Editing Fidenae (section)

===Conflicts with the Roman Republic===
In the early [[Roman Republic]], Fidenae made a decision that was to cost them much of their land in favor of the new [[Claudia gens]], formed from [[Sabines|Sabine]] defectors. [[Lucius Tarquinius Superbus]], last king of Rome, having been expelled from it, at first looked for intervention from the [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscans]]. [[Lars Porsenna]] of [[Clusium]], dissatisfied with Superbus' conduct and ethics, made peace with the new republic.

The Tarquins then subverted [[Latium]]. [[Sextus Tarquinius]], whose rape of [[Lucretia]] had triggered the overthrow of the monarchy (if he was not assassinated at [[Gabii]]), convinced the Sabines to go to war against Rome, arguing that previous treaties had been annulled by the expulsion of the kings. The Tarquins were now interested in Latin intervention. After some minor conflicts in which Rome was victorious, the Sabines took a vote and resolved on an invasion of the city of Rome (with perhaps the previous example in memory). The Tarquins brought in Fidenae and [[Cameria]], formerly Roman allies.

The [[Roman-Sabine wars#War with the early republic 505-4 BC|total defeat]] of the Sabines in 505/504 BC was followed by the siege of Fidenae. The city was taken only a few days later: the Romans assembled their prisoners and executing the senior officers before them (whipped by the rods and beheaded by the axe of the [[fasces]], a standard punishment for treason), let the rest go with a stern warning. A garrison was placed in Fidenae, and its members were given much of its land.<ref>{{cite book|author=Dionysius of Halicarnassus|author-link=Dionysius of Halicarnassus|title=Roman Antiquities|chapter=Book V.40–43|url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/5C*.html}}</ref> The Claudii are not mentioned in connection with the battle, but they had been given land north of the [[Aniene|Anio river]], some of which was at Fidenae. They could only collect on that offer if Fidenae was defeated, the implication being that they were being invited to participate in the campaign; they may even have been the garrison.

Fidenae appears to have fallen permanently under Roman domination after its [[Capture of Fidenae (435 BC)|capture in 435 BC]] by the Romans, and is spoken of by classical authors as a place almost deserted in their time. It seems, however, to have had some importance as a post station.