DuringalongperiodoftwohundredandtwentyyearsfromtheestablishmentofthisartfulsystemtothedeathofCommodus，thedangersinherenttoamilitarygovernmentwere，inagreatmeasure，suspended。Thesoldierswereseldomrousedtothatfatalsenseoftheirownstrength，andoftheweaknessofthecivilauthority，whichwas，beforeandafterwards，productiveofsuchdreadfulcalamities。CaligulaandDomitianwereassassinatedintheirpalacebytheirowndomestics:theconvulsionswhichagitatedRomeonthedeathoftheformer，wereconfinedtothewallsofthecity。ButNeroinvolvedthewholeempireinhisruin。Inthespaceofeighteenmonths，fourprincesperishedbythesword；andtheRomanworldwasshakenbythefuryofthecontendingarmies。Exceptingonlythisshort，thoughviolenteruptionofmilitarylicense，thetwocenturiesfromAugustus^29toCommoduspassedawayunstainedwithcivilblood，andundisturbedbyrevolutions。Theemperorwaselectedbytheauthorityofthesenate，andtheconsentofthesoldiers。
^30Thelegionsrespectedtheiroathoffidelity；anditrequiresaminuteinspectionoftheRomanannalstodiscoverthreeinconsiderablerebellions，whichwereallsuppressedinafewmonths，andwithouteventhehazardofabattle。^31
[Footnote*:Caligulaperishedbyaconspiracyformedbytheofficersofthepraetoriantroops，andDomitianwouldnot，perhaps，havebeenassassinatedwithouttheparticipationofthetwochiefsofthatguardinhisdeath。—W。]
[Footnote29:Augustusrestoredtheancientseverityofdiscipline。Afterthecivilwars，hedroppedtheendearingnameofFellow—Soldiers，andcalledthemonlySoldiers，Sueton。inAugust。c。25。SeetheuseTiberiusmadeoftheSenateinthemutinyofthePannonianlegions，Tacit。Annal。i。]
[Footnote30:Thesewordsseemtohavebeentheconstitutionallanguage。SeeTacit。Annal。xiii。4。
Note:Thispanegyriconthesoldieryisrathertooliberal。
Claudiuswasobligedtopurchasetheirconsenttohiscoronation:
thepresentswhichhemade，andthosewhichthepraetoriansreceivedonotheroccasions，considerablyembarrassedthefinances。Moreover，thisformidableguardfavored，ingeneral，thecrueltiesofthetyrants。ThedistantrevoltsweremorefrequentthanGibbonthinks:already，underTiberius，thelegionsofGermanywouldhaveseditiouslyconstrainedGermanicustoassumetheImperialpurple。OntherevoltofClaudiusCivilis，underVespasian，thelegionsofGaulmurderedtheirgeneral，andofferedtheirassistancetotheGaulswhowereininsurrection。
JuliusSabinusmadehimselfbeproclaimedemperor，&c。Thewars，themerit，andtheseveredisciplineofTrajan，Hadrian，andthetwoAntonines，established，forsometime，agreaterdegreeofsubordination。—W]
[Footnote31:ThefirstwasCamillusScribonianus，whotookuparmsinDalmatiaagainstClaudius，andwasdesertedbyhisowntroopsinfivedays，thesecond，L。Antonius，inGermany，whorebelledagainstDomitian；andthethird，AvidiusCassius，inthereignofM。Antoninus。Thetwolastreignedbutafewmonths，andwerecutoffbytheirownadherents。Wemayobserve，thatbothCamillusandCassiuscoloredtheirambitionwiththedesignofrestoringtherepublic；atask，saidCassiuspeculiarlyreservedforhisnameandfamily。]
