Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/252

238 public announcement, as well as a pledge, of the joint rule of the triumvirate.

Caesar's Law regarding Extortion. — Caesar carried through various other laws. A very comprehensive, carefully drawn, and more severe law concerning extortion (lex Julia de pecuniis repetundis) prohibited a governor from leaving his province and from waging war on his own responsibility, and contained various provisions favorable to the provincials. Another Julian law recognized Ptolemaeus Auletes as king of Egypt. Like a modern monopolist, the king had to pay the corrupt triumvirs a high price for his privileges. One of Caesar's creatures, the tribune P. Vatinius, secured the enactment of several laws of this kind.

Caesar Governor of the Gallic Provinces. — In place of the insignificant province which the senate had destined for him, Caesar caused Vatinius to propose that cisalpine Gaul, together with Illyricum, should be assigned him as a province for five years from March 1, 59. The bill passed (lex Vatinia de provincia Caesaris). Caesar was to have three legions, and to appoint his own lieutenants, who were to have praetorian rank (legati pro praetore). The senate, probably on the motion of Pompeius, added the province of Narbo, with one legion.

The military power had repeatedly controlled or overthrown the civil government during this century, and it was manifest that he who would rule must have the support of legions. With his army Caesar could, for the next five years, dominate Rome and Italy, where no troops were to be stationed. As Cato expressed it, he had gained possession of the citadel. With the aid of his confederates he had paralyzed the senatorial government, set aside the vital principles of collegiate and annual tenure, and laid the foundation of the Roman empire.