374 MARTIN P. NILSSON 
time, the use of these funds which were destined to raise the birth- 
cate of the Roman population is the greatest social measure that hi- 
story records. It failed, however. In the hardships of the third cen- 
tury the funds diminished and finally disappeared. 
In some cases it is possible to show whence the men came who 
took the places of the Roman elements of the population. The old 
Roman nobility had been severely dealt with in the proscriptions at 
the end of the Republic. Auausrus tried earnestly to save what was 
left, but without success. The old families died out in the first 
century A. D.*. The correspondents of PLixy the younger do not 
bear the old famous names. In their stead provincials enter the 
senate, at first from the most Romanised provinces, Southern Spain 
(Baetica), South-East France (Gallia Narbonensis), later on from 
Afriea (Tunis), and Asia Minor. The first consuls who originated from 
Spain appear in the last years of the Republic and were followed by se- 
veral others during the first century A. D., the first consul from Gallia 
Narbonensis is found in the reign of Trisertus, the first from Africa and 
Syria in the reigns of Vespastan and Domitian respectively. From 
TRAJAN Onwards even the emperors were provincials. TRAJAN and 
his successor Haprıan were Spaniards, ANTONINUS Pius belonged to 
a Gallic and Marcus AuURELIUS to a Spanish family, SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS. 
was a native of Africa, his successors were Syrians. It was difficull 
for a man belonging to the Greek portion of the Empire to attain a 
high position, because a knowledge of Latin and Roman law was 
needed for this, and such a knowledge was not common in the East, 
which prided itself on its own ancient culture. Nevertheless after the 
reign of Hapriax numbers of Orientals appear in high places; the 
western world seems almost to be worn out. 
The army was not great in proportion to the population of the 
Empire — in the first two centuries about 300,000 men, while the 
inhabitants of the Empire are considered to have amounted to 70— 
100 millions — but it played a very important part in the shifting 
of the population. In the order created by AuGusrus half the army, the 
legions, was to be recruited among the Roman citizens, the other half, 
the so-called auxiliary troops; among the provincials, who after their 
discharge received the citizenship. In this manner many provincials 
and their descendants became Roman citizens. AuGustus determined 
that the legions were to be recruited from Italy and the oldest co- 
lonies of Roman citizens in the provinces, and the élite troops — the 
praetorians — from certain districts of middle Italy, which had pre- 