Inelectivemonarchies，thevacancyofthethroneisamomentbigwithdangerandmischief。TheRomanemperors，desiroustosparethelegionsthatintervalofsuspense，andthetemptationofanirregularchoice，investedtheirdesignedsuccessorwithsolargeashareofpresentpower，asshouldenablehim，aftertheirdecease，toassumetheremainder，withoutsufferingtheempiretoperceivethechangeofmasters。ThusAugustus，afterallhisfairerprospectshadbeensnatchedfromhimbyuntimelydeaths，restedhislasthopesonTiberius，obtainedforhisadoptedsonthecensorialandtribunitianpowers，anddictatedalaw，bywhichthefutureprincewasinvestedwithanauthorityequaltohisown，overtheprovincesandthearmies。^32ThusVespasiansubduedthegenerousmindofhiseldestson。Tituswasadoredbytheeasternlegions，which，underhiscommand，hadrecentlyachievedtheconquestofJudaea。
Hispowerwasdreaded，and，ashisvirtueswerecloudedbytheintemperanceofyouth，hisdesignsweresuspected。Insteadoflisteningtosuchunworthysuspicions，theprudentmonarchassociatedTitustothefullpowersoftheImperialdignity；andthegratefulsoneverapprovedhimselfthehumbleandfaithfulministerofsoindulgentafather。^33
[Footnote32:VelleiusPaterculus，l。ii。c。121。Sueton。inTiber。c。26。]
[Footnote33:Sueton。inTit。c。6。Plin。inPraefat。Hist。
Natur。]
ThegoodsenseofVespasianengagedhimindeedtoembraceeverymeasurethatmightconfirmhisrecentandprecariouselevation。Themilitaryoath，andthefidelityofthetroops，hadbeenconsecrated，bythehabitsofahundredyears，tothenameandfamilyoftheCaesars；andalthoughthatfamilyhadbeencontinuedonlybythefictitiousriteofadoption，theRomansstillrevered，inthepersonofNero，thegrandsonofGermanicus，andthelinealsuccessorofAugustus。Itwasnotwithoutreluctanceandremorse，thatthepraetorianguardshadbeenpersuadedtoabandonthecauseofthetyrant。^34TherapiddownfallofGalba，Otho，andVitellus，taughtthearmiestoconsidertheemperorsasthecreaturesoftheirwill，andtheinstrumentsoftheirlicense。ThebirthofVespasianwasmean:
hisgrandfatherhadbeenaprivatesoldier，hisfatherapettyofficeroftherevenue；^35hisownmerithadraisedhim，inanadvancedage，totheempire；buthismeritwasratherusefulthanshining，andhisvirtuesweredisgracedbyastrictandevensordidparsimony。Suchaprinceconsultedhistrueinterestbytheassociationofason，whosemoresplendidandamiablecharactermightturnthepublicattentionfromtheobscureorigin，tothefutureglories，oftheFlavianhouse。UnderthemildadministrationofTitus，theRomanworldenjoyedatransientfelicity，andhisbelovedmemoryservedtoprotect，abovefifteenyears，thevicesofhisbrotherDomitian。
[Footnote34:ThisideaisfrequentlyandstronglyinculcatedbyTacitus。SeeHist。i。5，16，ii。76。]
[Footnote35:TheemperorVespasian，withhisusualgoodsense，laughedatthegenealogists，whodeducedhisfamilyfromFlavius，thefounderofReate，hisnativecountry，andoneofthecompanionsofHerculesSuetinVespasian，c。12。]
NervahadscarcelyacceptedthepurplefromtheassassinsofDomitian，beforehediscoveredthathisfeebleagewasunabletostemthetorrentofpublicdisorders，whichhadmultipliedunderthelongtyrannyofhispredecessor。Hismilddispositionwasrespectedbythegood；butthedegenerateRomansrequiredamorevigorouscharacter，whosejusticeshouldstriketerrorintotheguilty。Thoughhehadseveralrelations，hefixedhischoiceonastranger。HeadoptedTrajan，thenaboutfortyyearsofage，andwhocommandedapowerfularmyintheLowerGermany；andimmediately，byadecreeofthesenate，declaredhimhiscolleagueandsuccessorintheempire。^36Itissincerelytobelamented，thatwhilstwearefatiguedwiththedisgustfulrelationofNero\'scrimesandfollies，wearereducedtocollecttheactionsofTrajanfromtheglimmeringsofanabridgment，orthedoubtfullightofapanegyric。Thereremains，however，onepanegyricfarremovedbeyondthesuspicionofflattery。AbovetwohundredandfiftyyearsafterthedeathofTrajan，thesenate，inpouringoutthecustomaryacclamationsontheaccessionofanewemperor，wishedthathemightsurpassthefelicityofAugustus，andthevirtueofTrajan。^37
