Claud。inii。Cons。Stilichon。456。
MontfauconhasrepresentedsomeofthesetabletsordypticksseeSupplemental\'Antiquiteexpliquee，tom。iii。p。220。]
[Footnote84:ConsulelaetaturpostplurimaseculovisoPallanteusapex:agnoscuntrostracurulesAuditasquondamproavis:desuetaquecingitRegiusauratisForafascibusUlpialictor。
Claud。invi。Cons。Honorii，643。
FromthereignofCarustothesixthconsulshipofHonorius，therewasanintervalofonehundredandtwentyyears，duringwhichtheemperorswerealwaysabsentfromRomeonthefirstdayofJanuary。SeetheChronologiedeTillemonte，tom。iii。iv。andv。]
OnthemorningofthefirstofJanuary，theconsulsassumedtheensignsoftheirdignity。Theirdresswasarobeofpurple，embroideredinsilkandgold，andsometimesornamentedwithcostlygems。^85Onthissolemnoccasiontheywereattendedbythemosteminentofficersofthestateandarmy，inthehabitofsenators；andtheuselessfasces，armedwiththeonceformidableaxes，werebornebeforethembythelictors。^86Theprocessionmovedfromthepalace^87totheForumorprincipalsquareofthecity；wheretheconsulsascendedtheirtribunal，andseatedthemselvesinthecurulechairs，whichwereframedafterthefashionofancienttimes。Theyimmediatelyexercisedanactofjurisdiction，bythemanumissionofaslave，whowasbroughtbeforethemforthatpurpose；andtheceremonywasintendedtorepresentthecelebratedactionoftheelderBrutus，theauthoroflibertyandoftheconsulship，whenheadmittedamonghisfellow—citizensthefaithfulVindex，whohadrevealedtheconspiracyoftheTarquins。^88ThepublicfestivalwascontinuedduringseveraldaysinalltheprincipalcitiesinRome，fromcustom；inConstantinople，fromimitationinCarthage，Antioch，andAlexandria，fromtheloveofpleasure，andthesuperfluityofwealth。^89Inthetwocapitalsoftheempiretheannualgamesofthetheatre，thecircus，andtheamphitheatre，^90costfourthousandpoundsofgold，aboutonehundredandsixtythousandpoundssterling:andifsoheavyanexpensesurpassedthefacultiesortheinclinationsofthemagistratesthemselves，thesumwassuppliedfromtheImperialtreasury。^91Assoonastheconsulshaddischargedthesecustomaryduties，theywereatlibertytoretireintotheshadeofprivatelife，andtoenjoy，duringtheremainderoftheyear，theundisturbedcontemplationoftheirowngreatness。Theynolongerpresidedinthenationalcouncils；theynolongerexecutedtheresolutionsofpeaceorwar。Theirabilitiesunlesstheywereemployedinmoreeffectiveofficeswereoflittlemoment；andtheirnamesservedonlyasthelegaldateoftheyearinwhichtheyhadfilledthechairofMariusandofCicero。Yetitwasstillfeltandacknowledged，inthelastperiodofRomanservitude，thatthisemptynamemightbecompared，andevenpreferred，tothepossessionofsubstantialpower。Thetitleofconsulwasstillthemostsplendidobjectofambition，thenoblestrewardofvirtueandloyalty。Theemperorsthemselves，whodisdainedthefaintshadowoftherepublic，wereconsciousthattheyacquiredanadditionalsplendorandmajestyasoftenastheyassumedtheannualhonorsoftheconsulardignity。^92
[Footnote85:SeeClaudianinCons。Prob。etOlybrii，178，&c。；
andiniv。Cons。Honorii，585，&c。；thoughinthelatteritisnoteasytoseparatetheornamentsoftheemperorfromthoseoftheconsul。AusoniusreceivedfromtheliberalityofGratianavestispalmata，orrobeofstate，inwhichthefigureoftheemperorConstantiuswasembroidered。
Cernisetarmorumprocereslegumquepotentes:
