Buttheloftinessofthesebuildings，whichoftenconsistedofhastyworkandinsufficientmaterials，wasthecauseoffrequentandfatalaccidents；anditwasrepeatedlyenactedbyAugustus，aswellasbyNero，thattheheightofprivateedificeswithinthewallsofRome，shouldnotexceedthemeasureofseventyfeetfromtheground。^69III。Juvenal^70laments，asitshouldseemfromhisownexperience，thehardshipsofthepoorercitizens，towhomheaddressesthesalutaryadviceofemigrating，withoutdelay，fromthesmokeofRome，sincetheymightpurchase，inthelittletownsofItaly，acheerfulcommodiousdwelling，atthesamepricewhichtheyannuallypaidforadarkandmiserablelodging。House—rentwasthereforeimmoderatelydear:therichacquired，atanenormousexpense，theground，whichtheycoveredwithpalacesandgardens；butthebodyoftheRomanpeoplewascrowdedintoanarrowspace；andthedifferentfloors，andapartments，ofthesamehouse，weredivided，asitisstillthecustomofParis，andothercities，amongseveralfamiliesofplebeians。IV。Thetotalnumberofhousesinthefourteenregionsofthecity，isaccuratelystatedinthedescriptionofRome，composedunderthereignofTheodosius，andtheyamounttoforty—eightthousandthreehundredandeighty—two。^71Thetwoclassesofdomusandofinsuloe，intowhichtheyaredivided，includeallthehabitationsofthecapital，ofeveryrankandconditionfromthemarblepalaceoftheAnicii，withanumerousestablishmentoffreedmenandslaves，totheloftyandnarrowlodging—house，wherethepoetCodrusandhiswifewerepermittedtohireawretchedgarretimmediatelyunderthefiles。Ifweadoptthesameaverage，which，undersimilarcircumstances，hasbeenfoundapplicabletoParis，^72andindifferentlyallowabouttwenty—fivepersonsforeachhouse，ofeverydegree，wemayfairlyestimatetheinhabitantsofRomeattwelvehundredthousand:anumberwhichcannotbethoughtexcessiveforthecapitalofamightyempire，thoughitexceedsthepopulousnessofthegreatestcitiesofmodernEurope。^73
[Footnote66:Lipsiustom。iii。p。423，deMagnitud。Romana，l。
iii。c。3andIsaacVossiusObservant。Var。p。26—34haveindulgedstrangedreams，offour，oreight，orfourteen，millionsinRome。Mr。Hume，Essays，vol。i。p。450—457，withadmirablegoodsenseandscepticismbetrayssomesecretdispositiontoextenuatethepopulousnessofancienttimes。]
[Footnote67:Olympiodor。ap。Phot。p。197。SeeFabricius，Bibl。
Graec。tom。ix。p。400。]
[Footnote68:Ineaautemmajestateurbis，etciviuminfinitafrequentia，innumerabileshabitationesopusfuitexplicare。Ergocumreciperononpossetareaplanatantammultitudineminurbe，adauxiliumaltitudinisaedificiorumresipsacoegitdevenire。
Vitruv。ii。8。Thispassage，whichIowetoVossius，isclear，strong，andcomprehensive。]
[Footnote69:ThesuccessivetestimoniesofPliny，Aristides，Claudian，Rutilius，&c。，provetheinsufficiencyoftheserestrictiveedicts。SeeLipsius，deMagnitud。Romana，l。iii。c。
4。
—Tabulatatibijamtertiafumant；
Tunescis；namsigradibustrepidaturabimisUltimusardebit，quemtegulasolatueturApluvia。Juvenal。Satir。iii。199]
[Footnote70:Readthewholethirdsatire，butparticularly166，223，&c。Thedescriptionofacrowdedinsula，orlodging—house，inPetronius，c。95，97，perfectlytallieswiththecomplaintsofJuvenal；andwelearnfromlegalauthority，that，inthetimeofAugustus，Heineccius，Hist。Juris。Roman。c。iv。p。181，theordinaryrentoftheseveralcoenacula，orapartmentsofaninsula，annuallyproducedfortythousandsesterces，betweenthreeandfourhundredpoundssterling，Pandect。l。xix。tit。ii。No。
30，asumwhichprovesatoncethelargeextent，andhighvalue，ofthosecommonbuildings。]
[Footnote71:Thissumtotaliscomposedof1780domus，orgreathousesof46，602insuloe，orplebeianhabitations，seeNardini，RomaAntica，l。iii。p。88；andthesenumbersareascertainedbytheagreementofthetextsofthedifferentNotitioe。Nardini，l。viii。p。498，500。]
