From what has been said above, it is evident that a law for sending out a colony was virtually an agrarian law, since lands were invariably assigned to those who were thus induced to abandon their homes.
The relations between Rome and the subject cities in Italy were very various.

Some, called _municipia_, were placed in full possession of the rights of Roman citizens, but could not in all cases vote in the comitia.

The privileges of the colonies were more restricted, for they were absolutely excluded from the Roman comitia and magistracies.

The federative[2] states enjoyed their own constitutions, but were bound to supply the Romans with tribute and auxiliary forces.

Finally, the subject states were deprived of their internal constitutions, and were governed by annual prefects chosen in Rome.
Before discussing the subject of the Roman constitution, we must observe that it was, like our own, gradually formed by practice; there was no single written code like those of Athens and Sparta, but changes were made whenever they were required by circumstances; before the plebeians obtained an equality of civil rights, the state neither commanded respect abroad, nor enjoyed tranquillity at home.