Romans, from the cataracts of the Nile to the banks of the Phafis, and from the mountains of Thrace to the frontiers of Perfia. 2. The important provinces of Pannonia, Dacia, Macedonia, and Greece, once acknowledged the authority of the præfect of Illyricum. 3. The power of the præfect of Italy was not confined to the country from whence he derived his title; it extended over the additional territory of Rhætia as far as the banks of the Danube, over the dependent islands of the Mediterranean, and over that part of the continent of Africa which lies between the confines of Cyrene and thofe of Tingitania. 4. The præfect of the Gauls comprehended under that plural denomination the kindred provinces of Britain and Spain, and his authority was obeyed from the wall of Antoninus to the fort of Mount Atlas "

After the Prætorian præfects had been dismissed from all military command, the civil functions which they were ordained to exercise over fo many subject nations, were adequate to the ambition and abilities of the moft confummate minifters. To their wisdom was committed the fupreme administration of justice and of the finances, the two objects which, in a state of a peace, comprehend almost all the refpective duties of the fovereign and of the people; of the former, to protect the citizens who are obedient to the laws; of the latter, to contribute the share of their property which is required for the expences of the ftate. The coin, the highways, the pofts, the

CHAP.

XVII.

XVII.

CHAP. granaries, the manufactures, whatever could intereft the public profperity, was moderated by the authority of the Prætorian præfects. As the immediate representatives of the Imperial majesty, they were empowered to explain, to enforce, and on fome occafions to modify, the general edicts by their discretionary proclamations. They watched over the conduct of the provincial governors, removed the negligent, and inflicted punishments on the guilty. From all the inferior jurifdictions, an appeal in every matter of importance, either civil or criminal, might be brought before the tribunal of the præfect: but his fentence was final and abfolute; and the emperors themselves refused to admit any complaints against the judgment or the integrity of a magiftrate whom they honoured with fuch unbounded confidence 10°. His appointments were suitable to his dignity ; and if avarice was his ruling paffion, he enjoyed frequent opportunities of collecting a rich harvest of fees of prefents, and of perquifites. Though the emperors no longer dreaded the ambition of their præfects, they were attentive to counterbalance the power of this great office by the uncertainty and shortnefs of its duration

The præ fects of

Rome and

nople.

102

700

101

From their fuperior importance and dignity, Rome and Conftantinople were alone excepted Conftanti- from the jurifdiction of the Prætorian præfects. The immense size of the city, and the experience of the tardy, ineffectual operation of the laws, had furnished the policy of Auguftus with a fpecious pretence for introducing a new magiftrate, who

alone

104

103

alone could reftrain a fervile and turbulent popu-
lace by the strong arm of arbitrary power 13. Va-
lerius Meffalla was appointed the firft præfect of
Rome, that his reputation might countenance fo
invidious a measure: but, at the end of a few
days, that accomplished citizen refigned his
office, declaring with a spirit worthy of the friend
of Brutus, that the found himself incapable of
exercising a power incompatible with public free-
dom. As the fenfe of liberty became lefs exqui-
fite, the advantages of order were more clearly
understood; and the præfect, who seemed to
have been defigned as a terror only to slaves
and vagrants, was permitted to extend his civil
and criminal jurifdiction over the equeftrian and
noble families of Rome. The prætors, annually
created as the judges of law and equity, could
not long difpute the poffeffion of the Forum with
a vigorous and permanent magiftrate, who was
usually admitted into the confidence of the prince.
Their courts were deferted, their number, which
had once fluctuated between twelve and eighteen
was gradually reduced to two or three, and their
important functions were confined to the expensive
obligation of exhibiting games for the amuse-
ment of the people. After the office of Roman
confuls had been changed into a vain pageant,
which was rarely displayed in the capital, the
præfects affumed their vacant place in the fenate,
and were foon acknowledged as the ordinary pre-
fidents of that venerable affembly. They received
appeals from the diftance of one hundred miles;
VOL. III.

107

C

106

СНАР.

XVII.

СНАР.

XVII.

The proconfuls, vice-præfects, etc.

and it was allowed as a principle of jurisprudence, that all municipal authority was derived from them alone. In the discharge of his laborious employment, the governor of Rome was affifted by fifteen officers, fome of whom had been originally his equals, or even his fuperiors. The principal departments were relative to the command of a numerous watch eftablished as a fafeguard against fires, robberies, and nocturnal disorders; the cuftody and diftribution of the public allowance of corn and provifions; the care of the port, of the aqueducts, of the common fewers, and of the navigation and bed of the Tyber; the inspection of the markets, the theatres, and of the private as well as public works. Their vigilance enfured the three principal objects of a regu lar police. fafety, plenty, and cleanlinefs; and as a proof of the attention of government to preferve the splendour and ornaments of the capital, a particular inspector was appointed for the ftatues; the guardian, as it were, of that inanimate people, which, according to the extravagant computation of an old writer, was fcarcely inferior in number to the living inhabitants of Rome. About thirty years after the foundation of Conftantinople, a fimilar magiftrate was created in that rifing metropolis, for the fame ufes, and with the same powers. A perfect equality was established between the dignity of the two municipal, and that of the four prætorian, præfects

109

Those who, in the Imperial hierarchy, were diftinguished by the title of Refpectable, formed an

XVII.

intermediate clafs between the illuftrious præfects CHAP. and the honourable magiftrates of the provinces. In this clafs, the proconfuls of Afia, Achaia, and Africa, claimed a pre-eminence, which was yielded to the remembrance of their ancient dignity; and the appeal from their tribunal to that of the præfects was almost the only mark of their dependence. But the civil government of the empire was diftributed into thirteen great DIOCESES, each of which equalled the just measure of a powerful kingdom. The first of these diocefes was fubject to the jurifdiction of the count of the eaft; and we may convey fome idea of the importance and variety of his functions, by obferving, that fix hundred apparitors, who would be styled at prefent either fecretaries, or clerks, or ushers, or messengers, were employed in his immediate office. The place of Auguftal præfect of Egypt was no longer filled by a Roman knight; but the name was retained; and the extraordinary powers which the fituation of the country, and the temper of the inhabitants, had once made indifpenfable, were still continued to the governor. The eleven remaining diocefes, of Asiana, Pontica, and Thrace; of Macedonia, Dacia, and Pannonia or Western Illyricum; of Italy and Africa; of Gaul, Spain, and Britain; were governed by twelve vicars, or vice-prafects whose name fufficiently explains the nature and dependence of their office. It may be added, that the lieutenantgenerals of the Roman armies, the military counts

112