Page:The City-State of the Greeks and Romans.djvu/124

100 important to bear it in mind as we pursue the history of the City-State.

2. Besides noble descent, the chief characteristic of these aristocracies was wealth, and chiefly wealth in land. The Homeric chieftains are all land-holders; so were the patricians of Rome, and so also the aristocracy of Athens when first we catch a glimpse of it. Land was almost the sole source of wealth in the economy of the early State, and wealth was reckoned by the flocks and herds which the land supported. The Greek aristocracy, and perhaps originally the Roman too, were distinguished in war from the lower population by the fact that they were able to supply themselves with horses, like the chivalry of the middle ages, while the "people," if they served at all, served only on foot. This was the result of the possession of large estates, which would enable them to indulge in the rich man's occupation of horse-breeding. Another result no doubt was that they were able to let or to give land to their inferiors, and to supply them with stock for it — a practice common to aristocracies at all times. Their wealth might thus be used entirely for the benefit of the community, and in a generous spirit worthy of its noble holders; but it has never so been used for long by any aristocracy. When, later on, we get any positive knowledge of the economy of any City-State, we find troubles