Theresolutionsofthemultitudegenerallydependonamoment；andthecapriceofpassionmightequallydeterminetheseditiouslegiontolaydowntheirarmsattheemperor\'sfeet，ortoplungethemintohisbreast。Perhaps，ifthissingulartransactionhadbeeninvestigatedbythepenetrationofaphilosopher，weshoulddiscoverthesecretcauseswhichonthatoccasionauthorizedtheboldnessoftheprince，andcommandedtheobedienceofthetroops；andperhaps，ifithadbeenrelatedbyajudicioushistorian，weshouldfindthisaction，worthyofCaesarhimself，reducednearertothelevelofprobabilityandthecommonstandardofthecharacterofAlexanderSeverus。Theabilitiesofthatamiableprinceseemtohavebeeninadequatetothedifficultiesofhissituation，thefirmnessofhisconductinferiortothepurityofhisintentions。Hisvirtues，aswellasthevicesofElagabalus，contractedatinctureofweaknessandeffeminacyfromthesoftclimateofSyria，ofwhichhewasanative；thoughheblushedathisforeignorigin，andlistenedwithavaincomplacencytotheflatteringgenealogists，whoderivedhisracefromtheancientstockofRomannobility。^79
Theprideandavariceofhismothercastashadeonthegloriesofhisreign；anbyexactingfromhisriperyearsthesamedutifulobediencewhichshehadjustlyclaimedfromhisunexperiencedyouth，Mamaeaexposedtopublicridiculebothherson\'scharacterandherown。^80ThefatiguesofthePersianwarirritatedthemilitarydiscontent；theunsuccessfulevent
degradedthereputationoftheemperorasageneral，andevenasasoldier。Everycauseprepared，andeverycircumstancehastened，arevolution，whichdistractedtheRomanempirewithalongseriesofintestinecalamities。
[Footnote79:FromtheMetelli。Hist。August。p。119。Thechoicewasjudicious。Inoneshortperiodoftwelveyears，theMetellicouldreckonsevenconsulshipsandfivetriumphs。SeeVelleiusPaterculus，ii。11，andtheFasti。]
[Footnote80:ThelifeofAlexander，intheAugustanHistory，isthemereideaofaperfectprince，anawkwardimitationoftheCyropaedia。Theaccountofhisreign，asgivenbyHerodian，isrationalandmoderate，consistentwiththegeneralhistoryoftheage；and，insomeofthemostinvidiousparticulars，confirmedbythedecisivefragmentsofDion。Yetfromaverypaltryprejudice，thegreaternumberofourmodernwritersabuseHerodian，andcopytheAugustanHistory。SeeMessdeTillemontandWotton。Fromtheoppositeprejudice，theemperorJulianinCaesarib。p。315dwellswithavisiblesatisfactionontheeffeminateweaknessoftheSyrian，andtheridiculousavariceofhismother。]
[Footnote*:HistoriansaredividedastothesuccessofthecampaignagainstthePersians；Herodianalonespeaksofdefeat。
Lampridius，Eutropius，Victor，andothers，saythatitwasveryglorioustoAlexander；thathebeatArtaxerxesinagreatbattle，andrepelledhimfromthefrontiersoftheempire。Thismuchiscertain，thatAlexander，onhisreturntoRome，Lamp。Hist。Aug。
c。56，133，134，receivedthehonorsofatriumph，andthathesaid，inhisorationtothepeople。Quirites，vicimusPersas，militesdivitesreduximus，vobiscongiariumpollicemur，crasludoscircensesPersicosdonabimus。Alexander，saysEckhel，hadtoomuchmodestyandwisdomtopermithimselftoreceivehonorswhichoughtonlytobetherewardofvictory，ifhehadnotdeservedthem；hewouldhavecontentedhimselfwithdissemblinghislosses。Eckhel，Doct。Num。vet。vii。276。Themedalsrepresenthimasintriumph；one，amongothers，displayshimcrownedbyVictorybetweentworivers，theEuphratesandtheTigris。P。M。TR。P。xii。Cos。iii。PP。ImperatorpaludatusD。
hastam。S。parazonium，statinterduosfluvioshumijacentes，etabaccedenteretroVictoriacoronatur。Ae。max。mod。Mus。Reg。
