Alititary aispositions jor the year.-vn marcn 15, zne day when they entered upon office, the new consuls consulted the senate as to the allocation of provinces.The senate decided that since the war in Spain was spreading to such a serious extent as to require the presence OO a consul and a consular army, Hither Spain should be one the two consular provinces. The consuls were instructed to come to a mutual arrangement or else ballot for that province and Italy. Whichever of them drew Spain was to take with him two legions, 15,ooo allied infantry and Boo cavalry and a fleet of Zo ships of war. The other consul was to raise two legions;that was looked upon as sufficient to hold Gaul after the crushing blow dealt to the Insubres and the Boii the previous year. Cato drew Spain, Valerius Italy二 The praetors now balloted for their provinces. C. Fabricius Luscinus received the City jurisdiction;C. Atinius Labeo the jurisdiction over aliens;Cn. Manlius Volso, Sicily;Ap. Claudius Nero, Further Spain;P. Porcius Laeca, Pisae, in order to threaten the Ligurians from the rear. P. Manlius was assigned to the consul to assist him in Hither Spain. Owing to the suspicious attitude of Antiochus and of the Aetolians, and also of Nabis and the Lacedaemonians, T. Quinctius was continued in his command with the two legions he had had before. Any reinforcements required to bring them up to full strength were to be raised by the consuls and despatched to Macedonia. In addition to the legion which Q. Fabius had had, Appius Claudius was authorised to raise 2000 infantry and 200 cavalry. The same number of infantry and cavalry were assigned to 'P. Manlius for employment in Hither Spain as well as the legion which had served under the praetor Q. Minucius. Out of the army in Gaul io,ooo infantry and 500 cavalry were decreed to P. Portius Laeca to operate in Etruria round Pisae. Tiberius Sempronius Longus had his command in Sardinia extended.