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LXXVIII [LXXXII]

TRAIANUS PLINIO S.

Ea conditio est civitatis Byzantiorum confluente undique 1 in eam commeantium turba ut secundum consuetudinem praecedentium temporum honoribus eius praesidio centurionis legionarii consulendum habuerimus. Si Iuliopolitanis succurrendum eodem modo putaverimus, onerabimus nos exemplo: plures enim, et quanto infirmiores erunt, idem petent. Fidu- 2 ciam diligentiae tuae habeo ut credam te omni ratione id acturum ne sint obnoxii iniuriis. ciplinam meam gesserint, statim 4 si, om. Avant, and Ald.

6 et quanto infirmiores erunt idem petent, B.

petent, om. Avant.

§ 1. The condition of Byzantium is so exceptional on account of the crowd of travellers who pass through it, that, in pursuance of the custom of former times, I have thought it fit to assist the magistrates by some legionary soldiers under a centurion. If we should help Iuliopolis in the same way, we should hamper ourselves with a precedent, for other towns, and especially the weaker ones, will ask for the same thing. § 2. I trust to your energy to see that the town is not exposed to injury. §3. Put down at once any violations of discipline; or if the offence is too great to be punished on the spot, in the case of soldiers, report the matter to their commanding officers, and in the case of travellers to Rome, give information to me.

§ I. confluente undique commeantium turba. Byzantium, in almost as true a sense as Alexandria, might be called the meeting-point of east and west. Ovid (Trist. i II) calls it 'gemini maris ianua. See Gibbon's description of its situation, vol. ii 287, etc.

§ 2. plures enim, et quanto, etc. The Aldine edition reads 'plures enim tanto magis eadem requirent quanto,' etc., but the original reading is shown in the Bodleian copy of Avantius, where 'petent' is added in the margin after 'idem.'

Fiduciam diligentiae tuae. Orelli conjectures fiduciam eam,' which, however, is not absolutely necessary.

Si qui autem se contra dis- 3 coërceantur; aut si plus tanto magis eadem requirent quanto infirmiores erunt, Ald.

7 tuae, om. Avant. and Ald. add. Cat.

For

§ 3. contra disciplinam meam. Disciplina here includes the military meaning of the word, but is more extensive, and, as the following words show, applies to civilians as well as soldiers. disciplinam in a non-military sense cf. Suet. Caes. 48, 'domesticam disciplinam'; id. Aug. 65, 'disciplina domus'; Cic. de orat. i 34, 159, 'disciplina reipublicae.'

in re praesenti, see on Ep. 8, 3; 62, 1; here, of course, it means by the 'praeses provinciae.'

legatis eorum. By legati are here to be understood, not the legati of provinces, but the 'legati legionum,' who had under their command not only the soldiers of their legion, but also all the auxiliary alae or cohortes attached to it, Momms. Hermes, xix 2. These legati were always of praetorian rank. Cf. Tac. Hist. i 48, 'legioni post praeturam praepositus'; id. Ann. ii 36. See also Tac. Ann. i 44, iv 73, xiv 32; Hist. i 57; Marquadt. Staatsverw. ii 457, 458.

quod deprehenderis notum facies. This is the emendation of Ritterhusius for the reading of Avantius, 'quae depr. notum fac,' which Döring not very convincingly defends.

si in urbem versus venturi erunt. By these are evidently meant merchants or other civilians on their way home to Rome from the Eastern provinces. For in urbem versus, cf. Cic, ad Fam. iv 12,

admiserint quam ut in re praesenti satis puniantur, si milites erunt, legatis eorum quod deprehenderis notum facies; aut si in urbem versus venturi erunt, mihi scribes.