Gall。AlthoughGibbontreatsthisquestionmoreindetailwhenhespeaksofthePersianmonarchy，Ihavethoughtfittoplaceherewhatcontradictshisopinion。—G]
ThedissolutetyrannyofCommodus，thecivilwarsoccasionedbyhisdeath，andthenewmaximsofpolicyintroducedbythehouseofSeverus，hadallcontributedtoincreasethedangerouspowerofthearmy，andtoobliteratethefaintimageoflawsandlibertythatwasstillimpressedonthemindsoftheRomans。Theinternalchange，whichunderminedthefoundationsoftheempire，wehaveendeavoredtoexplainwithsomedegreeoforderandperspicuity。Thepersonalcharactersoftheemperors，theirvictories，laws，follies，andfortunes，caninterestusnofartherthanastheyareconnectedwiththegeneralhistoryoftheDeclineandFallofthemonarchy。OurconstantattentiontothatgreatobjectwillnotsufferustooverlookamostimportantedictofAntoninusCaracalla，whichcommunicatedtoallthefreeinhabitantsoftheempirethenameandprivilegesofRomancitizens。Hisunboundedliberalityflowednot，however，fromthesentimentsofagenerousmind；itwasthesordidresultofavarice，andwillnaturallybeillustratedbysomeobservationsonthefinancesofthatstate，fromthevictoriousagesofthecommonwealthtothereignofAlexanderSeverus。
ThesiegeofVeiiinTuscany，thefirstconsiderableenterpriseoftheRomans，wasprotractedtothetenthyear，muchlessbythestrengthoftheplacethanbytheunskillfulnessofthebesiegers。Theunaccustomedhardshipsofsomanywintercampaigns，atthedistanceofneartwentymilesfromhome，^81
requiredmorethancommonencouragements；audthesenatewiselypreventedtheclamorsofthepeople，bytheinstitutionofaregularpayforthesoldiers，whichwasleviedbyageneraltribute，assessedaccordingtoanequitableproportiononthepropertyofthecitizens。^82DuringmorethantwohundredyearsaftertheconquestofVeii，thevictoriesoftherepublicaddedlesstothewealththantothepowerofRome。ThestatesofItalypaidtheirtributeinmilitaryserviceonly，andthevastforce，bothbyseaandland，whichwasexertedinthePunicwars，wasmaintainedattheexpenseoftheRomansthemselves。Thathigh—spiritedpeoplesuchisoftenthegenerousenthusiasmoffreedomcheerfullysubmittedtothemostexcessivebutvoluntaryburdens，inthejustconfidencethattheyshouldspeedilyenjoytherichharvestoftheirlabors。Theirexpectationswerenotdisappointed。Inthecourseofafewyears，therichesofSyracuse，ofCarthage，ofMacedonia，andofAsia，werebroughtintriumphtoRome。ThetreasuresofPerseusaloneamountedtoneartwomillionssterling，andtheRomanpeople，thesovereignofsomanynations，wasforeverdeliveredfromtheweightoftaxes。^83
Theincreasingrevenueoftheprovinceswasfoundsufficienttodefraytheordinaryestablishmentofwarandgovernment，andthesuperfluousmassofgoldandsilverwasdepositedinthetempleofSaturn，andreservedforanyunforeseenemergencyofthestate。^84
[Footnote81:AccordingtothemoreaccurateDionysius，thecityitselfwasonlyahundredstadia，ortwelvemilesandahalf，fromRome，thoughsomeout—postsmightbeadvancedfartheronthesideofEtruria。Nardini，inaprofessedtreatise，hascombatedthepopularopinionandtheauthorityoftwopopes，andhasremovedVeiifromCivitaCastellana，toalittlespotcalledIsola，inthemidwaybetweenRomeandtheLakeBracianno。
Note:SeetheinterestingaccountofthesiteandruinsofVeiiinSirWGell\'stopographyofRomeanditsVicinity。v。ii。
p。303。—M。]
[Footnote82:Seethe4thand5thbooksofLivy。IntheRomancensus，property，power，andtaxationwerecommensuratewitheachother。]