[Footnote72:SeethataccuratewriterM。deMessance，RecherchessurlaPopulation，p。175—187。Fromprobable，orcertaingrounds，heassignstoParis23，565houses，71，114families，and576，630inhabitants。]
[Footnote73:ThiscomputationisnotverydifferentfromthatwhichM。Brotier，thelasteditorofTacitus，tom。ii。p。380，
hasassumedfromsimilarprinciples；thoughheseemstoaimatadegreeofprecisionwhichitisneitherpossiblenorimportanttoobtain。]
[Footnote*:M。DureaudelaMalleEconomicPolitiquedesRomaines，t。i。p。369quotesapassagefromthexvthchapterofGibbon，inwhichheestimatesthepopulationofRomeatnotlessthanamillion，andaddsomittinganyreferencetothispassage，thatheGibboncouldnothaveseriouslystudiedthequestion。M。DureaudelaMalleproceedstoarguethatRome，ascontainedwithinthewallsofServiusTullius，occupyinganareaonlyonefifthofthatofParis，couldnothavecontained300，000
inhabitants；withinthoseofAureliannotmorethan560，000，inclusiveofsoldiersandstrangers。Thesuburbs，heendeavorstoshow，bothuptothetimeofAurelian，andafterhisreign，wereneithersoextensive，norsopopulous，asgenerallysupposed。M。DureaudelaMallehasbutimperfectlyquotedtheimportantpassageofDionysius，thatwhichprovesthatwhenhewroteinthetimeofAugustusthewallsofServiusnolongermarkedtheboundaryofthecity。Inmanyplacestheyweresobuiltupon，thatitwasimpossibletotracethem。Therewasnocertainlimit，wherethecityendedandceasedtobethecity；itstretchedouttosoboundlessanextentintothecountry。Ant。
Rom。iv。13。NoneofM。delaMalle\'sargumentsappeartometoprove，againstthisstatement，thattheseirregularsuburbsdidnotextendsofarinmanyparts，astomakeitimpossibletocalculateaccuratelytheinhabitedareaofthecity。Thoughnodoubtthecity，asreconstructedbyNero，wasmuchlesscloselybuiltandwithmanymoreopenspacesforpalaces，temples，andotherpublicedifices，yetmanypassagesseemtoprovethatthelawsrespectingtheheightofhouseswerenotrigidlyenforced。
Agreatpartofthelowerespeciallyoftheslavepopulation，wereverydenselycrowded，andlived，evenmorethaninourmoderntowns，incellarsandsubterraneandwellingsunderthepublicedifices。
NordoM。delaMalle\'sarguments，bywhichhewouldexplaintheinsulaeinsulaeofwhichtheNotitiaeUrbisgiveusthenumberasrowsofshops，withachamberortwowithinthedomus，orhousesofthewealthy，satisfymeastotheirsoundnessoftheirscholarship。Somepassageswhichheadducesdirectlycontradicthistheory；none，asappearstome，distinctlyproveit。Imustadheretotheoldinterpretationoftheword，aschieflydwellingsforthemiddlingorlowerclasses，orclustersoftenements，oftenperhaps，underthesameroof。
Onthispoint，Zumpt，intheDissertationbeforequoted，entirelydisagreeswithM。delaMalle。ZumpthaslikewisedetectedthemistakeofM。delaMalleastothe\"canon\"ofcorn，mentionedinthelifeofSeptimiusSeverusbySpartianus。OnthiscanontheFrenchwritercalculatestheinhabitantsofRomeatthattime。Butthe\"canon\"wasnotthewholesupplyofRome，butthatquantitywhichthestaterequiredforthepublicgranariestosupplythegratuitousdistributionstothepeople，andthepublicofficersandslaves；nodoubtlikewisetokeepdownthegeneralprice。M。ZumptreckonsthepopulationofRomeat2，000，000。Aftercarefulconsideration，Ishouldconceivethenumberinthetext，1，200，000，tobenearestthetruth—M。
1845。]
