^9Thewesternislemightbeimprovedintoavaluablepossession，andtheBritonswouldweartheirchainswiththelessreluctance，iftheprospectandexampleoffreedomwereoneverysideremovedfrombeforetheireyes。
[Footnote6:Caesarhimselfconcealsthatignoblemotive；butitismentionedbySuetonius，c。47。TheBritishpearlsproved，however，oflittlevalue，onaccountoftheirdarkandlividcolor。Tacitusobserves，withreason，inAgricola，c。12，thatitwasaninherentdefect。\"Egofaciliuscrediderim，naturammargaritisdeessequamnobisavaritiam。\"]
[Footnote7:Claudius，Nero，andDomitian。AhopeisexpressedbyPomponiusMela，l。iii。c。6，hewroteunderClaudius，that，bythesuccessoftheRomanarms，theislandanditssavageinhabitantswouldsoonbebetterknown。ItisamusingenoughtoperusesuchpassagesinthemidstofLondon。]
[Footnote8:SeetheadmirableabridgmentgivenbyTacitus，inthelifeofAgricola，andcopiously，thoughperhapsnotcompletely，illustratedbyourownantiquarians，CamdenandHorsley。]
[Footnote9:TheIrishwriters，jealousoftheirnationalhonor，areextremelyprovokedonthisoccasion，bothwithTacitusandwithAgricola。]
ButthesuperiormeritofAgricolasoonoccasionedhisremovalfromthegovernmentofBritain；andforeverdisappointedthisrational，thoughextensiveschemeofconquest。Beforehisdeparture，theprudentgeneralhadprovidedforsecurityaswellasfordominion。Hehadobserved，thattheislandisalmostdividedintotwounequalpartsbytheoppositegulfs，or，astheyarenowcalled，theFrithsofScotland。Acrossthenarrowintervalofaboutfortymiles，hehaddrawnalineofmilitarystations，whichwasafterwardsfortified，inthereignofAntoninusPius，byaturframpart，erectedonfoundationsofstone。^10ThiswallofAntoninus，atasmalldistancebeyondthemoderncitiesofEdinburghandGlasgow，wasfixedasthelimitoftheRomanprovince。ThenativeCaledonianspreserved，inthenorthernextremityoftheisland，theirwildindependence，forwhichtheywerenotlessindebtedtotheirpovertythantotheirvalor。Theirincursionswerefrequentlyrepelledandchastised；
buttheircountrywasneversubdued。^11Themastersofthefairestandmostwealthyclimatesoftheglobeturnedwithcontemptfromgloomyhills，assailedbythewintertempest，fromlakesconcealedinabluemist，andfromcoldandlonelyheaths，overwhichthedeeroftheforestwerechasedbyatroopofnakedbarbarians。^12
[Footnote10:SeeHorsley\'sBritanniaRomana，l。i。c。10。
Note:AgricolafortifiedthelinefromDumbartontoEdinburgh，consequentlywithinScotland。TheemperorHadrian，duringhisresidenceinBritain，abouttheyear121，causedarampartofearthtoberaisedbetweenNewcastleandCarlisle。
AntoninusPius，havinggainednewvictoriesovertheCaledonians，bytheabilityofhisgeneral，Lollius，Urbicus，causedanewrampartofearthtobeconstructedbetweenEdinburghandDumbarton。Lastly，SeptimiusSeveruscausedawallofstonetobebuiltparalleltotherampartofHadrian，andonthesamelocality。SeeJohnWarburton\'sVallumRomanum，ortheHistoryandAntiquitiesoftheRomanWall。London，1754，4to。—W。SeelikewiseagoodnoteontheRomanwallinLingard\'sHistoryofEngland，vol。i。p。40，4toedit—M。]
[Footnote11:ThepoetBuchanancelebrateswitheleganceandspiritseehisSylvae，v。theunviolatedindependenceofhisnativecountry。But，ifthesingletestimonyofRichardofCirencesterwassufficienttocreateaRomanprovinceofVespasianatothenorthofthewall，thatindependencewouldbereducedwithinverynarrowlimits。]
[Footnote12:SeeAppianinProoem。andtheuniformimageryofOssian\'sPoems，which，accordingtoeveryhypothesis，werecomposedbyanativeCaledonian。]
SuchwasthestateoftheRomanfrontiers，andsuchthemaximsofImperialpolicy，fromthedeathofAugustustotheaccessionofTrajan。Thatvirtuousandactiveprincehadreceivedtheeducationofasoldier，andpossessedthetalentsofageneral。^13Thepeacefulsystemofhispredecessorswasinterruptedbyscenesofwarandconquest；andthelegions，afteralonginterval，beheldamilitaryemperorattheirhead。ThefirstexploitsofTrajanwereagainsttheDacians，themostwarlikeofmen，whodweltbeyondtheDanube，andwho，duringthereignofDomitian，hadinsulted，withimpunity，theMajestyofRome。^14Tothestrengthandfiercenessofbarbarianstheyaddedacontemptforlife，whichwasderivedfromawarmpersuasionoftheimmortalityandtransmigrationofthesoul。^15Decebalus，theDacianking，approvedhimselfarivalnotunworthyofTrajan；