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LXXVIIII [LXXXIII]

De magistratibus provincialium

C. PLINIUS TRAIANO IMPERATORI

Cautum est, domine, Pompeia lege, quae Bithynis data est, ne quis capiat magistratum neve sit in senatu minor annorum

§ 1. It was enacted, sire, by the lex provinciae, which Pompeius drew up for Bithynia, that no one should hold a magistracy or be admitted to the senate under the age of thirty years. This implies that those who have held a magistracy have a right to enter the senate. § 2. But by an edict of Augustus, the minor magistracies might be held at the age of twenty-two. $3. The question arises whether those elected at this age can be admitted into the senate by the censors, and if so, whether by a parity of reasoning those may be admitted under the age of thirty, who, though they have not held one of those minor magistracies, might have done so. This course has been taken, and indeed is said to be necessary, because it is better to admit to the senate the sons of honourable citizens than members of the lower orders. § 4. Having been asked by the censors elect for my opinion, I considered that by interpreting the law and the edict together, those who had held a magistracy might also be admitted to the senate under the age of thirty. § 5. I was doubtful, however, about the case of those who, though qualified by age, had not actually held a minor magistracy, and I have therefore preferred to ask for your instructions. I append the sections of the law in question and the edict of Augustus.

§ 1. Pompeia lege. Under the republic, when a new province was to be organised a commission of ten legati of senatorial rank was sent to assist the

victorious general in making the necessary arrangements. So they were sent to L. Aemilius Paulus in Macedonia, Livy xliv 18; to Q. Mummius in Achaia. Polyb. 39, 15, to Aquilius in Asia, Strab. 14, p. 646, to Rupilius in Sicily. Cic. Verr. ii 16, 40. These 'decem legati' received instructions from the senate, Livy xlv 17, 'in senatu agitata est summa consiliorum ut inchoata omnia legati a domo ferre ad imperatores possent'; though, doubtless, in most cases, the 'imperatores' made what arrangements they liked. The organisation and arrangements of the province were drawn up in the form of a 'lex provinciae,' by which the province was in future to be administered, although imperial edicts, laws, or senatus consulta could alter or modify the 'lex provinciae in details. Cf. the edictum Augusti mentioned here, and Cic. ad Att. v 21, II, At ille profert senatus consultum Lentulo Philippoque consulibus ut qui Ciliciam obtineret ius ex illa syngrapha diceret.' Of these leges provinciae we know of the lex Rupilia for Sicily, Cic. accus. in Verr. ii 16, 39, 'legem esse Rupiliam, quam P. Rupilius consul de decem legatorum sententia dedisset : hanc omnes semper in Sicilia consules praetoresque servare'; the lex Aemilia for Macedonia, Livy xlv 32; a lex Metelli for Crete, Livy Epit. 100; a lex Aquilii and a lex Pompeii for Asia, Strab. xiv I, and Dio Cass. 37, 20; and the present lex Pompeia for Bithynia. Dio Cass. 37, 20, “τά τε πλείω ἔθνη

triginta. Eadem lege conprehensum est ut qui ceperint magistratum sint in senatu. Secutum est dein edictum divi Augusti, 2 quo permisit minores magistratus ab annis duobus et viginti capere. Quaeritur ergo an qui minor triginta annorum gessit 3

τῶν ἐν τῇ ̓Ασίᾳ τῇ ἠπείρῳ τότε αὐτοῖς ὄντων νόμοις τε ἰδίοις καὶ πολιτείαις κατεστήσατο καὶ διεκόσμησεν, ὥστε καὶ δεῦρο αὐτοὺς τοῖς ὑπ ̓ ἐκείνου νομισθεῖσι χρῆστ Oa'; and Strab. 12 p. 541. Cf. Ep. 114, 115. By the lex provinciae (1) the province was divided into regions or civitates, each with its territorium; (2) arrangements were made and districts marked out for the collection of the taxes; (3) the province was divided into conventus for judicial purposes; (4) the mutual relations were defined between the senate, magistrates, and popular assemblies.

ne quis capiat magistratum, etc. There were usually four necessary qualifications for the municipal magistracies and for admission into the decuriones: (1) ingenuitas; cf. Lex Malacit. c. 54, qui comitia habere debebit

