of Augustal præfect of Egypt was no ed by a Roman knight; but the name was and the extraordinary powers which the f the country, and the temper of the inhad once made indispensable, were still to the governor. The eleven remaining. f Asiana, Pontica, and Thrace; of Maacia, and Pannonia or Western Illyricum; 1 Africa; of Gaul, Spain, and Britain; ned by twelve vicars, or vice-præfects, sufficiently explains the nature and def their office. It may be added, that ant-generals of the Roman armies, the ints and dukes, who will be hereafter were allowed the rank and title of Re

CHAP.

XIV.

the pro

irit of jealousy and ostentation prevailed The go-
ils of the emperors, they proceeded with vernors of
gence to divide the substance, and to vinces.
titles of power. The vast countries
oman conquerors had united under the
form of administration, were imper-
nbled into minute fragments; till at
hole empire was distributed into one
sixteen provinces, each of which sup-
ensive and splendid establishment. Of
were governed by proconsuls, thirty-
lars, five by correctors, and seventy-
dents. The appellations of these ma-
different; they ranked in successive
signs of their dignity were curiously
heir situation, from accidental circum-
be more or less agreeable or advan-
they were all (excepting only the
ke included in the class of honourable
they were alike entrusted, during the
e prince, and under the authority of

The proconsuls, vice-præfects, &c.

XIV.

CHAP. of corn and provisions; the care of the port, of the
aqueducts, of the common sewers, and of the navi-
gation and bed of the Tyber; the inspection of the
markets, the theatres, and of the private as well as
public works.
Their vigilance ensured the three
principal objects of a regular police, safety, plenty,
and cleanliness; and as a proof of the attention of go-
vernment to preserve the splendour and ornaments of
the capital, a particular inspector was appointed for
the statues; the guardian, as it were, of that inani-
mate people, which, according to the extravagant
computation of an old writer, was scarcely inferior in
number to the living inhabitants of Rome. About
thirty years after the foundation of Constantinople,
a similar magistrate was created in that rising metro-
polis, for the same uses, and with the same powers.
A perfect equality was established between the dig
nity of the two municipal, and that of the four præ-
torian, præfects.

Those who, in the Imperial hierarchy, were distinguished by the title of Respectable, formed an intermediate class between the illustrious præfects and the honourable magistrates of the provinces. In this class the proconsuls of Asia, 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 distributed into thirteen great DIOCESES, each of which equalled the just measure of a powerful kingdom. The first of these dioceses was subject to the jurisdiction of the count of the east; and we may convey some idea of the importance and variety of his functions, by observing, that six hundred apparitors, who would be styled at present either secretaries, or clerks, or ushers, or messengers, were employed in his immediate office.

XIV.

ustal præfect of Egypt was no CHAP. Coman knight; but the name was extraordinary powers which the untry, and the temper of the inmade indispensable, were still overnor. The eleven remaining Pontica, and Thrace; of MaPannonia or Western Illyricum; of Gaul, Spain, and Britain; welve vicars, or vice-præfects, ly explains the nature and defice. It may be added, that ls of the Roman armies, the dukes, who will be hereafter wed the rank and title of Re

vernors of the pro

busy and ostentation prevailed The gomperors, they proceeded with ivide the substance, and to vinces. power. The vast countries erors had united under the administration, were imperminute fragments; till at re was distributed into one vinces, each of which supplendid establishment. Of ned by proconsuls, thirtyby correctors, and seventye appellations of these mathey ranked in successive eir dignity were curiously n, from accidental circumr less agreeable or advanall (excepting only the in the class of honourable ke entrusted, during the i under the authority of

29

XIV.

CHAP. the præfects or their deputies, with the administration of justice and the finances in their respective districts. The ponderous volumes of the Codes and Pandects would furnish ample materials for a minute inquiry into the system of provincial government, as in the space of six centuries it was improved by the wisdom of the Roman statesmen and lawyers. It may be sufficient for the historian to select two singular and salutary provisions intended to restrain the abuse of authority. 1. For the preservation of peace and order, the governors of the provinces were armed with the sword of justice. They inflicted corporal punishments, and they exercised, in capital offences, the power of life and death. But they were not authorised to indulge the condemned criminal with the choice of his own execution, or to pronounce a sentence of the mildest and most honourable kind of exile. These prerogatives were reserved to the præfects, who alone could impose the heavy fine of fifty pounds of gold: their vicegerents were confined to the trifling weight of a few ounces. This distinction, which seems to grant the larger, while it denies the smaller degree of authority, was founded on a very rational motive. The smaller degree was infinitely more liable to abuse. The passions of a provincial magistrate might frequently provoke him into acts of oppression, which affected only the freedom or the fortunes of the subject; though, from a principle of prudence, perhaps of humanity, he might still be terrified by the guilt of innocent blood. It may likewise be considered, that exile, considerable fines, or the choice of an easy death, relate more particularly to the rich and the noble; and the persons the most exposed to the avarice or resentment of a provincial magistrate were thus removed from his obscure persecution to the more august and impartial tribunal of the Prætorian præ

XIV.

As it was reasonably apprehended that the CHAP.
f the judge might be biassed, if his in-
oncerned, or his affections were engaged;
t regulations were established to exclude
without the special dispensation of the
om the government of the province where
; and to prohibit the governor or his
ntracting marriage with a native or an in-
from purchasing slaves, lands, or houses,
xtent of his jurisdiction. Notwithstand-
igorous precautions, the emperor Con-
er a reign of twenty-five years, still de-
enal and oppressive administration of
expresses the warmest indignation that
of the judge, his despatch of business,
e delays, and his final sentence, were
either by himself or by the officers of
The continuance, and perhaps the im-
ese crimes, is attested by the repetition
aws, and ineffectual menaces.
vil magistrates were drawn from the The profes-
the law. The celebrated Institutes of law.
addressed to the youth of his dominions,
ted themselves to the study of Roman
; and the sovereign condescends to
diligence, by the assurance that their
ity would in time be rewarded by an
e in the government of the republic.
s of this lucrative science were taught
siderable cities of the east and west;
amous school was that of Berytus, on
oenicia; which flourished above three
the time of Alexander Severus, the
of an institution so advantageous to
try. After a regular course of edu-
lasted five years, the students dis-
Ives through the provinces, in search

sion of the

1

1

1