HISTORY OF THE ROMANS UNDER THE EMPIRE. BY THE VERY REV. CHARLES MERIVALF, D.C.L. DEAN OF ELY. NEW EDITION. IN EIGHT VOLUMES. VOL, VII. LONDON : LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1872.CONTENTS or THE EIGHTH VOLUME. CHAPTER LXIIL Accession of Nerva—Reaction against the tyranny of Domi- tian moderated by the clemency of Nerva—The Preetorians demand the punishment of Domitian’s assassins— Associa- tion of. Trajan in the empire—Death of Nerva, a.p. 98, a.u. 851—Origin and early career of Trajan—His position and operations on the Rhenish frontier—Roman fortifica- tions between the Rhine and Danube—Trajan’s modera- ration and popularity in Rome—Pliny’s panegyric— Expedition against the Dacians, a.v, 101—Trajan crosses the Danube—His successes and triumph, 4.p, 103—Second expedition, a.p, 104—Bridge over the Danube—Conquest _and annexation of Dacia—The Ulpian Forum and Trajan’s Column at Rome—Conquests in Arabia —‘Lrajan’s archi- tectural works in the city and the provinces—Vigilance, splendour, and economy of his administration—His per- sonal qualities, countenance, and figure (4.p, 96~115, a., 849-868) = = 5 = = 2 2 = CHAPTER LXIV. Effect of the Flavian reaction on Roman literature—Compa- rison of Lucan and Silius Italicus: of Seneca and Quinti- lian—Pliny the naturalist—Scholastic training—Juvenal compared with Persit Statius with Ovid: Martial with Horace—The historians: Tacitus: ingenuity of his plan— His prejudices and misrepresentations—Prevalence of biography—Tacitus and Suetonius—Uncritical spirit’ of PAGEv1 CONTENTS OF historical composition — Memoits and correspondence — Pliny the younger—Interest attaching to his lettersp—Mu- tual approximation of the philosophical sects—Prevalence of suicide —Corellias— Silius—Arria—Corruption of so- ciety— Military manners—Life among the intelligent nobles—Spurinna—Pliny the elder—Pliny the younger— Villas of the nobility—The Laurentine and Tuscan of Pliny—The Surrentine of Pollins—Decline of masculine character among the Romans—Exceptions—Tacitus and Juvenal masculine writers—Contrast in their tempers— Last champions of Roman ideas - - : - - CHAPTER LXV. General expectation of a Deliverer favoured by Augustus and Vespasian—Revival of Judaism after the fall of Jeru- salem—The schools of Tiberias—Numbers of the Jews in the East—Seditions raised and suppressed—The Christians regarded with suspicion as a Jewish sect—Alleged decrees of Nero and Domitian—Persecution in Bithynia, and letters of Pliny and Trajan, a.p, 111, 4.0, 864—Martyrdom of Ignatius—The Church, the Canon, and Episcopacy— —Trajan’s expedition into the East, a.p. 114, 4.0. 867— Earthquake at Antioch, a.p. 115—Annexation of Armenia —Trajan’s conquests beyond the Tigris—Overthrow of the Parthian monarchy—Trajan launches on the Persian Gulf —Is recalled by defections in his rear—His ill success be- fore Atra—He returns to Antioch—His illness and death at Selinus, a.p. 117, a.u. 870—Revolt of the Jews in the East : in Cyprus, Cyrene, and Egypt—Revolt in Palestine ~—Akiba and Barcochebas, leaders of the Jews—Suppres- sion of the revolt—Foundation of the colony of Alia Capitolina—Final separation of the Christians from the Jews (4.v, 111-183, .v. 864-886) - - - - CHAPTER LXVI. Birth and parentage of Hadrian—His education and accom- plishments —His rise under Trajan’s guardianship—His alleged adoption and succession—He abandons Trajan’s conquests in the East—His campaign in Moesia, a.p. 118— Suppression of a conspiracy against him—He courts the senate and the people—Hadrian''s first progress—He visits Gaul, Germany, Spain, Mauretania, confers with the king of Parthia, visits Athens, Sicily and Carthage, a.p. 119- PAGE 69 134THE EIGHTH VOLUME. » 123—His second progress : he resides at Athens, Alexan- dria, and Antioch; character of learning and society at these cities respectively; he revisits Athens, and retarns finally to Rome, a.p. 125-184—His buildings at Rome— Adoption of Ceionius Verus, a. p. 135, who dies prema- turely—Adoption of Aurelius Antoninus, a. D. 138, who adopts Annius Verus and L. Verus—lInfirmities and death of Hadrian, 4.p. 188—His character and personal appear- ance (a.D, 117-138, a.U, 870-891) - = - CHAPTER LXVIL Early career of the emperor Antoninus Pius—Attitude of the Barbarians—The wall of Antoninus in Britain—His pater- nal government at home—His indulgence to the Christians —His virtues and bappiness—Vices of the empress Faus- tina—Early promise of M. Aurelius—His testimony to the virtues of Antoninus—Death of Antoninus Pius, and re- marks on the character of his epoch—Review of the poli- tical elements of Roman society—1. The populace of the city—-2, The provincials—Progress of uniformity—Ex- tension of the franchise—Development of the civil law— 8. The senate: its pride, pretensions and imbecility—4. The pretorians and the legions—The final supremacy of the soldiers inevitable (a.p. 138-161, a.u. 891-914) | - CHAPTER LXVIII. M. Aurelius Antoninus sole emperor—Association of Verus — Disturbances abroad and calamities at home—Verus con- dacts @ war with Parthia—Joint triumph of the emperors, 166—Administration of Aurelius at Rome—Inroads of the Germans, Scythians, and Sarmatians on the northern frontier—Pestilence spread through the empire by the legions returning from Syria—The emperors advance to Aquileia, 167—They cross the Alps, 168—Return and death of Verus, 169—Aurelius on the Danube—His victory over the Quadi, 174—His domestic troubles—Unworthiness of his son Commodus—Licentiousness of his consort Faus- tina—Revolt and death of Avidius Cassius, 175—Aurelius in the East—He returns to Rome and triumphs over the Sarmatians, 176—Repairs again to the Danube—His suc- cesses over the Barbarians, and death, 180—-Compared with Alfred the Great—Symptoms of decline of the empire—1. Contraction of the circulation—2. Decrease in population 180 260viii CONTENTS OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME. PaGR —3. Effects of vice, arising from slavery—4¢. Exhaustion ae of Italian blood, ideas, and principles—5. Effect of pesti- lence and natural disturbances—Revival of superstitious observances and persecution of the Christians—The “ Medi- tations ” of M. Aurelius—Stoicism—New Platoniem — Revival of positive belief—Christianity—Conclusion (a.D. 161-180, 4.0. $14~-933)- - . : - - - 820 Invex - - - - : - : - - $71HISTORY oF THE ROMANS UNDER THE EMPIRE; —=“ villaon the Latin Way. From thence his ashes were privily conveyed to the temple of the Flavian family, and placed beside those of his niece Julia.? The people, who witnessed with unconcern the transfer of power to a new dynasty, took no interest in these humble obsequies, which the nobles, though fully resolved that the third of the Flavii should not share in the divine honours of his father and brother, did hot care to interrupt. In the curia indeed the ' Philostr. Vit Sophist. i. 7., where the soldiers are said to have been recalled to their duty by the persuasive eloquence of the sophist Dion Chrysostomus, * Suet, Domit. 17.; Dion, Ixvii. 18.