C. 227). Such arbitrary treatment of a conquered foe could not
fail to beget and keep alive the deepest feelings of resentment, of
which, in after years, Rome reaped the bitter fruits.
The Adriatic Sea was at that time infested with pirates from Illyria,
the country north of Epirus, just over the sea to the east of Italy,
and as Roman towns suffered from their inroads, an embassy was sent to
make complaint. One of these peaceful messengers was murdered by
direction of the queen of the country, Teuta, by name, and of course
war was declared, which ended in the overthrow of the treacherous
queen. Her successor, however, when he thought that the Romans were too
much occupied with other matters to oppose him successfully, renewed
the piratical incursions (B.
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