Page:The municipalites of the Roman empire (IA municipalitesofr00reidrich).pdf/9

Rh effected in only one or a few parts of their empire, the reader may gain some idea of their whole policy.

In the lectures which led to the production of this book, lack of time compelled me to give attention mainly to the civilisation of the West. The sections embracing the Eastern provinces have now been expanded for the sake of completeness. The largest amount of space has had to be given to the building up of the municipal system by Rome, before the creation of the new monarchy by Diocletian. The decline of the cities has had to be treated summarily, though of course it presents innumerable features of great historical interest. I hope that what I have written will impress on some readers who would not otherwise obtain the impression, that the municipal bricks, if I may use the phrase, are not the least important among those out of which the real edifice of Roman Imperial history has to be constructed.

JAMES S. REID.