THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 9 



reached furthest, even as far as Mesopotamia, whilst 

 everywhere about Europe, so far as the Empire 

 extended, were roads such as would do credit to 

 modern engineering skill. 



The asfQrreerate of the Roman leo^ions amounted to 

 375,000 men ; in fact, the entire military establishment 

 of the Roman Empire never exceeded 400,000 men. 



The Emperor Diocletian divided the Empire into 

 four jDretorian prefectures ; these prefectures were Gaul, 

 Illyricum, Italy, and the East. Each f)refect had 

 under his orders a vicar. The Prefect of Gaul, which 

 included Britain, resided at Treves. The Illyrian 

 prefect resided at Sirmium, not far from Belgrade 

 and from the Danube, or at Thessalonica. The 

 prefecture of Italy included, besides the province 

 from which these conquerors of the world had 

 emanated, the whole of Africa from Egypt to Morocco. 

 Rome and Milan were alternately the residence of 

 the prefect of Italy, but Carthage was the capital 

 of the whole province. It equalled Rome in popula- 

 tion as well as in magnificence. A writer says the 

 imag-ination is confounded bv the enumeration of the 

 provinces of Rome, and by the comparison of them 

 with any existing empire. Our astonishment is 

 heightened when we call to mind the vast and splendid 

 cities by which each one of them was adorned ; cities 

 several of which equalled, if they did not surpass, 

 our largest capitals in population and opulence ; 

 cities such as Antioch, Alexandria, and Carthage. 

 The ruins of some are yet standing, and surpass all 

 modern cities in mao;nilicence. The lesfions of Rome 

 were distributed over the length and breadth of the 

 Empire ; the pacific provinces of Egypt, Africa, and 

 Spain had but one legion ; but the city of Rome, on 



