СНАР. XVII. The go vernors of the provinces. and dukes, who will be hereafter mentioned, were allowed the rank and title of Respectable. As the spirit of jealousy and oftentation prevailed in the councils of the emperors, they proceeded with anxious diligence to divide the fubftance, and to multiply the titles of power. The vast countries which the Roman conquerors had united under the fame fimple form of adminiftration, were imperceptibly crumbled into minute fragments; till at length the whole empire was diftributed into one hundred and fixteen provinces, each of which fupported an expenfive and fplendid eftablishment. Of thefe, three were governed by proconfuls, thirty-feven by confulars, five by correctors, and feventy-one by prefidents. The appellations of these magiftrates were different; they ranked in fucceffive order, the enfigns of their dignity were curiously varied, and their fituation, from accidental circumftances, might be more or lefs agreeable, or advantageous. But they were all (excepting only the proconfuls) alike included in the clafs of honourable perfons; and they were alike entrusted during the pleasure of the prince, and under the authority of the præfects or their deputies, with the adminiftration of juftice and the finances in their refpective diftricts. The ponderous volumes of the Codes and Pandects " would furnish ample materials for a minute enquiry into the fyftem of provincial government, as in the space of fix centuries it was improved by the wisdom of the Roman ftatefmen and lawyers. It may be fufficient for the hiftorian to felect two 113 fingular and falutary provifions intended to CHAP. XVII. XVII. tant 116 115 CHAP. be biaffed, if his intereft was concerned, or his affections were engaged; the ftricteft regulations were established, to exclude any perfon, without the fpecial difpenfation of the emperor, from the government of the province where he was born "'; and to prohibit the governor or his fon from contracting marriage with a native or an inhabi; or from purchafing slaves, lands, or houses, within the extent of his jurifdiction "". Notwithstanding these rigorous precautions, the emperor Conftantine, after a reign of twenty-five years, ftill deplores the venal and oppreffive administration of justice, and expreffes the warmest indignation that the audience of the judge, his difpatch of bufinefs, his feafonable delays, and his final fentence, were publicly fold, either by himself or by the officers of his court. The continuance, and perhaps the impunity, of these crimes, is attefted by the repetition of impotent laws, and ineffectual menaces The pro the law. 118 All the civil magiftrates were drawn from the profeffion of the law. The celebrated Inftitutes of Juftinian are addreffed to the youth of his dominions, who had devoted themselves to the ftudy of Roman jurifprudence; and the fovereign condefcends to animate their diligence, by the affurance that their skill and ability would in time be rewarded by an adequate share in the government of the republic ". The rudiments of this Jucrative fcience were taught in all the confiderable cities of the eaft and weft; but the most famous school was that of Berytus ", on the coaft of Phoenicia; which flourished above three centuries from the time of Alexander Severus, the author perhaps of an inftitution fo advantageous to his native country. After a regular course of education, which lafted five years, the students difperfed themselves through the provinces, in fearch of fortune and honours; nor could they want an inexhaustible supply of business in a great empire, already corrupted by the multiplicity of laws, of arts, and of vices. The court of the Prætorian præfect of the east could alone furnish employment for one hundred and fifty advocates, fixty-four of whom were diftinguished by peculiar privileges, and two were annually chofen with a falary of fixty pounds of gold, to defend the causes of the treafury, The first experiment was made of their judicial talents, by appointing them to act occafionally as affeffors to the magiftrates; from thence they were often raised to prefide in the tribunals before which they had pleaded. They obtained the government of a province; and, by the aid of merit, of reputation, or of favour, they afcended, by fucceffive steps, to the illuftrious dignities of the ftate ". In the practice: of the bar, these men had confidered reason as the inftrument of difpute; they interpreted the laws according to the dictates of private intereft; and the fame pernicious habits might still adhere to their characters in the public adminiftration of the ftate. The honour of a liberal profeffion has indeed been vindicated by ancient and modern advocates, who have filled the most important CHAP. XVIE CHAP The mili tary offi cers, 122 ftations, with pure integrity, and confummate 123 III. In the fyftem of policy introduced by Auguftus, the governors, thofe at leaft of the imperial provinces, were invested with the full powers of the fovereign himself. Minifters of peace and war, the diftribution of rewards and punishments |