In the province governed by Constantius, however, the edict was carried out with great lukewarmness; and soon the son of Constantius sat on the throne of Diocletian, and by his side was the Christian Helena. In this woman we see the transition from paganism to the new religion. Yet there is no clear record of her conversion; there is no mark in her life to indicate that it was in any moral sense created anew. So it was with Roman society. Women intrigued and took part in sensual indulgence and cruel revenge after Constantine had seen the Cross in the sky, just as they had done before. The new doctrine was a leaven which required many centuries to spread; but in the meantime the ancient paganism, with all its grandeur and all its weakness, had disappeared, just as the ancient type of Roman womanhood had given place to a new womanhood of conglomerate nationality, with more privilege but not more character. In the days of Valentinian, when the pagan worship was definitely prohibited, the orator Symmachus represented the old religion as an aged matron pleading thus for tolerance: "Most excellent princes, fathers of your country, pity and respect my age, which has hitherto flowed in an uninterrupted course of piety. Since I do not repent, permit me to continue in the practice of my ancient rites. Since I am born free, allow me to enjoy my domestic institutions. This religion has reduced the world under my laws. These rites have repelled Hannibal from the city and the Gauls from the Capitol. Were my gray hairs reserved for such intolerable disgrace? I am ignorant of the new system I am required to adopt; but I am well assured that the correction of old age is always an ungrateful and ignominious office." The history of the Roman woman we have essayed to recount has run contemporaneously with the life of this worship of the old gods. What she was that religion largely made her. In it she found inspiration for her brave deeds; its ideals were the expression of her love of beauty; it strengthened her fortitude in times of trial; and when we remember her frailties, charity must also remind us that, apart from her own nature and the custom of her time, this religion was all that she had. CONTENTS PREFACE I THE WOMAN OF LEGENDARY ROME II NOBLE MATRONS OF THE REPUBLIC III WOMAN'S PART IN RELIGION IV THE PASSING OF OLD ROMAN SIMPLICITY V ROMAN MARRIAGE VI WOMAN UNDER JULIUS CÆSAR VII THE ROMAN WOMAN IN POLITICS VIII THE ROMAN WOMAN INI LITERATURE IX WOMAN AT HER WORST X THE WOMEN OF DECADENT ROME XI GOOD WOMEN OF NERO'S REIGN XII UNDER THE FLAVIANS XIII THE SUNSET GLOW OF PAGANISM XIV THE PASSING OF PAGANISM LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS SUBJECT ARTIST