42 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



upon the Yisigoths, and compelling them to abandon their cultivated homes 

 on the Dniester, and settle south of the Danube. This change brought the 

 Goths into contact with the Roman governors, who pressed them hard, when 

 the enraged hordes turned against Constantinople. They defeated Yalens 

 at Adrianople, where he was killed on the field, 378, and advanced towards 

 Achaia. Gratian appointed Theodosius in Spain, Augustus of the East and 

 lilyrium. The new emperor, Theodosius the Great, 379-395, made peace 

 with the Goths, and gave them lands in Thracia and Phrygia. After the 

 deposition and murder of Gratian by his captain, Maximus (383), of 

 Maximus by Theodosius (388), the assassination of Yalentinian II., and the 

 subjection of his successor, Theodosius remained the sole and last emperor 

 of the united Roman empire. He died 395, and after his death the empire 

 was divided between Arcadius, who received the East, and resided in 

 Constantinople, and Honorius, who, residing at Ravenna, governed the 

 West. 



Laws^ Institutions^ Manners^ cmd Customs of the Romans. 



The people were divided into freemen and slaves. Slavery had its origin 

 in war, its first subjects being war prisoners. {PI. 13, fig. 1, an exhibition 

 of captives in the Forum at Rome.) Next came their descendants, and such 

 as had forfeited their civil rights by crime ; but above all, many slaves were 

 bought; for, when the Roman sway extended itself, the number of slave- 

 dealers augmented rapidly, and thousands of Greeks and Asiatics were sold 

 in open market. The slaves were viewed not as persons, but as chattels 

 which the masters might sell, transfer, or mortgage at pleasure. Slaves 

 born in the house, or such as manifested shining and useful capabilities, 

 generally received a milder treatment ; but the others were the victims of 

 a cruelty so unbounded, that it had at different times to be checked by 

 special laws. 



A solemn act of liberation promoted them to the rank of citizens. This act 

 consisted either in placing the name of the slave on the list of citizens kept 

 by the Censor, or in bequeathing to him his liberty by will and testament. 

 However, the freedman was still bound to render his former master certain 

 services as client, and he was punished according to law in case of 

 ingratitude. 



Political freedom enured to the Romans either by birth or by acquisition. 

 Those who were born free possessed the largest liberty, and the full privi- 

 leges of citizenship ; while those who were enfranchised still remained, in a 

 measure, dependents of the city authorities. 



The Roman constitution, originally municipal, retained this character 

 through all the changes of the monarchy, republic, and empire. Unim- 

 paired civil privileges belonged at first only to such as held their residence 

 within the limits of the city. During the first century, permanent settlers 

 only rose to the grade of citizens, and they were eagerly received under 

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