Graham, Alexander: Roman Africa: an outline of the history of the Roman occupation of North Africa ; based chiefly upon inscriptions and monumental remains in that country (London [u.a.], 1902)

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Roman Africa

bellishment of towns with noble edifices, and, like Trajan, he
held that the promotion of Art in every form redounded to the
glory of the Empire and the welfare of the State.

Roman Africa had enjoyed the blessings of peace for so
long a period under the firm rule of Trajan that the colonists
were little prepared for an uprising on the frontier soon after
Hadrian had ascended the throne. The southern boundaries
were well protected by military posts and large well-organised
bodies of troops ; but the western frontier, presenting a long
tract of country without adequate defences and thinly peopled
by Italian settlers, became the scene of an insurrection by
Moors of western Mauritania. The suddenness of the disturb-
ance may have been anticipated by the Emperor and the Senate
in Rome, who were acquainted with the ambitious designs of
some of Trajan's most trusted generals. Among them was
Lusius Quietus, a Moorish chief, who had raised a band of
mercenaries and assumed a Roman name. The sculptures on
the column of Trajan show clearly enough the costume and
general appearance of the Moorish cavalry under his command
in the Dacian war. The troopers are mounted on little horses
without bridles, and the costume consists of a short tunic
gathered up at the shoulders and fastened by a brooch. A
somewhat similar garment is still worn by Arabs. The hair is
carefully curled and dressed round the head. Each trooper
carries a small shield, and, from the bend of the arm and hand
we may assume that he was armed with a lance or similar weapon,
but this is now effaced. The military success which had attended
Quietus had gained for him the appreciation of the Roman
legions, and his services to Trajan in the Dacian and Parthian
wars, as well as in suppressing a revolt of the Jews in Palestine,
had made him the recipient of many honours. But he was
over-ambitious and dreamt of sovereignty. As a military
leader he may have had some claim to nomination as Trajan's
successor, but as a statesman and ruler of mankind he had no
qualifications. Fortunately for the Roman people, this cunning
half-civilised Moor was not at headquarters when Trajan was
lying on his death-bed, with scarcely strength enough to whisper
the name of his immediate successor. When the intelligence
reached Quietus that the lot had fallen upon Hadrian, his
resolution was formed, and henceforth he bided his opportunity