300 THE ANCIENT GERMANS. 



But there came a time when the tribute of the 

 provinces no longer returned to the provinces to be 

 expended on the public buildings and the frontier 

 garrisons and the military roads. The rivers of gold 

 which had so long flowed into Rome at last dried up : 

 the empire became poor, and yet its expenses remained 

 the same. The Praetorian Guards had still to be paid; 

 the mob of the capital had still to be rationed with 

 bread, and bacon, and wine, and oil, and costly shows. 

 Accordingly the provinces were made to suffer. Ex- 

 orbitant taxes were imposed : the aldermen and civil 

 councillors of towns were compelled to pay enormous 

 fees in virtue of their office, and were forbidden to 

 evade such expensive honours by enlisting in the army, 

 or by taking holy orders. The rich were accused of 

 crimes that their property might be seized : the crops 

 in the fields were gathered by the police. A blight 

 fell upon the land. Men would no longer labour since 

 the fruits of their toil might at any time be taken 

 from them. Cornfield and meadow were again covered 

 with brambles and weeds ; the cities were deserted ; 

 grass grew in all the streets. The province of Gaul 

 was taxed to death, and then abandoned by the 

 Romans. The government could no longer afford to 

 garrison the Rhine frontier : the legions were with- 

 drawn, and the Germans entered. 



The invading armies were composed of free men, 

 who, under their respective captains or heads of clans, 

 had joined the standard of some noted warrior chief. 

 The spoil of the army belonged to the army, and was 

 divided according to stipulated rules. The king's 

 share was large, but more than his share he might not 

 have. When the Germans, instead of returning with 

 their booty, remained upon the foreign soil, they par- 