Patriciossumunthabitus；etmoreGabinoDiscolorinceditlegio，positisqueparumperBellorumsignis，sequiturvexillaQuirini。
Lictoriceduntaquilae，ridetquetogatusMiles，etinmediiseffulgetcuriacastris。
Claud。iniv。Cons。Honorii，5。
—strictaqueproculradiaresecures。
InCons。Prob。229]
[Footnote87:SeeValesiusadAmmian。Marcellin。l。xxii。c。7。]
[Footnote88:Auspicemoxlaetosonuitclamoretribunal；
Tefastosineuntequater；solemnialuditOminalibertas；deductumVindicemoremLexservat，famulusquejugolaxatusheriliDucitur，etgratoremeatsecuriorictu。
Claud。inivCons。Honorii，611]
[Footnote89:Celebrantquidemsolemnesistosdiesomnesubiqueurbesquaesublegibusagunt；etRomademore，etConstantinopolisdeimitatione，etAntiochiaproluxu，etdiscinctaCarthago，etdomusfluminisAlexandria，sedTreviriPrincipisbeneficio。AusoniusinGrat。Actione。]
[Footnote90:ClaudianinCons。Mall。Theodori，279—331
describes，inalivelyandfancifulmanner，thevariousgamesofthecircus，thetheatre，andtheamphitheatre，exhibitedbythenewconsul。Thesanguinarycombatsofgladiatorshadalreadybeenprohibited。]
[Footnote91:ProcopiusinHist。Arcana，c。26。]
[Footnote92:InConsulatuhonossinelaboresuscipitur。
Mamertin。inPanegyr。Vet。xi。[x。]2。Thisexaltedideaoftheconsulshipisborrowedfromanorationiii。p。107
pronouncedbyJulianintheservilecourtofConstantius。SeetheAbbedelaBleterie，Memoiresdel\'Academie，tom。xxiv。p。
289，whodelightstopursuethevestigesoftheoldconstitution，andwhosometimesfindstheminhiscopiousfancy]
Theproudestandmostperfectseparationwhichcanbefoundinanyageorcountry，betweenthenoblesandthepeople，isperhapsthatofthePatriciansandthePlebeians，asitwasestablishedinthefirstageoftheRomanrepublic。Wealthandhonors，theofficesofthestate，andtheceremoniesofreligion，werealmostexclusivelypossessedbytheformerwho，preservingthepurityoftheirbloodwiththemostinsultingjealousy，^93
heldtheirclientsinaconditionofspeciousvassalage。Butthesedistinctions，soincompatiblewiththespiritofafreepeople，wereremoved，afteralongstruggle，bytheperseveringeffortsoftheTribunes。ThemostactiveandsuccessfulofthePlebeiansaccumulatedwealth，aspiredtohonors，deservedtriumphs，contractedalliances，and，aftersomegenerations，assumedtheprideofancientnobility。^94ThePatricianfamilies，ontheotherhand，whoseoriginalnumberwasneverrecruitedtilltheendofthecommonwealth，eitherfailedintheordinarycourseofnature，orwereextinguishedinsomanyforeignanddomesticwars，or，throughawantofmeritorfortune，insensiblymingledwiththemassofthepeople。^95Veryfewremainedwhocouldderivetheirpureandgenuineoriginfromtheinfancyofthecity，orevenfromthatoftherepublic，whenCaesarandAugustus，ClaudiusandVespasian，createdfromthebodyofthesenateacompetentnumberofnewPatricianfamilies，inthehopeofperpetuatinganorder，whichwasstillconsideredashonorableandsacred。^96Buttheseartificialsuppliesinwhichthereigninghousewasalwaysincludedwererapidlysweptawaybytherageoftyrants，byfrequentrevolutions，bythechangeofmanners，andbytheintermixtureofnations。^97LittlemorewasleftwhenConstantineascendedthethrone，thanavagueandimperfecttradition，thatthePatricianshadoncebeenthefirstoftheRomans。Toformabodyofnobles，whoseinfluencemayrestrain，whileitsecurestheauthorityofthemonarch，wouldhavebeenveryinconsistentwiththecharacterandpolicyofConstantine；buthadheseriouslyentertainedsuchadesign，itmighthaveexceededthemeasureofhispowertoratify，byanarbitraryedict，aninstitutionwhichmustexpectthesanctionoftimeandofopinion。