Pinnock's improved edition of Dr. Goldsmith's History of Rome: $b to which is prefixed an introduction to the study of Roman history, and a great variety of valuable information added throughout the work, on the manners, institutions, and antiquities of the Romans; with numerous biographical and historical notes; and questions for examination at the end of each section.; $c By Wm. C. Taylor.Goldsmith, Oliver
History
Pinnock's improved edition of Dr. Goldsmith's History of Rome: $b to which is prefixed an introduction to the study of Roman history, and a great variety of valuable information added throughout the work, on the manners, institutions, and antiquities of the Romans; with numerous biographical and historical notes; and questions for examination at the end of each section.; $c By Wm. C. Taylor.
Goldsmith, Oliver
Rome -- History
4. Upon being acknowledged king, he determined to make a great change
in the Roman constitution by admitting the plebeians to a
participation in the civil government. The senate was too weak to
resist the change when it was proposed, but it submitted with great
reluctance. 5. Ser'vius divided all the Romans into classes and
centuries according to their wealth and the amount of taxes paid
to the state. The number of centuries in the first class nearly
equalled that of all the others; a great advantage to the plebeians;
for the lower classes being chiefly clients of the patricians, were
always inclined to vote according to the prejudices or interests of
their patrons.
6. The classification by centuries was also used for military
purposes; the heavy armed infantry being selected from the richer
classes; the light troops, whose arms and armour could be obtained at
less expense, were levied among the lower centuries.
7. In order to ascertain the increase or decay of his subjects, and
their fortunes, he instituted another regulation, which he called a
_lustrum_. By this, all the citizens were to assemble in the Cam'pus
Mar'tius,[2] in complete armour, and in their respective classes, once
in five years, and there to give an exact account of their families
and fortune.
8. Having enjoyed a long reign, spent in settling the domestic policy
of the state, and also not inattentive to foreign concerns, he
conceived reasonable hopes of concluding it with tranquillity and
ease. He even had thoughts of laying down his power; and, having
formed the kingdom into a republic, to retire into obscurity; but so
generous a design was frustrated ere it could be put into execution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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