Heh, yeah. Syracuse sits around but it depends. If you're in good relations wtih them as Rome, they won't step on your toes. Most of the time they are at war with Carthage. In my second start as Rome I saw them take the other settlement in Sicilly. With two settlements they went into conquest mode or something, and just stomped Carthage and Libya. It was then I decided that I have to kill them now and quickly, before all that grain they got gives them food to support 6 stacks of hoplites, as that would make them basically a superpower.

If Sparta ever manages to get Egypt or Africa (food/grain provinces) I'm positive it will become a monster. If there was the option to gift settlements I would go and babysit them with Macedon or Athens and keep them as my allies, just to see if they can pain the map their colour.