The cursus publicus 391 



of the richer classes 1 as against the poorer. And so it certainly did, 

 not only in the time of revision at the census each fifth year, but on 

 other occasions. If an invasion or some other great disaster led the 

 emperor to grant temporary relief, this would normally take the form 

 of reducing the number of taxable units in the district for a certain 

 period. But the local authorities were left to apportion this reduction 2 

 among the several estates, and the poor farmers had no representative to 

 see that they got their fair share of relief. Moreover, outside taxation, 

 the farmers were often subjected to heavy burdens and damage by the 

 irregular requisitions of imperial officials. For instance, the staff of the 

 imperial post-service (cursus publicus)* were a terror. They pressed 

 the goods of farmers into the service of their department on various 

 pretexts, and exacted labour on upkeep of roads and stations. For 

 their tyranny there was no effective compensation or redress. Like 

 other officials, they could be bought off by bribes : but this meant that 

 the various exactions 4 were shifted from the shoulders of the rich to 

 those of the poor. Another iniquity, the revival of a very old 5 abuse, 

 was connected with the question of transport, an important considera- 

 tion in the case of dues in kind, often bulky. For instance, in the case 

 of corn, the place at which it had to be delivered might easily count 

 for more in estimating the actual pressure of the burden than the amount 

 of grain levied. In making the arrangements for delivery there were 

 openings for favouritism and bribery. Circumstances varied greatly in 

 various parts of the empire. In some Provinces delivery was made at 

 a military depot within easy reach. Transport by sea from Egypt or 

 Africa was carried on by gilds 6 of shippers, who became more and 

 more organized and regulated by law. But in many parts good roads 

 were few, and laid out for strategic reasons ; the country roads incon- 

 venient and rough : and for transport in bulk the post-service provided 

 no machinery available for the use of private persons. 



It is not necessary here to follow out in detail all the particular 

 discomforts and grievances of the farming classes under the system 

 devised by Diocletian and developed by his successors. Enough has 

 been said to shew that they were great, and to remove all ground for 

 wondering that the area of arable land actually under tillage, and with 

 it population, continued to decline. Constantine's law confirming the 

 bondage of coloni to the soil by forbidding movement was the confession 



1 See for instance cod Th xm 10 i. 2 See below, in section on Salvian. 



3 See Ammianus xix 1 1 3, Victor Caesares 13 5, 6. A long title cod Th vm 5 is de- 

 voted to the cursus, containing 66 laws from 315 to 407, and other references abound. 



* Cf cod Th xi 16 3 (324), 4 (328). 



8 Cf Cic II in Verr in 190, Tac Agr 19. Cf cod Th xi i 22 (386), with Godefroi's 

 notes, also n (365) and 21 (385), xiv 4 4 (367). 



6 See the title de naviculariis, cod Th xin 5, including 38 laws. 