[Footnote83:Plin。Hist。Natur。l。xxxiii。c。3。CicerodeOffic。ii。22。Plutarch，P。Aemil。p。275。]
[Footnote84:SeeafinedescriptionofthisaccumulatedwealthofagesinPhars。l。iii。v。155，&c。]
Historyhasnever，perhaps，sufferedagreaterormoreirreparableinjurythaninthelossofthecuriousregister
bequeathedbyAugustustothesenate，inwhichthatexperiencedprincesoaccuratelybalancedtherevenuesandexpensesoftheRomanempire。^85Deprivedofthisclearandcomprehensiveestimate，wearereducedtocollectafewimperfecthintsfromsuchoftheancientsashaveaccidentallyturnedasidefromthesplendidtothemoreusefulpartsofhistory。Weareinformedthat，bytheconquestsofPompey，thetributesofAsiawereraisedfromfiftytoonehundredandthirty—fivemillionsofdrachms；oraboutfourmillionsandahalfsterling。^86^!UnderthelastandmostindolentofthePtolemies，therevenueofEgyptissaidtohaveamountedtotwelvethousandfivehundredtalents；
asumequivalenttomorethantwomillionsandahalfofourmoney，butwhichwasafterwardsconsiderablyimprovedbythemoreexacteconomyoftheRomans，andtheincreaseofthetradeofAethiopiaandIndia。^87Gaulwasenrichedbyrapine，asEgyptwasbycommerce，andthetributesofthosetwogreatprovinceshavebeencomparedasnearlyequaltoeachotherinvalue。^88
ThetenthousandEuboicorPhoeniciantalents，aboutfourmillionssterling，^89whichvanquishedCarthagewascondemnedtopaywithinthetermoffiftyyears，wereaslightacknowledgmentofthesuperiorityofRome，^90andcannotbeartheleastproportionwiththetaxesafterwardsraisedbothonthelandsandonthepersonsoftheinhabitants，whenthefertilecoastofAfricawasreducedintoaprovince。^91
[Footnote*:SeeRationariumimperii。ComparebesidesTacitus，Suet。Aug。c。ult。Dion，p。832。Otheremperorskeptandpublishedsimilarregisters。SeeadissertationofDr。Wolle，deRationarioimperiiRom。Leipsig，1773。ThelastbookofAppianalsocontainedthestatisticsoftheRomanempire，butitislost。—W。]
[Footnote85:Tacit。inAnnal。i。ll。ItseemstohaveexistedinthetimeofAppian。]
[Footnote86:Plutarch，inPompeio，p。642。]
[Footnote!:WenckconteststheaccuracyofGibbon\'sversionofPlutarch，andsupposesthatPompeyonlyraisedtherevenuefrom50，000，000to85，000，000ofdrachms；butthetextofPlutarchseemsclearlytomeanthathisconquestsadded85，000，000totheordinaryrevenue。Wenckadds，\"Plutarchsaysinanotherpart，thatAntonymadeAsiapay，atonetime，200，000talents，thatistosay，38，875，000l。sterling。\"ButAppianexplainsthisbysayingthatitwastherevenueoftenyears，whichbringstheannualrevenue，atthetimeofAntonv，to3，875000l。sterling。—
M。]
[Footnote87:Strabo，l。xvii。p。798。]
[Footnote88:VelleiusPaterculus，l。ii。c。39。HeseemstogivethepreferencetotherevenueofGaul。]
[Footnote89:TheEuboic，thePhoenician，andtheAlexandriantalentsweredoubleinweighttotheAttic。SeeHooperonancientweightsandmeasures，p。iv。c。5。ItisveryprobablethatthesametalentwascarriedfromTyretoCarthage。]
[Footnote90:Polyb。l。xv。c。2。]
[Footnote91:AppianinPunicis，p。84。]
Spain，byaverysingularfatality，wasthePeruandMexicooftheoldworld。ThediscoveryoftherichwesterncontinentbythePhoenicians，andtheoppressionofthesimplenatives，whowerecompelledtolaborintheirownminesforthebenefitofstrangers，formanexacttypeofthemorerecenthistoryofSpanishAmerica。^92ThePhoenicianswereacquaintedonlywiththesea—coastofSpain；avarice，aswellasambition，carriedthearmsofRomeandCarthageintotheheartofthecountry，andalmosteverypartofthesoilwasfoundpregnantwithcopper，silver，andgold。MentionismadeofaminenearCarthagenawhichyieldedeverydaytwenty—fivethousanddrachmnsofsilver，oraboutthreehundredthousandpoundsayear。^93TwentythousandpoundweightofgoldwasannuallyreceivedfromtheprovincesofAsturia，Gallicia，andLusitania。^94