SuchwasthestateofRomeunderthereignofHonorius；atthetimewhentheGothicarmyformedthesiege，orrathertheblockade，ofthecity。^74Byaskilfuldispositionofhisnumerousforces，whoimpatientlywatchedthemomentofanassault，Alaricencompassedthewalls，commandedthetwelveprincipalgates，interceptedallcommunicationwiththeadjacentcountry，andvigilantlyguardedthenavigationoftheTyber，fromwhichtheRomansderivedthesurestandmostplentifulsupplyofprovisions。Thefirstemotionsofthenobles，andofthepeople，werethoseofsurpriseandindignation，thatavileBarbarianshoulddaretoinsultthecapitaloftheworld:buttheirarrogancewassoonhumbledbymisfortune；andtheirunmanlyrage，insteadofbeingdirectedagainstanenemyinarms，wasmeanlyexercisedonadefencelessandinnocentvictim。PerhapsinthepersonofSerena，theRomansmighthaverespectedthenieceofTheodosius，theaunt，nay，eventheadoptivemother，ofthereigningemperor:buttheyabhorredthewidowofStilicho；andtheylistenedwithcredulouspassiontothetaleofcalumny，whichaccusedherofmaintainingasecretandcriminalcorrespondencewiththeGothicinvader。Actuated，oroverawed，bythesamepopularfrenzy，thesenate，withoutrequiringanyevidenceofhisguilt，pronouncedthesentenceofherdeath。
Serenawasignominiouslystrangled；andtheinfatuatedmultitudewereastonishedtofind，thatthiscruelactofinjusticedidnotimmediatelyproducetheretreatoftheBarbarians，andthedeliveranceofthecity。Thatunfortunatecitygraduallyexperiencedthedistressofscarcity，andatlengththehorridcalamitiesoffamine。Thedailyallowanceofthreepoundsofbreadwasreducedtoonehalf，toonethird，tonothing；andthepriceofcornstillcontinuedtoriseinarapidandextravagantproportion。Thepoorercitizens，whowereunabletopurchasethenecessariesoflife，solicitedtheprecariouscharityoftherich；andforawhilethepublicmiserywasalleviatedbythehumanityofLaeta，thewidowoftheemperorGratian，whohadfixedherresidenceatRome，andconsecratedtotheuseoftheindigenttheprincelyrevenuewhichsheannuallyreceivedfromthegratefulsuccessorsofherhusband。^75Buttheseprivateandtemporarydonativeswereinsufficienttoappeasethehungerofanumerouspeople；andtheprogressoffamineinvadedthemarblepalacesofthesenatorsthemselves。Thepersonsofbothsexes，whohadbeeneducatedintheenjoymentofeaseandluxury，discoveredhowlittleisrequisitetosupplythedemandsofnature；andlavishedtheirunavailingtreasuresofgoldandsilver，toobtainthecoarseandscantysustenancewhichtheywouldformerlyhaverejectedwithdisdain。Thefoodthemostrepugnanttosenseorimagination，thealimentsthemostunwholesomeandpernicioustotheconstitution，wereeagerlydevoured，andfiercelydisputed，bytherageofhunger。Adarksuspicionwasentertained，thatsomedesperatewretchesfedonthebodiesoftheirfellow—creatures，whomtheyhadsecretlymurdered；andevenmothers，suchwasthehorridconflictofthetwomostpowerfulinstinctsimplantedbynatureinthehumanbreast，evenmothersaresaidtohavetastedthefleshoftheirslaughteredinfants!^76ManythousandsoftheinhabitantsofRomeexpiredintheirhouses，orinthestreets，forwantofsustenance；andasthepublicsepulchreswithoutthewallswereinthepoweroftheenemythestench，whicharosefromsomanyputridandunburiedcarcasses，infectedtheair；andthemiseriesoffamineweresucceededandaggravatedbythecontagionofapestilentialdisease。Theassurancesofspeedyandeffectualrelief，whichwererepeatedlytransmittedfromthecourtofRavenna，supportedforsometime，thefaintingresolutionoftheRomans，tillatlengththedespairofanyhumanaidtemptedthemtoaccepttheoffersofapraeternaturaldeliverance。
Pompeianus，praefectofthecity，hadbeenpersuaded，bytheartorfanaticismofsomeTuscandiviners，that，bythemysteriousforceofspellsandsacrifices，theycouldextractthelightningfromtheclouds，andpointthosecelestialfiresagainstthecampoftheBarbarians。^77TheimportantsecretwascommunicatedtoInnocent，thebishopofRome；andthesuccessorofSt。Peterisaccused，perhapswithoutfoundation，ofpreferringthesafetyoftherepublictotherigidseverityoftheChristianworship。Butwhenthequestionwasagitatedinthesenate；whenitwasproposed，asanessentialcondition，thatthosesacrificesshouldbeperformedintheCapitol，bytheauthority，andinthepresence，ofthemagistrates，themajorityofthatrespectableassembly，apprehensiveeitheroftheDivineoroftheImperialdispleasure，refusedtojoininanact，whichappearedalmostequivalenttothepublicrestorationofPaganism。^78
