OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

247

by the paternal care of Alexander, whose pru- chap.

dent liberality, without distressing the industri--1—

ous, supplied the wants and amusements of thepopulace. The dignity, the freedom, the autho-rity of the senate were restored; and every vir-tuous senator might approach the person of theemperor, without fear, and without a blush.

The name of A ntoninus, ennobled by the vir- Alexander

• refuses the

tues of Pius and Marcus, had been cornmuni- name ofcated by adoption to the dissolute Verus, and by A ' ,ton "‘ U8,descent to the cruel Commodus . It became thehonourable appellation of the sons of Severus,was bestowed on young Diadumenianus , and atlengthprostituted to the infamy of the high priestof Emesa. Alexander, though pressed by thestudied, and perhaps sincere importunity of thesenate, nobly refused the borrowed lustre of aname: whilst in his whole conduct he labouredto restore the glories and felicity of the age ofthe genuine Ant,onines. b

In the civil administration of Alexander, wis-dom was enforced by power, and the people reform thesensible of the public felicity, repaid their bene- army-factor with their love and gratitude. There stillremained a greater, a more necessary, but amore difficult enterprise; the reformation of themilitary order, whose interest and temper, con-

b See in the Hist. August, p. 116, 117, the whole contest betweenAlexander and the senate, extracted from the journals of that assem-bly. It happened on the sixth of March, probably of the year 223,when the Romans had enjoyed, almost a twelvemonth, the blessings ofhis reign. Before the appellation of Antoninus was offered him as atitle of honour, the senate waited to sec whether Alexander would notassume it as a family name.