[Footnote92:DiodorusSiculus，l。5。OadizwasbuiltbythePhoeniciansalittlemorethanathousandyearsbeforeChrist。
SeeVell。Pater。i。2。]
[Footnote*:CompareHeeren\'sResearchesvol。i。partii。p。]
[Footnote93:Strabo，l。iii。p。148。]
[Footnote94:Plin。Hist。Natur。l。xxxiii。c。3。HementionslikewiseasilvermineinDalmatia，thatyieldedeverydayfiftypoundstothestate。]
WewantbothleisureandmaterialstopursuethiscuriousinquirythroughthemanypotentstatesthatwereannihilatedintheRomanempire。Somenotion，however，maybeformedoftherevenueoftheprovinceswhereconsiderablewealthhadbeendepositedbynature，orcollectedbyman，ifweobservethesevereattentionthatwasdirectedtotheabodesofsolitudeandsterility。AugustusoncereceivedapetitionfromtheinhabitantsofGyarus，humblyprayingthattheymightberelievedfromonethirdoftheirexcessiveimpositions。Theirwholetaxamountedindeedtonomorethanonehundredandfiftydrachms，oraboutfivepounds:butGyaruswasalittleisland，orratherarock，oftheAegeanSea，destituteoffreshwaterandeverynecessaryoflife，andinhabitedonlybyafewwretchedfishermen。^95
[Footnote95:Strabo，l。x。p。485。Tacit。Annal。iu。69，andiv。30。SeeTournefortVoyagesauLevant，Lettreviii。averylivelypictureoftheactualmiseryofGyarus。]
Fromthefaintglimmeringsofsuchdoubtfulandscatteredlights，weshouldbeinclinedtobelieve，1st，Thatwitheveryfairallowanceforthedifferencesoftimesandcircumstances
thegeneralincomeoftheRomanprovincescouldseldomamounttolessthanfifteenortwentymillionsofourmoney；^96and，2dly，ThatsoamplearevenuemusthavebeenfullyadequatetoalltheexpensesofthemoderategovernmentinstitutedbyAugustus，whosecourtwasthemodestfamilyofaprivatesenator，andwhosemilitaryestablishmentwascalculatedforthedefenceofthefrontiers，withoutanyaspiringviewsofconquest，oranyseriousapprehensionofaforeigninvasion。
[Footnote96:LipsiusdemagnitudineRomanal。ii。c。3
computestherevenueatonehundredandfiftymillionsofgoldcrowns；buthiswholebook，thoughlearnedandingenious，betraysaveryheatedimagination。
Note:IfJustusLipsiushasexaggeratedtherevenueoftheRomanempireGibbon，ontheotherhand，hasunderratedit。Hefixesitatfifteenortwentymillionsofourmoney。Butifwetakeonly，onamoderatecalculation，thetaxesintheprovinceswhichhehasalreadycited，theywillamount，consideringtheaugmentationsmadebyAugustus，tonearlythatsum。ThereremainalsotheprovincesofItaly，ofRhaetia，ofNoricum，Pannonia，andGreece，&c。，&c。Letuspayattention，besides，totheprodigiousexpenditureofsomeemperors，Suet。Vesp。16；weshallseethatsucharevenuecouldnotbesufficient。TheauthorsoftheUniversalHistory，partxii。，assignfortymillionssterlingasthesumtoaboutwhichthepublicrevenuemightamount。—G。fromW。]
Notwithstandingtheseemingprobabilityofboththeseconclusions，thelatterofthematleastispositivelydisownedbythelanguageandconductofAugustus。Itisnoteasytodeterminewhether，onthisoccasion，heactedasthecommonfatheroftheRomanworld，orastheoppressorofliberty；
whetherhewishedtorelievetheprovinces，ortoimpoverishthesenateandtheequestrianorder。Butnosoonerhadheassumedthereinsofgovernment，thanhefrequentlyintimatedtheinsufficiencyofthetributes，andthenecessityofthrowinganequitableproportionofthepublicburdenuponRomeandItaly。^!