[Footnote74:FortheeventsofthefirstsiegeofRome，whichareoftenconfoundedwiththoseofthesecondandthird，seeZosimus，l。v。p。350—354，Sozomen，l。ix。c。6，Olympiodorus，ap。Phot。p。180，Philostorgius，l。xii。c。3，andGodefroy，Dissertat。p。467—475。]
[Footnote75:ThemotherofLaetawasnamedPissumena。Herfather，family，andcountry，areunknown。Ducange，Fam。
Byzantium，p。59。]
[Footnote76:Adnefandosciboserupitesurientiumrabies，etsuainvicemmembralaniarunt，dummaternonparcitlactentiinfantiae；etrecipitutero，quempaulloanteeffuderat。Jerom。
adPrincipiam，tom。i。p。121。ThesamehorridcircumstanceislikewisetoldofthesiegesofJerusalemandParis。Forthelatter，comparethetenthbookoftheHenriade，andtheJournaldeHenriIV。tom。i。p。47—83；andobservethataplainnarrativeoffactsismuchmorepathetic，thanthemostlaboreddescriptionsofepicpoetry]
[Footnote77:Zosimusl。v。p。355，356speaksoftheseceremonieslikeaGreekunacquaintedwiththenationalsuperstitionofRomeandTuscany。Isuspect，thattheyconsistedoftwoparts，thesecretandthepublic；theformerwereprobablyanimitationoftheartsandspells，bywhichNumahaddrawndownJupiterandhisthunderonMountAventine。
—Quidagantlaqueis，quaecarminedicant，QuaquetrahantsuperissedibusarteJovem，Scirenefashomini。
Theancilia，orshieldsofMars，thepignoraImperii，whichwerecarriedinsolemnprocessiononthecalendsofMarch，derivedtheiroriginfromthismysteriousevent，Ovid。Fast。iii。259—
398。Itwasprobablydesignedtorevivethisancientfestival，whichhadbeensuppressedbyTheodosius。Inthatcase，werecoverachronologicaldateMarchthe1st，A。D。409whichhasnothithertobeenobserved。
Note:Onthiscuriousquestionoftheknowledgeofconductinglightning，processedbytheancients，consultEusebeSalverte，desSciencesOccultes，l。xxiv。Paris，1829。—M。]
[Footnote78:Sozomenl。ix。c。6insinuatesthattheexperimentwasactually，thoughunsuccessfully，made；buthedoesnotmentionthenameofInnocent:andTillemont，Mem。Eccles。
tom。x。p。645isdeterminednottobelieve，thatapopecouldbeguiltyofsuchimpiouscondescension。]
ThelastresourceoftheRomanswasintheclemency，oratleastinthemoderation，ofthekingoftheGoths。Thesenate，whointhisemergencyassumedthesupremepowersofgovernment，appointedtwoambassadorstonegotiatewiththeenemy。ThisimportanttrustwasdelegatedtoBasilius，asenator，ofSpanishextraction，andalreadyconspicuousintheadministrationofprovinces；andtoJohn，thefirsttribuneofthenotaries，whowaspeculiarlyqualified，byhisdexterityinbusiness，aswellasbyhisformerintimacywiththeGothicprince。Whentheywereintroducedintohispresence，theydeclared，perhapsinamoreloftystylethanbecametheirabjectcondition，thattheRomanswereresolvedtomaintaintheirdignity，eitherinpeaceorwar；
andthat，ifAlaricrefusedthemafairandhonorablecapitulation，hemightsoundhistrumpets，andpreparetogivebattletoaninnumerablepeople，exercisedinarms，andanimatedbydespair。\"Thethickerthehay，theeasieritismowed，\"wastheconcisereplyoftheBarbarian；andthisrusticmetaphorwasaccompaniedbyaloudandinsultinglaugh，expressiveofhiscontemptforthemenacesofanunwarlikepopulace，enervatedbyluxurybeforetheywereemaciatedbyfamine。Hethencondescendedtofixtheransom，whichhewouldacceptasthepriceofhisretreatfromthewallsofRome:allthegoldandsilverinthecity，whetheritwerethepropertyofthestate，orofindividuals；alltherichandpreciousmovables；andalltheslavesthatcouldprovetheirtitletothenameofBarbarians。
