OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

221

hausted the state to enrich the military order, chap.

whose modesty in peace, and service in Avar, are__

best secured by an honourable poverty. Thedemeanour of Caracalla was haughty and fullof pride; but with the troops he forgot even theproper dignity of his rank, encouraged their in-solent familiarity, and, neglecting the essentialduties of a general, affected to imitate the dressand manners of a common soldier.

It was impossible that such a character, and Mm •dor ofsuch conduct as that of Caracalla , could inspireeither love or esteem ; but as long as his vices 8th MaicI *Avere beneficial to the armies, he Avas secure fromthe danger of rebellion. A secret conspiracy,provoked by his own jealousy, Avas fatal to thetyrant. The praetorian prefecture was dividedbetAveen tAvo ministers. The military depart-ment was intrusted to Adventus, an experiencedrather than an able soldier; and the civil affairswere transacted by Opilius Macrinus, Avho, byhis dexterity in business, had raised himself, Avitha fair character, to that high office. But hisfavour varied Avith the caprice of the emperor,and his life might depend on the slightest sus-picion, or the most casual circumstance. Maliceorfanaticismhad suggested to an African, deeply

guards received twelve hundred and fifty drachmae (forty pounds; ayear (Dion, 1. lxxvii, p. 1307). Under the reign of Augustus , theywere paid at the rate of two drachmas, or denarii, per day, 720 a year(Tacit. Anna), i, 17). Domitian , who increased the soldiers pay onefourth, must have raised the praetorians to 960 drachmae (Gronovius dePecuni& Veteri, L iii, c» 2). These successive augmentations ruinedthe empire, for, with the soldiers pay, their numbers too were increas-ed. We have seen the praetorians alone increased from 10,000 to60,000 men.