After a century of this regime all the Romans and provincials, rich
and poor, had but one desire--peace.
=The Power of the Individual.=--It was then that the heir of Caesar,
his nephew[144] Octavian, one of the triumvirs, after having conquered
his two colleagues presented himself to the people now wearied with
civil discord. "He drew to himself all the powers of the people, of
the Senate, and of the magistrates;" for twelve years he was emperor
without having the title. No one dreamed of resisting him; he had
closed the temple of Janus and given peace to the world, and this was
what everybody wished. The government of the republic by the Senate
represented only pillage and civil war. A master was needed strong
enough to stop the wars and revolutions. Thus the Roman empire was
founded.
FOOTNOTES:
[140] The Lex Clodia of 58 B.C. made these distributions legal.--ED.
[141] At a very low price.--ED.
[142] 1600, according to Mommsen, "History of Rome," Bk. IV, ch. x.--ED.
[143] Grandson.--ED.
[144] Grand-nephew.--ED.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE EMPIRE AT ITS HEIGHT
THE TWELVE CAESARS
=The Emperor.
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