Theministersofthesenatepresumedtoask，inamodestandsupplianttone，\"Ifsuch，Oking，areyourdemands，whatdoyouintendtoleaveus?\"\"YourLives!\"repliedthehaughtyconqueror:
theytrembled，andretired。Yet，beforetheyretired，ashortsuspensionofarmswasgranted，whichallowedsometimeforamoretemperatenegotiation。ThesternfeaturesofAlaricwereinsensiblyrelaxed；heabatedmuchoftherigorofhisterms；andatlengthconsentedtoraisethesiege，ontheimmediatepaymentoffivethousandpoundsofgold，ofthirtythousandpoundsofsilver，offourthousandrobesofsilk，ofthreethousandpiecesoffinescarletcloth，andofthreethousandpoundsweightofpepper。^79Butthepublictreasurywasexhausted；theannualrentsofthegreatestatesinItalyandtheprovinces，hadbeenexchanged，duringthefamine，forthevilestsustenance；thehoardsofsecretwealthwerestillconcealedbytheobstinacyofavarice；andsomeremainsofconsecratedspoilsaffordedtheonlyresourcethatcouldaverttheimpendingruinofthecity。AssoonastheRomanshadsatisfiedtherapaciousdemandsofAlaric，theywererestored，insomemeasure，totheenjoymentofpeaceandplenty。Severalofthegateswerecautiouslyopened；theimportationofprovisionsfromtheriverandtheadjacentcountrywasnolongerobstructedbytheGoths；thecitizensresortedincrowdstothefreemarket，whichwasheldduringthreedaysinthesuburbs；andwhilethemerchantswhoundertookthisgainfultrademadeaconsiderableprofit，thefuturesubsistenceofthecitywassecuredbytheamplemagazineswhichweredepositedinthepublicandprivategranaries。Amoreregulardisciplinethancouldhavebeenexpected，wasmaintainedinthecampofAlaric；
andthewiseBarbarianjustifiedhisregardforthefaithoftreaties，bythejustseveritywithwhichhechastisedapartyoflicentiousGoths，whohadinsultedsomeRomancitizensontheroadtoOstia。Hisarmy，enrichedbythecontributionsofthecapital，slowlyadvancedintothefairandfruitfulprovinceofTuscany，whereheproposedtoestablishhiswinterquarters；andtheGothicstandardbecametherefugeoffortythousandBarbarianslaves，whohadbroketheirchains，andaspired，underthecommandoftheirgreatdeliverer，torevengetheinjuriesandthedisgraceoftheircruelservitude。Aboutthesametime，hereceivedamorehonorablereenforcementofGothsandHuns，whomAdolphus，^80thebrotherofhiswife，hadconducted，athispressinginvitation，fromthebanksoftheDanubetothoseoftheTyber，andwhohadcuttheirway，withsomedifficultyandloss，throughthesuperiornumberoftheImperialtroops。Avictoriousleader，whounitedthedaringspiritofaBarbarianwiththeartanddisciplineofaRomangeneral，wasattheheadofahundredthousandfightingmen；andItalypronounced，withterrorandrespect，theformidablenameofAlaric。^81
[Footnote79:PepperwasafavoriteingredientofthemostexpensiveRomancookery，andthebestsortcommonlysoldforfifteendenarii，ortenshillings，thepound。SeePliny，Hist。
Natur。xii。14。ItwasbroughtfromIndia；andthesamecountry，thecoastofMalabar，stillaffordsthegreatestplenty:buttheimprovementoftradeandnavigationhasmultipliedthequantityandreducedtheprice。SeeHistoirePolitiqueetPhilosophique，&c。，tom。i。p。457。]
[Footnote80:ThisGothicchieftainiscalledbyJornandesandIsidore，Athaulphus；byZosimusandOrosius，Ataulphus；andbyOlympiodorus，Adaoulphus。IhaveusedthecelebratednameofAdolphus，whichseemstobeauthorizedbythepracticeoftheSwedes，thesonsorbrothersoftheancientGoths。]
[Footnote81:ThetreatybetweenAlaricandtheRomans，&c。，istakenfromZosimus，l。v。p。354，355，358，359，362，363。Theadditionalcircumstancesaretoofewandtriflingtorequireanyotherquotation。]