Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/280

 2G2 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP, to the living inhabitants of Rome. About tliirty years L_ after the foundation of Constantinople, a similar magi- strate was created in that rising metropolis, for the same uses, and with tiie same powers. A perfect equality was established between the dignity of the two municipal, and that of the four pretorian, prefects '^. Tlieprocon- Those who, in the imperial hierarchy, were distin- suis, vice- gujgi^gjj |jy tiig title of ' respectable,' formed an inter- etc. mediate class between the ' illustrious' prefects and the ' honourable' magistrates of the provinces. In this class, the proconsuls of Asia, Achaia, and Africa, claimed a preeminence, which was yielded to the re- membrance of their ancient dignity ; and the appeal from their tribunal to that of the prefects was almost the only mark of their dependence*. But the civil government of the empire was distributed into thirteen great dioceses, each of which equalled the just mea- sure of a powerful kingdom. The first of these dio- ceses was subject to the jurisdiction of the 'count' of the east ; and we may convey some idea of the import- ance and variety of his functions, by observing, that six hundred apparitors, who would be styled at pre- sent either secretaries, or clerks, or ushers, or messen- gers, were employed in his immediate office*. The place of * Augustal prefect' of Egypt was no longer filled by a Roman knight ; but the name was retained ; and the extraordinary powers which the situation of the country, and the temper of the inhabitants, had once made indispensable, were still continued to the governor. The eleven remaining dioceses, of Asiana, Pontica, and Thrace ; of Macedonia, Dacia, and Pan- •■ Besides our usual guides, we may observe, that Felix Cantelorius has written a separate treatise, De Praefecto Urbis ; and that many curious de- tails concerning the police of Rome and Constantinople are contained in the fourteenth book of the Theodosian Code. prefect ; which must, however, be understood with some allowance : the jurisdiction of the vice-prefect he most assuredly disclaimed. Pancirolus, p. 161. ' The proconsul of Africa had four hundred apparitors ; and they all re- ceived large salaries, either from the treasury or the province. See Panci- rol. p. 26, and Cod. Justinian. 1. xii. tit. Ivi. Ivii.
 * Eunapius affirms, that the proconsul of Asia was independent of the