[Footnote36:Dion，l。lxviii。p。1121。Plin。Secund。inPanegyric。]
[Footnote37:FeliciorAugusto，MeliorTrajano。Eutrop。viii。
5。]
Wemayreadilybelieve，thatthefatherofhiscountryhesitatedwhetherheoughttointrustthevariousanddoubtfulcharacterofhiskinsmanHadrianwithsovereignpower。InhislastmomentstheartsoftheempressPlotinaeitherfixedtheirresolutionofTrajan，orboldlysupposedafictitiousadoption；
^38thetruthofwhichcouldnotbesafelydisputed，andHadrianwaspeaceablyacknowledgedashislawfulsuccessor。Underhisreign，ashasbeenalreadymentioned，theempireflourishedinpeaceandprosperity。Heencouragedthearts，reformedthelaws，assertedmilitarydiscipline，andvisitedallhisprovincesinperson。Hisvastandactivegeniuswasequallysuitedtothemostenlargedviews，andtheminutedetailsofcivilpolicy。Buttherulingpassionsofhissoulwerecuriosityandvanity。Astheyprevailed，andastheywereattractedbydifferentobjects，Hadrianwas，byturns，anexcellentprince，aridiculoussophist，andajealoustyrant。Thegeneraltenorofhisconductdeservedpraiseforitsequityandmoderation。Yetinthefirstdaysofhisreign，heputtodeathfourconsularsenators，hispersonalenemies，andmenwhohadbeenjudgedworthyofempire；andthetediousnessofapainfulillnessrenderedhim，atlast，peevishandcruel。Thesenatedoubtedwhethertheyshouldpronouncehimagodoratyrant；andthehonorsdecreedtohismemoryweregrantedtotheprayersofthepiousAntoninus。^39
[Footnote38:Dionl。lxix。p。1249affirmsthewholetohavebeenafiction，ontheauthorityofhisfather，who，beinggovernoroftheprovincewhereTrajandied，hadverygoodopportunitiesofsiftingthismysterioustransaction。YetDodwellPraelect。Camden。xvii。hasmaintainedthatHadrianwascalledtothecertainhopeoftheempire，duringthelifetimeofTrajan。]
[Footnote39:Dion，l。lxx。p。1171。Aurel。Victor。]
ThecapriceofHadrianinfluencedhischoiceofasuccessor。
Afterrevolvinginhismindseveralmenofdistinguishedmerit，whomheesteemedandhated，headoptedAeliusVerusagayandvoluptuousnobleman，recommendedbyuncommonbeautytotheloverofAntinous。^40ButwhilstHadrianwasdelightinghimselfwithhisownapplause，andtheacclamationsofthesoldiers，whoseconsenthadbeensecuredbyanimmensedonative，thenewCaesar^41wasravishedfromhisembracesbyanuntimelydeath。Heleftonlyoneson。HadriancommendedtheboytothegratitudeoftheAntonines。HewasadoptedbyPius；and，ontheaccessionofMarcus，wasinvestedwithanequalshareofsovereignpower。
AmongthemanyvicesofthisyoungerVerus，hepossessedonevirtue；adutifulreverenceforhiswisercolleague，towhomhewillinglyabandonedtherudercaresofempire。Thephilosophicemperordissembledhisfollies，lamentedhisearlydeath，andcastadecentveiloverhismemory。
[Footnote40:ThedeificationofAntinous，hismedals，hisstatues，temples，city，oracles，andconstellation，arewellknown，andstilldishonorthememoryofHadrian。Yetwemayremark，thatofthefirstfifteenemperors，Claudiuswastheonlyonewhosetasteinlovewasentirelycorrect。ForthehonorsofAntinous，seeSpanheim，CommentairesuilesCaesarsdeJulien，p。
80。]
[Footnote41:Hist。August。p。13。AureliusVictorinEpitom。]
