BEN 



22T, 



B E N 



Table classing tht Patronage nf Beneftcex, and showing 

 the Number possessed by each Class. 



also ' a favour,' ' an act of kindness.' This word had several 

 technical significations among the Romans, 



When a proeonral, proprietor, or quscstor, returned to 

 Rome from his ppnimv, lie 11^1 nave in his accounts to tin; 

 treasury ; after which he might also give in the names of 

 such persons as had served under him in the proumv. 

 and by thoir conduct had deserved well of the siaic. To 

 do th'is was expressed hy the phrase, ' in bencficiis ad 

 mrarium deferrc,' ' to gite in to the treasury the n 

 of deserving persons ;' and in tho case of certain oil 

 and persons, ihis was to be done within thirty dayi al'trr 

 the proconsul, &c. had given in his accounts. The ohjcct 

 of this practice was apparently to recommend such indivi- 

 duals to public notice and attention, and in many cl 

 would be a kind of introduction to future honours and emo- 

 luments. It does not seem quite certain, if n; 

 (liven to those thus recommended, in the time of Cicern. 

 (Cicero, ad Diver*. V. 20. Pro Archia, 5.) Beneficium, in 

 anotV r sense, means some honour, promotion, or exemption 

 from certain kinds of service, granted by a Roman governor 

 or commander to certain of his olcliri>, hence called Benefl- 

 riarii. (Caiuu,dcneilo Civili, i. 7.">. in. *-8 : Sncton. Tiber. 12.) 

 Numerous inscriptions given in Gruter show how coninion 

 this practice was : in !-omc of them the title is represented by 

 the initial letter.-, U.K., only; Henuficiarius Legati Consularis 

 (li.4); B.F. 1'iot m-nli (cxxx.i.) &c. Under the emperors, 

 l'nc(leia appear to have signified any kind of favours, privi- 

 or cmolumenU granted to a subject by the sovereign ; 

 Suvtoniui obscn'cs (Titus, 8.) that all tlie ( a->ai-s, in 

 conformity with a regulation of Tiberius, considered that, 



