History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2Gibbon, Edward
History
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2
Gibbon, Edward
Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.
107 (return) [ Heineccii. Element. Juris Civilis secund ordinem
Pandect i. p. 70. See, likewise, Spanheim de Usu. Numismatum,
tom. ii. dissertat. x. p. 119. In the year 450, Marcian published
a law, that _three_ citizens should be annually created Prætors
of Constantinople by the choice of the senate, but with their own
consent. Cod. Justinian. li. i. tit. xxxix. leg. 2.]
108 (return) [ Quidquid igitur intra urbem admittitur, ad P. U.
videtur pertinere; sed et siquid intra contesimum milliarium.
Ulpian in Pandect l. i. tit. xiii. n. 1. He proceeds to enumerate
the various offices of the præfect, who, in the code of
Justinian, (l. i. tit. xxxix. leg. 3,) is declared to precede and
command all city magistrates sine injuria ac detrimento honoris
alieni.]
109 (return) [ Besides our usual guides, we may observe that
Felix Cantelorius has written a separate treatise, De Præfecto
Urbis; and that many curious details concerning the police of
Rome and Constantinople are contained in the fourteenth book of
the Theodosian Code.]
Chapter XVII: Foundation Of Constantinople.—Part IV.
Those who, in the imperial hierarchy, were distinguished by the
title of _Respectable_, formed an intermediate class between the
_illustrious_ præfects, and the _honorable_ magistrates of the
provinces. In this class the proconsuls of Asia, Achaia, and
Africa, claimed a preëminence, 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. 110 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. 111
The place of _Augustal præfect_ of Egypt was no longer filled by
a Roman knight; but the name was retained; and the extraordinary
powers which the situation of the country, and the temper of the
inhabitants, had once made indispensable, were still continued to
the governor. The eleven remaining dioceses, 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-præfects_, 112 whose name
sufficiently explains the nature and dependence of their office.
It may be added, that the lieutenant-generals of the Roman
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account