Herevived，indeed，thetitleofPatricians，buthereviveditasapersonal，notasanhereditarydistinction。Theyyieldedonlytothetransientsuperiorityoftheannualconsuls；buttheyenjoyedthepre—eminenceoverallthegreatofficersofstate，withthemostfamiliaraccesstothepersonoftheprince。Thishonorablerankwasbestowedonthemforlife；andastheywereusuallyfavorites，andministerswhohadgrownoldintheImperialcourt，thetrueetymologyofthewordwaspervertedbyignoranceandflattery；andthePatriciansofConstantinewerereverencedastheadoptedFathersoftheemperorandtherepublic。^98
[Footnote93:IntermarriagesbetweenthePatriciansandPlebeianswereprohibitedbythelawsoftheXIITables；andtheuniformoperationsofhumannaturemayattestthatthecustomsurvivedthelaw。SeeinLivyiv。1—6theprideoffamilyurgedbytheconsul，andtherightsofmankindassertedbythetribuneCanuleius。]
[Footnote94:SeetheanimatedpicturedrawnbySallust，intheJugurthinewar，oftheprideofthenobles，andevenofthevirtuousMetellus，whowasunabletobrooktheideathatthehonoroftheconsulshipshouldbebestowedontheobscuremeritofhislieutenantMarius。c。64。Twohundredyearsbefore，theraceoftheMetellithemselveswereconfoundedamongthePlebeiansofRome；andfromtheetymologyoftheirnameofCoecilius，thereisreasontobelievethatthosehaughtynoblesderivedtheiroriginfromasutler。]
[Footnote95:IntheyearofRome800，veryfewremained，notonlyoftheoldPatricianfamilies，butevenofthosewhichhadbeencreatedbyCaesarandAugustus。Tacit。Annal。xi。25。ThefamilyofScaurusabranchofthePatricianAemiliiwasdegradedsolowthathisfather，whoexercisedthetradeofacharcoalmerchant，lefthimonlyteuslaves，andsomewhatlessthanthreehundredpoundssterling。ValeriusMaximus，l。iv。c。
4，n。11。Aurel。VictorinScauro。Thefamilywassavedfromoblivionbythemeritoftheson。]
[Footnote96:Tacit。Annal。xi。25。DionCassius，l。iii。p。
698。ThevirtuesofAgricola，whowascreatedaPatricianbytheemperorVespasian，reflectedhonoronthatancientorder；buthisancestorshadnotanyclaimbeyondanEquestriannobility。]
[Footnote97:Thisfailurewouldhavebeenalmostimpossibleifitweretrue，asCasauboncompelsAureliusVictortoaffirmadSueton，inCaesarv。24。SeeHist。Augustp。203andCasaubonComment。，p。220thatVespasiancreatedatonceathousandPatricianfamilies。ButthisextravagantnumberistoomuchevenforthewholeSenatorialorder。unlessweshouldincludealltheRomanknightswhoweredistinguishedbythepermissionofwearingthelaticlave。]
[Footnote98:Zosimus，l。ii。p。118；andGodefroyadCod。
Theodos。l。vi。tit。vi。]
II。ThefortunesofthePraetorianpraefectswereessentiallydifferentfromthoseoftheconsulsandPatricians。
Thelattersawtheirancientgreatnessevaporateinavaintitle。
Theformer，risingbydegreesfromthemosthumblecondition，wereinvestedwiththecivilandmilitaryadministrationoftheRomanworld。FromthereignofSeverustothatofDiocletian，theguardsandthepalace，thelawsandthefinances，thearmiesandtheprovinces，wereintrustedtotheirsuperintendingcare；
