Ain Ouassel domains 349 



pressions 1 such as 'The Roman is dwelling in every land that he has 

 conquered,' we must not let them tempt us into overestimating the 

 number of Italian settlers taking an active part in the operations of 

 provincial agriculture. 



(4) The inscription of Ain Ouassel 2 belongs to the end of the reign 

 of Severus. The text is much broken, but information of no small 

 importance can be gathered from what remains. Severus was himself 

 a native of Africa, and may have taken a personal interest in the 

 subject of this ordinance. In point of form the document chiefly con- 

 sistsofa quoted communication (sermo) from theemperor's/rar^nz^fr.*- 3 , 

 one of whom, a freedman, saw to its publication in an inscription on 

 an ara legis dim Hadriani. A copy of the lex Hadriana, or at least 

 the relevant clauses thereof, was included. The matter on which the 

 emperor's decision is announced was the question of the right to occupy 

 and cultivate rough lands (rudes agriy, which are defined as lands 

 either simply waste or such' as the conductores have neglected to 

 cultivate for at least ten years preceding. These lands are included 

 in no less than five different saltus mentioned by proper names, and 

 the scope of the ordinance is wider than in the cases referred to 

 above. It appears that, while it may have contained some modifications 

 or extensions of the provisions of the lex Hadriana, its main bearing 

 was to reaffirm and apply the privileges granted by that statute. It 

 is not rash to infer that we have here evidence of a set of regulations 

 for all or many of the African domains, forming a part of Hadrian's 

 great work of reorganization. 



If the remaining words of this inscription are rightly interpreted, 

 as I think they are, it seems that the policy of encouraging the culti- 

 vation of waste and derelict lands was at this time being revived by 

 the government. We have seen it at work in Trajan's time, promoted 

 by guarantee of privileges and temporary exemption from burdens. 

 But the persons then encouraged to undertake the work of reclamation 

 were to all appearance only the coloni at the time resident on the 

 estate. In the case of these five saltus, the offer seems to be made 

 more widely, at least so far as the remaining text may justify such 

 conclusions. It reads like an attempt to attract enterprising squatters 

 of any kind from any quarter. They are offered not merely undisturbed 

 occupation and a heritable tenure of some sort, but actual possessio. 



1 Seneca ad Helviam 7 7 ubicumque vicit Romanus habitat. 



2 Text in Girard, part in chapter 6. 



3 From comparing the remains of the next inscription (5) it appears that the emperor is 

 Hadrian. 



4 Cf agruni rudem prffvinciakm in Hyginus, Gromat I 203. In the later empire we find 

 legislation to promote such cultivation. See cod Th v n 8 (365 AD), 12 (388-392), 14 

 30 (386). 



