dark. The great quantity of money, indeed, 

 imported into that city, enabled them to hire 

 vail numbers of mercenaries for their wars : 

 But this inftead of evidencing the ftrength 

 of their empire, was an undoubted proof of 

 its weaknefs ; as was particularly manifefled 

 after the firft Punic war, when the whole 

 force of Carthage was fcarce fufficient to re- 

 pel that of their revolted mercenaries. 



With antient Rome, which was not a com- 

 mercial city, the cafe was quite different. 

 The number of people there was fo immenfe, 

 that King Pyrrhus compared them to the fa- 

 bulous hydra, of which one head was no foon- 

 er cut off, than a new one fprung up in its 

 Head. The population of antient Rome, in- 

 deed, according to the accounts tranfmitted 

 to us, feems to have been almoft incredible. 

 Though engaged in endlefs wars, which 

 might naturally have been thought fufficient 

 to counteract any advantages with refpedl to 

 population their circumftances could afford; 

 yet, before the fecond Punic war, when 

 threatened with an invafion by the Gauls, 

 they were able, not only to repel thofe barba- 

 rians, by dint of fuperior military {kill and 



difcipline, 



