DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63447#0046
30
THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
interests would have remained uncared for; no other save
the Decurional body, and that by stringent laws only,
being found to perform odious and unrewarded duties.
These they were bound to, until the hour of death. In
vain the poor victims of this official tyranny endeavoured
to elude the law by seeking refuge in flight; they were
tracked mercilessly out from their momentary hiding-
places, and forced once more to resume their distasteful
avocations !
Whilst every circumstance thus contributed to lower
the consideration of the Decurions, and to bring their
class into contempt, every circumstance, on the other
hand, contributed to forward the elevation of the clergy
into a firmly constituted body of increasing wealth and
power.
At the time alluded to society was made up of three
classes. To the first, or higher class, belonged by right
all such as might be elevated to it at the Emperor’s
pleasure or decree. It was a vast and extensive class,
including the Senate, the clergy, the army ; the many
who through imperial mandate were entitled to the
appellation of “ Claris simi; ” the official dignitaries of
the Palace and Court; the Imperial body-guard, the
Barbarian auxiliaries, and the many officials charged
with the executive functions of the government and
police.
The second class we are already acquainted with. It
was drawn solely from the respectable middle class of
citizens, such as possessed a certain number of acres of
free landed property. These men, either of indigenous
birth, or naturalised settlers on the soil, administrators
of their own and city’s interests, bounden slaves to their
Decurional duties, lived and died in the discharge of these
administrative functions. Their posts were not trans-
ferable, and their heirs inherited their duties, uncheered
by a hope of preferment or of amelioration of their con-
dition.
Last of all in the social scale, but privileged above
the Decurional class, was the third or plebeian ; whence
THE HISTORICAL PAST OF ITALY.
interests would have remained uncared for; no other save
the Decurional body, and that by stringent laws only,
being found to perform odious and unrewarded duties.
These they were bound to, until the hour of death. In
vain the poor victims of this official tyranny endeavoured
to elude the law by seeking refuge in flight; they were
tracked mercilessly out from their momentary hiding-
places, and forced once more to resume their distasteful
avocations !
Whilst every circumstance thus contributed to lower
the consideration of the Decurions, and to bring their
class into contempt, every circumstance, on the other
hand, contributed to forward the elevation of the clergy
into a firmly constituted body of increasing wealth and
power.
At the time alluded to society was made up of three
classes. To the first, or higher class, belonged by right
all such as might be elevated to it at the Emperor’s
pleasure or decree. It was a vast and extensive class,
including the Senate, the clergy, the army ; the many
who through imperial mandate were entitled to the
appellation of “ Claris simi; ” the official dignitaries of
the Palace and Court; the Imperial body-guard, the
Barbarian auxiliaries, and the many officials charged
with the executive functions of the government and
police.
The second class we are already acquainted with. It
was drawn solely from the respectable middle class of
citizens, such as possessed a certain number of acres of
free landed property. These men, either of indigenous
birth, or naturalised settlers on the soil, administrators
of their own and city’s interests, bounden slaves to their
Decurional duties, lived and died in the discharge of these
administrative functions. Their posts were not trans-
ferable, and their heirs inherited their duties, uncheered
by a hope of preferment or of amelioration of their con-
dition.
Last of all in the social scale, but privileged above
the Decurional class, was the third or plebeian ; whence