and，liketheViziersoftheEast，theyheldwithonehandtheseal，andwiththeotherthestandard，oftheempire。Theambitionofthepraefects，alwaysformidable，andsometimesfataltothemasterswhomtheyserved，wassupportedbythestrengthofthePraetorianbands；butafterthosehaughtytroopshadbeenweakenedbyDiocletian，andfinallysuppressedbyConstantine，thepraefects，whosurvivedtheirfall，werereducedwithoutdifficultytothestationofusefulandobedientministers。Whentheywerenolongerresponsibleforthesafetyoftheemperor\'sperson，theyresignedthejurisdictionwhichtheyhadhithertoclaimedandexercisedoverallthedepartmentsofthepalace。
TheyweredeprivedbyConstantineofallmilitarycommand，assoonastheyhadceasedtoleadintothefield，undertheirimmediateorders，thefloweroftheRomantroops；andatlength，byasingularrevolution，thecaptainsoftheguardsweretransformedintothecivilmagistratesoftheprovinces。
AccordingtotheplanofgovernmentinstitutedbyDiocletian，thefourprinceshadeachtheirPraetorianpraefect；andafterthemonarchywasoncemoreunitedinthepersonofConstantine，hestillcontinuedtocreatethesamenumberofFourPraefects，andintrustedtotheircarethesameprovinceswhichtheyalreadyadministered。1。ThepraefectoftheEaststretchedhisamplejurisdictionintothethreepartsoftheglobewhichweresubjecttotheRomans，fromthecataractsoftheNiletothebanksofthePhasis，andfromthemountainsofThracetothefrontiersofPersia。2。TheimportantprovincesofPannonia，Dacia，Macedonia，andGreece，onceacknowledgedtheauthorityofthepraefectofIllyricum。3。ThepowerofthepraefectofItalywasnotconfinedtothecountryfromwhencehederivedhistitle；itextendedovertheadditionalterritoryofRhaetiaasfarasthebanksoftheDanube，overthedependentislandsoftheMediterranean，andoverthatpartofthecontinentofAfricawhichliesbetweentheconfinesofCyreneandthoseofTingitania。4。ThepraefectoftheGaulscomprehendedunderthatpluraldenominationthekindredprovincesofBritainandSpain，andhisauthoritywasobeyedfromthewallofAntoninustothefootofMountAtlas。^99
[Footnote99:Zosimus，l。ii。p。109，110。IfwehadnotfortunatelypossessedthissatisfactoryaccountofthedivisionofthepowerandprovincesofthePraetorianpraefects，weshouldfrequentlyhavebeenperplexedamidstthecopiousdetailsoftheCode，andthecircumstantialminutenessoftheNotitia。]
AfterthePraetorianpraefectshadbeendismissedfromallmilitarycommand，thecivilfunctionswhichtheywereordainedtoexerciseoversomanysubjectnations，wereadequatetotheambitionandabilitiesofthemostconsummateministers。Totheirwisdomwascommittedthesupremeadministrationofjusticeandofthefinances，thetwoobjectswhich，inastateofpeace，comprehendalmostalltherespectivedutiesofthesovereignandofthepeople；oftheformer，toprotectthecitizenswhoareobedienttothelaws；ofthelatter，tocontributetheshareoftheirpropertywhichisrequiredfortheexpensesofthestate。
Thecoin，thehighways，theposts，thegranaries，themanufactures，whatevercouldinterestthepublicprosperity，wasmoderatedbytheauthorityofthePraetorianpraefects。AstheimmediaterepresentativesoftheImperialmajesty，theywereempoweredtoexplain，toenforce，andonsomeoccasionstomodify，thegeneraledictsbytheirdiscretionaryproclamations。
Theywatchedovertheconductoftheprovincialgovernors，removedthenegligent，andinflictedpunishmentsontheguilty。
Fromalltheinferiorjurisdictions，anappealineverymatterofimportance，eithercivilorcriminal，mightbebroughtbeforethetribunalofthepraefect；buthissentencewasfinalandabsolute；andtheemperorsthemselvesrefusedtoadmitanycomplaintsagainstthejudgmentortheintegrityofamagistratewhomtheyhonoredwithsuchunboundedconfidence。^100Hisappointmentsweresuitabletohisdignity；^101andifavaricewashisrulingpassion，heenjoyedfrequentopportunitiesofcollectingarichharvestoffees，ofpresents，andofperquisites。Thoughtheemperorsnolongerdreadedtheambitionoftheirpraefects，theywereattentivetocounterbalancethepowerofthisgreatofficebytheuncertaintyandshortnessofitsduration。^102
