The Rise and Fall of Rome. 3 



year brought the goods of India from the delta of the Ganges, 

 and large fleets from Egypt came laden with corn and grain- 

 She imported from every country, but exported little, paying for 



her imports by taxes levied on her colonists. 

 A. D. 200. Rome was the first power to incorporate conquered 



states into her dominion and extend citizenship to 

 all the people in her empire; so that Paul could say in truth, '' I 

 am a Roman citizen and to Ccesar I appeal." So salutary and 

 beneficial was her rule that under it these countries prospered 

 more than under their own rulers. What Rome seized with 

 strong hand she defended, and in return for taxation gave pro- 

 tection. She has no more enduring monument than her roads, 

 the remains of which are now found in every country of Europe. 

 Though built as military and post-roads, they were used largely 

 for commerce. All started from the golden mile-stone in the 

 forum ; one ran over the Brenner pass northeastward to the Baltic 

 sea, another followed the northwestern coast of the Mediterranean 

 to Spain and southern France, another crossed the Alps and ex- 

 tended through France to the British channel and through Eng- 

 land to Scotland, where the Romans built a wall, ruins of which 

 now bear witness to its strength. Another way went southward to 

 Naples and Brindisi, and another led eastward to Macedonia and 

 Greece. As these were the only roads in all these countries, it 

 was truly said, "All ways lead to Rome ; " and over them the 

 messengers of Csesar travelled more rapidly than the mail-carrier 

 of our fathers on our mail routes. 



Venice and Genoa. 



After five hundred years of empire Rome fell, and the dark 

 ages followed. From A. D. 400 to A. D. 800 commerce and trade 

 died out. The only vessels on the Mediterranean and Baltic 

 were piratical crafts ; Jerusalem and the Holy Land were cap- 

 tured by the Turks ; the Crusades began, forerunners of a higher 

 civilization and more extended commerce. Thousands and tens 

 of thousands of people from all parts of Europe and all ranks of 

 life, bearing the pilgrim's badge — the blood-red cross, — -journeyed 



toward the Holy Land, first in vast crowds led by 

 1096-1291. Peter the Hermit, then in great armies led by kings 



and generals. For two hundred years this move- 

 ment continued. Venice and Genoa furnished ships to carry the 