Intheprosecutionofthisunpopulardesign，headvanced，however，bycautiousandwell—weighedsteps。Theintroductionofcustomswasfollowedbytheestablishmentofanexcise，andtheschemeoftaxationwascompletedbyanartfulassessmentontherealandpersonalpropertyoftheRomancitizens，whohadbeenexemptedfromanykindofcontributionaboveacenturyandahalf。
[Footnote!:ItisnotastonishingthatAugustusheldthislanguage。ThesenatedeclaredalsounderNero，thatthestatecouldnotexistwithouttheimpostsaswellaugmentedasfoundedbyAugustus。Tac。Ann。xiii。50。AftertheabolitionofthedifferenttributespaidbyItaly，anabolitionwhichtookplaceA。U。646，694，and695，thestatederivednorevenuesfromthatgreatcountry，butthetwentiethpartofthemanumissions，vicesimamanumissionum，andCierolamentsthisinmanyplaces，particularlyinhisepistlestoii。15。—G。fromW。]
I。InagreatempirelikethatofRome，anaturalbalanceofmoneymusthavegraduallyestablisheditself。Ithasbeenalreadyobserved，thatasthewealthoftheprovinceswasattractedtothecapitalbythestronghandofconquestandpower，soaconsiderablepartofitwasrestoredtotheindustriousprovincesbythegentleinfluenceofcommerceandarts。InthereignofAugustusandhissuccessors，dutieswereimposedoneverykindofmerchandise，whichthroughathousandchannelsflowedtothegreatcentreofopulenceandluxury；andinwhatsoevermannerthelawwasexpressed，itwastheRomanpurchaser，andnottheprovincialmerchant，whopaidthetax。^97
Therateofthecustomsvariedfromtheeighthtothefortiethpartofthevalueofthecommodity；andwehavearighttosupposethatthevariationwasdirectedbytheunalterablemaximsofpolicy；thatahigherdutywasfixedonthearticlesofluxurythanonthoseofnecessity，andthattheproductionsraisedormanufacturedbythelaborofthesubjectsoftheempireweretreatedwithmoreindulgencethanwasshowntothepernicious，oratleasttheunpopularcommerceofArabiaandIndia。^98Thereisstillextantalongbutimperfectcatalogueofeasterncommodities，whichaboutthetimeofAlexanderSeverusweresubjecttothepaymentofduties；cinnamon，myrrh，pepper，ginger，andthewholetribeofaromaticsagreatvarietyofpreciousstones，amongwhichthediamondwasthemostremarkableforitsprice，andtheemeraldforitsbeauty；^99ParthianandBabylonianleather，cottons，silks，bothrawandmanufactured，ebonyivory，andeunuchs。^100Wemayobservethattheuseandvalueofthoseeffeminateslavesgraduallyrosewiththedeclineoftheempire。