[Footnote100:SeealawofConstantinehimself。Apraefectisautempraetorioprovocare，nonsinimus。Cod。Justinian。l。vii。
tit。lxii。leg。19。Charisius，alawyerofthetimeofConstantine，Heinec。Hist。Romani，p。349，whoadmitsthislawasafundamentalprincipleofjurisprudence，comparesthePraetorianpraefectstothemastersofthehorseoftheancientdictators。Pandect。l。i。tit。xi。]
[Footnote101:WhenJustinian，intheexhaustedconditionoftheempire，institutedaPraetorianpraefectforAfrica，heallowedhimasalaryofonehundredpoundsofgold。Cod。Justinian。l。
i。tit。xxvii。leg。i。]
[Footnote102:Forthis，andtheotherdignitiesoftheempire，itmaybesufficienttorefertotheamplecommentariesofPancirolusandGodefroy，whohavediligentlycollectedandaccuratelydigestedintheirproperorderallthelegalandhistoricalmaterials。Fromthoseauthors，Dr。HowellHistoryoftheWorld，vol。ii。p。24—77hasdeducedaverydistinctabridgmentofthestateoftheRomanempire]
Fromtheirsuperiorimportanceanddignity，RomeandConstantinoplewerealoneexceptedfromthejurisdictionofthePraetorianpraefects。Theimmensesizeofthecity，andtheexperienceofthetardy，ineffectualoperationofthelaws，hadfurnishedthepolicyofAugustuswithaspeciouspretenceforintroducinganewmagistrate，whoalonecouldrestrainaservileandturbulentpopulacebythestrongarmofarbitrarypower。^103
ValeriusMessallawasappointedthefirstpraefectofRome，thathisreputationmightcountenancesoinvidiousameasure；but，attheendofafewdays，thataccomplishedcitizen^104resignedhisoffice，declaring，withaspiritworthyofthefriendofBrutus，thathefoundhimselfincapableofexercisingapowerincompatiblewithpublicfreedom。^105Asthesenseoflibertybecamelessexquisite，theadvantagesoforderweremoreclearlyunderstood；andthepraefect，whoseemedtohavebeendesignedasaterroronlytoslavesandvagrants，waspermittedtoextendhiscivilandcriminaljurisdictionovertheequestrianandnoblefamiliesofRome。Thepraetors，annuallycreatedasthejudgesoflawandequity，couldnotlongdisputethepossessionoftheForumwithavigorousandpermanentmagistrate，whowasusuallyadmittedintotheconfidenceoftheprince。Theircourtsweredeserted，theirnumber，whichhadoncefluctuatedbetweentwelveandeighteen，^106wasgraduallyreducedtotwoorthree，andtheirimportantfunctionswereconfinedtotheexpensiveobligation^107ofexhibitinggamesfortheamusementofthepeople。AftertheofficeoftheRomanconsulshadbeenchangedintoavainpageant，whichwasrarelydisplayedinthecapital，thepraefectsassumedtheirvacantplaceinthesenate，andweresoonacknowledgedastheordinarypresidentsofthatvenerableassembly。Theyreceivedappealsfromthedistanceofonehundredmiles；anditwasallowedasaprincipleofjurisprudence，thatallmunicipalauthoritywasderivedfromthemalone。^108Inthedischargeofhislaboriousemployment，thegovernorofRomewasassistedbyfifteenofficers，someofwhomhadbeenoriginallyhisequals，orevenhissuperiors。Theprincipaldepartmentswererelativetothecommandofanumerouswatch，establishedasasafeguardagainstfires，robberies，andnocturnaldisorders；