﻿THE AGE OF PETRONIUS ARBITER. 91 



" factiones," but it does not appear that this addition was long preserved. Cf. Sueton. 

 Domit. 7 : " Duas Circensibus gregum factiones aurati purpureique panni ad quatnor 

 pristinas addidit." During far the longest period, the number of " factiones " was four. 

 These "factiones" had their partisans and favorers among all classes of the specta- 

 tors, whose party zeal sometunes gave rise to serious disturbances, not only in Rome, 

 but also in other cities of the empire. The interest felt by almost the whole population 

 is graphically described by Juvenal (11. 196): 



" Mihi pace 

 Immensae nimiaeque licet si dicere plebis, 

 Totam hodie Komam Circus capit et fragor aurem 

 Percutit, eventutn viridis quo colligo panni. 

 Nam si deficeret, moestam attonitamque videres 

 Hanc urbem veluti Cannarum in pulvere victis 

 Consulibus." 



Of these four parties the green one seems for a long time to have been the most popu- 

 lar among all classes, the popularity being, undoubtedly, originally owing to their distin- 

 guished success. Suetonius relates of Caligula (Cal. 55): " Prasinae factioni ita ad- 

 dictus et deditus, ut coenaret in stabulo assidue et maneret." The fondness of Xero for 

 horses and races, and possibly his preference for the "factio prasina," are indicated by Sue- 

 tonius (Xer. 22) : " Equorum studio vel praecipue ab ineunte aetate flagra^it, plurimus- 

 que illi sermo, quamquam vetaretiu-, de Circensibus erat ; et quondam tractum prasinum 

 agitatorem inter condiscipulos querens, objurgante magistro, de Hectore se loqui emen- 

 titus est." The same author insinuates the preference of the Emperor ViteUius for the 

 green faction (Yit. 14) : " Quosdam et de plebe ob id ipsum, quod venetae factioni 

 maledLxerant, interemit; contemtu sui et nova spe id ausos opinatus." Julius Capito- 

 linus, one of the six " Historiae Augustae Scriptores," relates of the Emperor Verus 

 (c. -i) : " Amavit et aurigas, Prasino favens." 



The above-mentioned testimony of ancient writers not only proves the early establish- 

 ment of the " ludi Circenses " and their uninterrupted popularity, — a poj)ularity which, 

 in the imperial times, transcended all bounds of reason, so that Juvenal pointedly, but 

 truly, says that the Poman people had but two wants, bread and games, — but also 

 more especially the great favor enjoyed by the green faction at different times, among 

 the rulers of the empu-e as well as among the people at large. Something more defi- 

 nite is, therefore, required by a person of common sense, than the simple mention of the 

 term " prasinus " or " prasianus " to prove an allusion to Xero. 



18. C. 71. 1: "Ad summam, omnes illos in testamento meo manumitto." It may 