nordidhedespairofhisownandthepublicfortune，till，bytheconfessionofhisenemies，hehadexhaustedeveryresourcebothofvalorandpolicy。^16Thismemorablewar，withaveryshortsuspensionofhostilities，lastedfiveyears；andastheemperorcouldexert，withoutcontrol，thewholeforceofthestate，itwasterminatedbyanabsolutesubmissionofthebarbarians。^17ThenewprovinceofDacia，whichformedasecondexceptiontothepreceptofAugustus，wasaboutthirteenhundredmilesincircumference。ItsnaturalboundariesweretheNiester，theTeyssorTibiscus，theLowerDanube，andtheEuxineSea。ThevestigesofamilitaryroadmaystillbetracedfromthebanksoftheDanubetotheneighborhoodofBender，aplacefamousinmodernhistory，andtheactualfrontieroftheTurkishandRussianempires。^18
[Footnote13:SeePliny\'sPanegyric，whichseemsfoundedonfacts。]
[Footnote14:DionCassius，l。lxvii。]
[Footnote15:Herodotus，l。iv。c。94。JulianintheCaesars，withSpanheimsobservations。]
[Footnote16:Plin。Epist。viii。9。]
[Footnote17:DionCassius，l。lxviii。p。1123，1131。JulianinCaesaribusEutropius，viii。2，6。AureliusVictorinEpitome。]
[Footnote18:SeeaMemoirofM。d\'Anville，ontheProvinceofDacia，intheAcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xxviii。p。444—
468。]
Trajanwasambitiousoffame；andaslongasmankindshallcontinuetobestowmoreliberalapplauseontheirdestroyersthanontheirbenefactors，thethirstofmilitaryglorywilleverbetheviceofthemostexaltedcharacters。ThepraisesofAlexander，transmittedbyasuccessionofpoetsandhistorians，hadkindledadangerousemulationinthemindofTrajan。Likehim，theRomanemperorundertookanexpeditionagainstthenationsoftheEast；buthelamentedwithasigh，thathisadvancedagescarcelylefthimanyhopesofequallingtherenownofthesonofPhilip。^19YetthesuccessofTrajan，howevertransient，wasrapidandspecious。ThedegenerateParthians，brokenbyintestinediscord，fledbeforehisarms。HedescendedtheRiverTigrisintriumph，fromthemountainsofArmeniatothePersianGulf。Heenjoyedthehonorofbeingthefirst，ashewasthelast，oftheRomangenerals，whoevernavigatedthatremotesea。HisfleetsravagedthecoastofArabia；andTrajanvainlyflatteredhimselfthathewasapproachingtowardstheconfinesofIndia。^20Everydaytheastonishedsenatereceivedtheintelligenceofnewnamesandnewnations，thatacknowledgedhissway。TheywereinformedthatthekingsofBosphorus，Colchos，Iberia，Albania，Osrhoene，andeventheParthianmonarchhimself，hadacceptedtheirdiademsfromthehandsoftheemperor；thattheindependenttribesoftheMedianandCarduchianhillshadimploredhisprotection；andthattherichcountriesofArmenia，Mesopotamia，andAssyria，werereducedintothestateofprovinces。^21ButthedeathofTrajansooncloudedthesplendidprospect；anditwasjustlytobedreaded，thatsomanydistantnationswouldthrowofftheunaccustomedyoke，whentheywerenolongerrestrainedbythepowerfulhandwhichhadimposedit。
[Footnote19:Trajan\'ssentimentsarerepresentedinaveryjustandlivelymannerintheCaesarsofJulian。]
[Footnote20:EutropiusandSextusRufushaveendeavoredtoperpetuatetheillusion。SeeaverysensibledissertationofM。
FreretintheAcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xxi。p。55。]
[Footnote21:DionCassius，l。lxviii。；andtheAbbreviators。]
ChapterI:TheExtentOfTheEmpireInTheAgeOfTheAntonines。
PartII。
Itwasanancienttradition，thatwhentheCapitolwasfoundedbyoneoftheRomankings，thegodTerminuswhopresidedoverboundaries，andwasrepresented，accordingtothefashionofthatage，byalargestonealone，amongalltheinferiordeities，refusedtoyieldhisplacetoJupiterhimself。A
favorableinferencewasdrawnfromhisobstinacy，whichwasinterpretedbytheaugursasasurepresagethattheboundariesoftheRomanpowerwouldneverrecede。^22Duringmanyages，theprediction，asitisusual，contributedtoitsownaccomplishment。ButthoughTerminushadresistedtheMajestyofJupiter，hesubmittedtotheauthorityoftheemperorHadrian。
