Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 1).djvu/225

 lesser officials, who afforded him essential aid in his devices for despoiling the provincials. While the fisc never scrupled to aggravate the prescribed imposts by superindictions, its agents were insatiate in their efforts at harvesting for themselves. The tyranny of the first emperors was local and transient, but under the rule of the Byzantine princes the vitals of the whole Empire were persistently sapped. In the adaeratio of the annones a value was set upon the produce far above the market price; taxes paid were redemanded, and receipts in proper form repudiated because the tabellio who had signed them, purposely removed, was not present to acknowledge his signature; unexpected local rates were levied, to which the assent of the Decurions was forced, with the avowed object of executing public works which were never undertaken; sales of property at a vile estimate were pressed on owners who dared not provoke the officials by a refusal; decisions in the law courts were ruled by bribery, and suitors were overawed into not appealing against unjust judgements; forfeitures of estates to the crown were pro-*