THE EXAMPLE OF ROME 193 



almost certain to arise. Third, political conditions could scarcely 

 fail to be affected. 



As a matter of fact, we find exactly what would be expected. 

 In order to preserve the chronological sequence I shall not attempt 

 to keep the three types of results separate. To quote Ferrero 

 once more: "Towards the middle of the third century [that is 

 at the very time when the climate was changing most rapidly], 

 through the increase of wealth and the continuance of victory, 

 this spirit of discipline and rural simplicity began to show symp- 

 toms of decline. . . . Social simplicity began to be impaired and 

 domestic discipline to loosen its bonds. The family council was 

 more rarely summoned ; sons, thanks to the proceeds of campaign- 

 ing, became more independent of their fathers, women less sub- 

 missive to husbands or guardians ; the nobility neglected its duties 

 toward the middle class. . . , The new spirit was fatal to the old 

 friendly cooperation between class and class. A selfish and grasp- 

 ing nobility that looked to Carthage for its model inevitably 

 provoked popular opposition." 



In these quotations Ferrero follows the usual method of attrib- 

 uting the decay of Rome to luxury. I do not question that this 

 played an important part, but is it not also probable that the 

 decline in vigor due to the changing climate had much to do with 

 the matter? It is significant that the change in the Roman spirit 

 is closely analogous to the difference in spirit today between a 

 country like Scotland or Denmark where the climate is highly 

 stimulating and one like Spain or Mexico which fails to give 

 people the vitality so essential to high ideals. 



In political, as in moral and social life, we find a change in Rome 

 at the end of the third century B. C. "In the Gallic War (225- 

 222), for the first but not the last time in Roman history, the 

 people, not the nobles, were the aggressors. It was the democracy 

 that cast its eyes upon the great plain that stretches at the foot 

 of the Alpine barrier — a plain rich in fresh and fertile soil, cov- 

 ered with immense oak forests and huge tracts of marsh and lake- 