^23TheresignationofalltheeasternconquestsofTrajanwasthefirstmeasureofhisreign。HerestoredtotheParthianstheelectionofanindependentsovereign；withdrewtheRomangarrisonsfromtheprovincesofArmenia，Mesopotamia，andAssyria；and，incompliancewiththepreceptofAugustus，oncemoreestablishedtheEuphratesasthefrontieroftheempire。^24
Censure，whicharraignsthepublicactionsandtheprivatemotivesofprinces，hasascribedtoenvy，aconductwhichmightbeattributedtotheprudenceandmoderationofHadrian。Thevariouscharacterofthatemperor，capable，byturns，ofthemeanestandthemostgeneroussentiments，mayaffordsomecolortothesuspicion。Itwas，however，scarcelyinhispowertoplacethesuperiorityofhispredecessorinamoreconspicuouslight，thanbythusconfessinghimselfunequaltothetaskofdefendingtheconquestsofTrajan。
[Footnote22:Ovid。Fast。l。ii。ver。667。SeeLivy，andDionysiusofHalicarnassus，underthereignofTarquin。]
[Footnote23:St。AugustinishighlydelightedwiththeproofoftheweaknessofTerminus，andthevanityoftheAugurs。SeeDeCivitateDei，iv。29。
Note*:TheturnofGibbon\'ssentenceisAugustin\'s:\"PlusHadrianumregembominum，quamregemDeorumtimuissevideatur。\"—
M]
[Footnote24:SeetheAugustanHistory，p。5，Jerome\'sChronicle，andalltheEpitomizers。Itissomewhatsurprising，thatthismemorableeventshouldbeomittedbyDion，orratherbyXiphilin。]
ThemartialandambitiousofspiritTrajanformedaverysingularcontrastwiththemoderationofhissuccessor。TherestlessactivityofHadrianwasnotlessremarkablewhencomparedwiththegentlereposeofAntoninusPius。Thelifeoftheformerwasalmostaperpetualjourney；andashepossessedthevarioustalentsofthesoldier，thestatesman，andthescholar，hegratifiedhiscuriosityinthedischargeofhisduty。
Carelessofthedifferenceofseasonsandofclimates，hemarchedonfoot，andbare—headed，overthesnowsofCaledonia，andthesultryplainsoftheUpperEgypt；norwasthereaprovinceoftheempirewhich，inthecourseofhisreign，wasnothonoredwiththepresenceofthemonarch。^25ButthetranquillifeofAntoninusPiuswasspentinthebosomofItaly，and，duringthetwenty—threeyearsthathedirectedthepublicadministration，thelongestjourneysofthatamiableprinceextendednofartherthanfromhispalaceinRometotheretirementofhisLanuvianvilla。^26
[Footnote25:Dion，l。lxix。p。1158。Hist。August。p。5，8。Ifallourhistorianswerelost，medals，inscriptions，andothermonuments，wouldbesufficienttorecordthetravelsofHadrian。
Note:ThejourneysofHadrianaretracedinanoteonSolvet\'stranslationofHegewisch，Essaisurl\'EpoquedeHistoireRomainelaplusheureusepourGenreHumainParis，1834，p。123。—
M。]
[Footnote26:SeetheAugustanHistoryandtheEpitomes。]
Notwithstandingthisdifferenceintheirpersonalconduct，thegeneralsystemofAugustuswasequallyadoptedanduniformlypursuedbyHadrianandbythetwoAntonines。Theypersistedinthedesignofmaintainingthedignityoftheempire，withoutattemptingtoenlargeitslimits。Byeveryhonorableexpedienttheyinvitedthefriendshipofthebarbarians；andendeavoredtoconvincemankindthattheRomanpower，raisedabovethetemptationofconquest，wasactuatedonlybytheloveoforderandjustice。Duringalongperiodofforty—threeyears，theirvirtuouslaborswerecrownedwithsuccess；andifweexceptafewslighthostilities，thatservedtoexercisethelegionsofthefrontier，thereignsofHadrianandAntoninusPiusofferthefairprospectofuniversalpeace。^27TheRomannamewasreveredamongthemostremotenationsoftheearth。Thefiercestbarbariansfrequentlysubmittedtheirdifferencestothearbitrationoftheemperor；andweareinformedbyacontemporaryhistorianthathehadseenambassadorswhowererefusedthehonorwhichtheycametosolicitofbeingadmittedintotherankofsubjects。^28
[Footnote27:Wemust，however，remember，thatinthetimeofHadrian，arebellionoftheJewsragedwithreligiousfury，thoughonlyinasingleprovince。Pausaniasl。viii。c。43