AssoonasHadrian\'spassionwaseithergratifiedordisappointed，heresolvedtodeservethethanksofposterity，byplacingthemostexaltedmeritontheRomanthrone。Hisdiscerningeyeeasilydiscoveredasenatoraboutfiftyyearsofage，clamelessinalltheofficesoflife；andayouthofaboutseventeen，whoseriperyearsopenedafairprospectofeveryvirtue:theelderofthesewasdeclaredthesonandsuccessorofHadrian，oncondition，however，thathehimselfshouldimmediatelyadopttheyounger。ThetwoAntoninesforitisofthemthatwearenowpeaking，governedtheRomanworldforty—twoyears，withthesameinvariablespiritofwisdomandvirtue。
AlthoughPiushadtwosons，^42hepreferredthewelfareofRometotheinterestofhisfamily，gavehisdaughterFaustina，inmarriagetoyoungMarcus，obtainedfromthesenatethetribunitianandproconsularpowers，and，withanobledisdain，orratherignoranceofjealousy，associatedhimtoallthelaborsofgovernment。Marcus，ontheotherhand，reveredthecharacterofhisbenefactor，lovedhimasaparent，obeyedhimashissovereign，^43and，afterhewasnomore，regulatedhisownadministrationbytheexampleandmaximsofhispredecessor。
Theirunitedreignsarepossiblytheonlyperiodofhistoryinwhichthehappinessofagreatpeoplewasthesoleobjectofgovernment。
[Footnote42:Withoutthehelpofmedalsandinscriptions，weshouldbeignorantofthisfact，sohonorabletothememoryofPius。
Note:GibbonattributestoAntoninusPiusameritwhichheeitherdidnotpossess，orwasnotinasituationtodisplay。
1。Hewasadoptedonlyontheconditionthathewouldadopt，inhisturn，MarcusAureliusandL。Verus。
2。Histwosonsdiedchildren，andoneofthem，M。Galerius，alone，appearstohavesurvived，forafewyears，hisfather\'scoronation。Gibbonisalsomistakenwhenhesaysnote42that\"withoutthehelpofmedalsandinscriptions，weshouldbeignorantthatAntoninushadtwosons。\"
Capitolinussaysexpressly，c。1，Filiimaresduo，duae—foeminae；weonlyowetheirnamestohemedals。Pagi。Cont。
Baron，i。33，editParis。—W。]
[Footnote43:Duringthetwenty—threeyearsofPius\'sreign，Marcuswasonlytwonightsabsentfromthepalace，andeventhosewereatdifferenttimes。Hist。August。p。25。]
TitusAntoninusPiushasbeenjustlydenominatedasecondNuma。Thesameloveofreligion，justice，andpeace，wasthedistinguishingcharacteristicofbothprinces。Butthesituationofthelatteropenedamuchlargerfieldfortheexerciseofthosevirtues。Numacouldonlypreventafewneighboringvillagesfromplunderingeachother\'sharvests。Antoninusdiffusedorderandtranquillityoverthegreatestpartoftheearth。Hisreignismarkedbytherareadvantageoffurnishingveryfewmaterialsforhistory；whichis，indeed，littlemorethantheregisterofthecrimes，follies，andmisfortunesofmankind。Inprivatelife，hewasanamiable，aswellasagoodman。Thenativesimplicityofhisvirtuewasastrangertovanityoraffectation。Heenjoyedwithmoderationtheconveniencesofhisfortune，andtheinnocentpleasuresofsociety；^44andthebenevolenceofhissouldisplayeditselfinacheerfulserenityoftemper。
[Footnote44:Hewasfondofthetheatre，andnotinsensibletothecharmsofthefairsex。MarcusAntoninus，i。16。Hist。
August。p。20，21。JulianinCaesar。]
