ThesystemofDiocletianwasaccompaniedwithanotherverymaterialdisadvantage，whichcannotevenatpresentbetotallyoverlooked；amoreexpensiveestablishment，andconsequentlyanincreaseoftaxes，andtheoppressionofthepeople。Insteadofamodestfamilyofslavesandfreedmen，suchashadcontentedthesimplegreatnessofAugustusandTrajan，threeorfourmagnificentcourtswereestablishedinthevariouspartsoftheempire，andasmanyRomankingscontendedwitheachotherandwiththePersianmonarchforthevainsuperiorityofpompandluxury。Thenumberofministers，ofmagistrates，ofofficers，andofservants，whofilledthedifferentdepartmentsofthestate，wasmultipliedbeyondtheexampleofformertimes；andifwemayborrowthewarmexpressionofacontemporary\"whentheproportionofthosewhoreceived，exceededtheproportionofthosewhocontributed，theprovinceswereoppressedbytheweightoftributes。\"^104Fromthisperiodtotheextinctionoftheempire，itwouldbeeasytodeduceanuninterruptedseriesofclamorsandcomplaints。Accordingtohisreligionandsituation，eachwriterchooseseitherDiocletian，orConstantine，orValens，orTheodosius，fortheobjectofhisinvectives；buttheyunanimouslyagreeinrepresentingtheburdenofthepublicimpositions，andparticularlythelandtaxandcapitation，astheintolerableandincreasinggrievanceoftheirowntimes。Fromsuchaconcurrence，animpartialhistorian，whoisobligedtoextracttruthfromsatire，aswellasfrompanegyric，willbeinclinedtodividetheblameamongtheprinceswhomtheyaccuse，andtoascribetheirexactionsmuchlesstotheirpersonalvices，thantotheuniformsystemoftheiradministration。TheemperorDiocletianwasindeedtheauthorofthatsystem；butduringhisreign，thegrowingevilwasconfinedwithintheboundsofmodestyanddiscretion，andhedeservesthereproachofestablishingperniciousprecedents，ratherthanofexercisingactualoppression。^105Itmaybeadded，thathisrevenuesweremanagedwithprudenteconomy；andthatafterallthecurrentexpensesweredischarged，therestillremainedintheImperialtreasuryanampleprovisioneitherforjudiciousliberalityorforanyemergencyofthestate。

　　[Footnote104:Lactant。deM。P。c。7。]

　　[Footnote*:ThemostcuriousdocumentwhichhascometolightsincethepublicationofGibbon\'sHistory，istheedictofDiocletian，publishedfromaninscriptionfoundatEskihissar，Stratoniccia，byCol。Leake。ThisinscriptionwasfirstcopiedbySherard，afterwardsmuchmorecompletelybyMr。Bankes。Itisconfirmedandillustratedbyamoreimperfectcopyofthesameedict，foundintheLevantbyagentlemanofAix，andbroughttothiscountrybyM。Vescovali。ThisedictwasissuedinthenameofthefourCaesars，Diocletian，Maximian，Constantius，andGalerius。Itfixedamaximumofpricesthroughouttheempire，forallthenecessariesandcommoditiesoflife。Thepreambleinsists，withgreatvehemenceontheextortionandinhumanityofthevendersandmerchants。Quisenimadeoobtunisiobtusi

　　pectoresisetasensuinhumanitatisextorrisestquiignorarepotestimmononsenseritinvenalibusrebusquaevelinmercimoniisagunturveldiurnaurbiumconversationetractantur，intantumselicenliamdefusisse，uteffraenatalibidorapien—

　　rumcopianecannorumubertatibusmitigaretur。Theedict，asCol。

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