mentionstwonecessaryandsuccessfulwars，conductedbythegeneralsofPius:1st。AgainstthewanderingMoors，whoweredrivenintothesolitudesofAtlas。2d。AgainsttheBrigantesofBritain，whohadinvadedtheRomanprovince。BoththesewarswithseveralotherhostilitiesarementionedintheAugustanHistory，p。19。]
[Footnote28:AppianofAlexandria，intheprefacetohisHistoryoftheRomanWars。]
PartII。
TheterroroftheRomanarmsaddedweightanddignitytothemoderationoftheemperors。Theypreservedpeacebyaconstantpreparationforwar；andwhilejusticeregulatedtheirconduct，theyannouncedtothenationsontheirconfines，thattheywereaslittledisposedtoendure，astoofferaninjury。Themilitarystrength，whichithadbeensufficientforHadrianandtheelderAntoninustodisplay，wasexertedagainsttheParthiansandtheGermansbytheemperorMarcus。Thehostilitiesofthebarbariansprovokedtheresentmentofthatphilosophicmonarch，and，intheprosecutionofajustdefence，Marcusandhisgeneralsobtainedmanysignalvictories，bothontheEuphratesandontheDanube。
^29ThemilitaryestablishmentoftheRomanempire，whichthusassuredeitheritstranquillityorsuccess，willnowbecometheproperandimportantobjectofourattention。
[Footnote29:Dion，l。lxxi。Hist。August。inMarco。TheParthianvictoriesgavebirthtoacrowdofcontemptiblehistorians，whosememoryhasbeenrescuedfromoblivionandexposedtoridicule，inaverylivelypieceofcriticismofLucian。]
Inthepureragesofthecommonwealth，theuseofarmswasreservedforthoseranksofcitizenswhohadacountrytolove，apropertytodefend，andsomeshareinenactingthoselaws，whichitwastheirinterestaswellasdutytomaintain。Butinproportionasthepublicfreedomwaslostinextentofconquest，warwasgraduallyimprovedintoanart，anddegradedintoatrade。^30Thelegionsthemselves，evenatthetimewhentheywererecruitedinthemostdistantprovinces，weresupposedtoconsistofRomancitizens。Thatdistinctionwasgenerallyconsidered，eitherasalegalqualificationorasaproperrecompenseforthesoldier；butamoreseriousregardwaspaidtotheessentialmeritofage，strength，andmilitarystature。^31
Inalllevies，ajustpreferencewasgiventotheclimatesoftheNorthoverthoseoftheSouth:theraceofmenborntotheexerciseofarmswassoughtforinthecountryratherthanincities；anditwasveryreasonablypresumed，thatthehardyoccupationsofsmiths，carpenters，andhuntsmen，wouldsupplymorevigorandresolutionthanthesedentarytradeswhichareemployedintheserviceofluxury。^32Aftereveryqualificationofpropertyhadbeenlaidaside，thearmiesoftheRomanemperorswerestillcommanded，forthemostpart，byofficersofliberalbirthandeducation；butthecommonsoldiers，likethemercenarytroopsofmodernEurope，weredrawnfromthemeanest，andveryfrequentlyfromthemostprofligate，ofmankind。
[Footnote30:Thepoorestrankofsoldierspossessedabovefortypoundssterling，Dionys。Halicarn。iv。17，averyhighqualificationatatimewhenmoneywassoscarce，thatanounceofsilverwasequivalenttoseventypoundsweightofbrass。Thepopulace，excludedbytheancientconstitution，wereindiscriminatelyadmittedbyMarius。SeeSallust。deBell。
Jugurth。c。91。
Note:Ontheuncertaintyofalltheseestimates，andthedifficultyoffixingtherelativevalueofbrassandsilver，compareNiebuhr，vol。i。p。473，&c。Eng。trans。p。452。
AccordingtoNiebuhr，therelativedisproportioninvalue，betweenthetwometals，arose，inagreatdegreefromtheabundanceofbrassorcopper。—M。ComparealsoDureau\'delaMalleEconomiePolitiquedesRomainsespeciallyL。l。c。ix。—M。
1845。]
[Footnote31:CaesarformedhislegionAlaudaofGaulsandstrangers；butitwasduringthelicenseofcivilwar；andafterthevictory，hegavethemthefreedomofthecityfortheirreward。]
[Footnote32:SeeVegetius，deReMilitari，l。i。c。2—7。]
Thatpublicvirtue，whichamongtheancientswasdenominatedpatriotism，isderivedfromastrongsenseofourowninterestinthepreservationandprosperityofthefreegovernmentofwhichwearemembers。Suchasentiment，whichhadrenderedthelegionsoftherepublicalmostinvincible，couldmakebutaveryfeebleimpressiononthemercenaryservantsofadespoticprince；anditbecamenecessarytosupplythatdefectbyothermotives，ofadifferent，butnotlessforciblenature—honorandreligion。