ThevirtueofMarcusAureliusAntoninuswasofsevererandmorelaboriouskind。^45Itwasthewell—earnedharvestofmanyalearnedconference，ofmanyapatientlecture，andmanyamidnightlucubration。AttheageoftwelveyearsheembracedtherigidsystemoftheStoics，whichtaughthimtosubmithisbodytohismind，hispassionstohisreason；toconsidervirtueastheonlygood，viceastheonlyevil，allthingsexternalasthingsindifferent。^46Hismeditations，composedinthetumultofthecamp，arestillextant；andheevencondescendedtogivelessonsofphilosophy，inamorepublicmannerthanwasperhapsconsistentwiththemodestyofsage，orthedignityofanemperor。^47ButhislifewasthenoblestcommentaryonthepreceptsofZeno。Hewasseveretohimself，indulgenttotheimperfectionsofothers，justandbeneficenttoallmankind。HeregrettedthatAvidiusCassius，whoexcitedarebellioninSyria，haddisappointedhim，byavoluntarydeath，ofthepleasureofconvertinganenemyintoafriend；；andhejustifiedthesincerityofthatsentiment，bymoderatingthezealofthesenateagainsttheadherentsofthetraitor。^48Warhedetested，asthedisgraceandcalamityofhumannature；^!!butwhenthenecessityofajustdefencecalleduponhimtotakeuparms，hereadilyexposedhispersontoeightwintercampaigns，onthefrozenbanksoftheDanube，theseverityofwhichwasatlastfataltotheweaknessofhisconstitution。Hismemorywasreveredbyagratefulposterity，andaboveacenturyafterhisdeath，manypersonspreservedtheimageofMarcusAntoninusamongthoseoftheirhouseholdgods。^49
[Footnote45:TheenemiesofMarcuschargedhimwithhypocrisy，andwithawantofthatsimplicitywhichdistinguishedPiusandevenVerus。Hist。August。6，34。Thissuspicions，unjustasitwas，mayservetoaccountforthesuperiorapplausebestoweduponpersonalqualifications，inpreferencetothesocialvirtues。
EvenMarcusAntoninushasbeencalledahypocrite；butthewildestscepticismneverinsinuatedthatCaesarmightprobablybeacoward，orTullyafool。Witandvalorarequalificationsmoreeasilyascertainedthanhumanityortheloveofjustice。]
[Footnote46:Tacitushascharacterized，inafewwords，theprinciplesoftheportico:Doctoressapientiaesecutusest，quisolabonaquaehonesta，maintantumquaeturpia；potentiam，nobilitatem，aeteraqueextra……bonisnequemalisadnumerant。
Tacit。Hist。iv。5。]
[Footnote47:BeforehewentonthesecondexpeditionagainsttheGermans，hereadlecturesofphilosophytotheRomanpeople，duringthreedays。HehadalreadydonethesameinthecitiesofGreeceandAsia。Hist。August。inCassio，c。3。]
[Footnote*:Cassiuswasmurderedbyhisownpartisans。Vulcat。
Gallic。inCassio，c。7。Dion，lxxi。c。27。—W。]
[Footnote48:Dion，l。lxxi。p。1190。Hist。August。inAvid。
Cassio。
Note:SeeoneofthenewlydiscoveredpassagesofDionCassius。Marcuswrotetothesenate，whourgedtheexecutionofthepartisansofCassius，inthesewords:\"Ientreatandbeseechyoutopreservemyreignunstainedbysenatorialblood。Noneofyourordermustperisheitherbyyourdesireormine。\"Mai。
Fragm。Vatican。ii。p。224。—M。]
[Footnote!!:MarcuswouldnotaccepttheservicesofanyofthebarbarianallieswhocrowdedtohisstandardinthewaragainstAvidiusCassius。\"Barbarians，\"hesaid，withwisebutvainsagacity，\"mustnotbecomeacquaintedwiththedissensionsoftheRomanpeople。\"Mai。FragmVaticanl。224。—M。]
[Footnote49:Hist。August。inMarc。Antonin。c。18。]
Ifamanwerecalledtofixtheperiodinthehistoryoftheworld，duringwhichtheconditionofthehumanracewasmosthappyandprosperous，hewould，withouthesitation，namethatwhichelapsedfromthedeathofDomitiantotheaccessionofCommodus。ThevastextentoftheRomanempirewasgovernedbyabsolutepower，undertheguidanceofvirtueandwisdom。Thearmieswererestrainedbythefirmbutgentlehandoffoursuccessiveemperors，whosecharactersandauthoritycommandedinvoluntaryrespect。TheformsoftheciviladministrationwerecarefullypreservedbyNerva，Trajan，Hadrian，andtheAntonines，whodelightedintheimageofliberty，andwerepleasedwithconsideringthemselvesastheaccountableministersofthelaws。