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primum II viros . . . deinde . . . aediles item quaestores ex eo genere ingenuorum hominum,' etc.; (2) criminal punishment must never have been undergone : Lex Iul. Municip., nei quis . . in eorum quo municipio

esto

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in senatu

quei furti quod ipse fecit fecerit condemnatus pactusve est erit, queive iudicio fiduciae, pro socio, tutelae, mandatis, iniuriarum deve dolo malo condemnatus est erit,' etc.; and Lex Malicit. c. 54, 'ne cuius comitis rationem habeat qui in earum qua causa erit propter quam si civis Romanus esset in numero decuri

onum . . eum esse non liceret'; (3) the trades of praeconium, dissignatio, libitina must never have been practised, Lex Iul. Municip. 1 94; (4) the candidate must either have served a number of campaigns, or have attained the age of thirty. Lex Iul. Municip. 1 89, 'quae minor annos XXX natus est erit, nei quis

eorum

in municipio colonia praefectura II viratum IIII viratum neve quem alium magistratum petito neve capito neve gerito nisi quei eorum stipendia equo in legione III aut pedestria in legione VI fecerit'; also Cic. in Verr. ii 49, 122.

eadem lege comprehensum est. Cf. Lex Malacit. c. 54, 'de quo hac lege cautum comprehensumque est.'

ut qui ceperint magistratum sint in senatu. Cf. Lex Iul. Municip. § 27,

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tum, IIII viratum, aliamve quam potestatem ex quo honore in eum ordinem perveniat, petito neve capito.' See also the Decretum Tergestinum, Henz. 7168, 'ut-prout qui meruissent vita atque censu, per aedilitatis gradum in curiam nostram admitterentur. All the magistrates sat in the senate, both during their year of office and after it, until the next quinquennial census, without being formally senators, which they only became after a regular lectio of the censors. Accordingly, there were always two classes of persons in the senate, tores, et quibus in senatu sententiam dicere licet,' the latter of whom passed by each fresh lectio into the former. Cf. Lex Iul. Municip. 196, 'neve ibi senator, neve decurio neve conscriptus esto, neve sententiam dicito.'

sena

§ 2. edictum divi Augusti. Dio Cass. 54, 7, καὶ ἐς τὴν ̓Ασίαν κομισθεὶς πάντα τὰ ἐκεῖ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ Βιθυνίᾳ διέταξεν.

minores magistratus ab annis duobus et viginti capere. Minores is almost redundant, since the lesser magistracies would of course be held first. Dig. 50, 4, II, 'ut gradatim honores deferantur, edicto, et ut a minoribus ad majores perveniatur, epistula Divi Pii ad Titrinum exprimitur'; and Dig. 50, 4, 14, 5, gerendorum honorum non promiscua facultas est, sed ordo certus huic rei adhibitus est; nam neque prius maiorem magistratum quisquam, nisi minorem susceperit, gerere potest.' The minimum age for candidates seems to have been generally lowered to twentyfive. Dig. 50, 4, II, 'neque enim minores viginti quinque annis decuriones collegi nisi ex causa possunt'; and Lex Malicit. c. 54. Possibly this change may have been made by Augustus: he certainly made similar changes in connection with the Roman senate. Dio Cass. 52, 20, and we find him here reducing the age still lower.

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magistratus possit a censoribus in senatum legi, et si potest, an ii quoque qui non gesserint possint per eandem interpretationem ab ea aetate senatores legi a qua illis magistratum gerere permissum est; quod alioqui factitatum adhuc et esse necessarium dicitur, quia sit aliquanto melius honestorum hominum 4 liberos quam e plebe in curiam admitti. Ego a destinatis censoribus quid sentirem interrogatus, eos quidem qui minores triginta annis gessissent magistratum putabam posse in senatum et secundum edictum Augusti et secundum legem Pompeiam legi, quoniam Augustus gerere magistratus minoribus annis triginta permisisset, lex senatorem esse voluisset qui 5 gessisset magistratum. De iis autem qui non gessissent, quamvis essent aetatis eiusdem cuius illi quibus gerere permissum est, haesitabam; per quod effectum est ut te, domine, consulerem quid observari velles. Augusti litteris subieci.

2 an ex iis quoque, Ald.
possit quis. Ald.

with a noun of size, or age, which, if not
put in the ablative is subjoined in the
proper case with or without quam.' Thus
we can have 'minores triginta annis,'
see below, § 4; or 'minor quam triginta
annorum'; cf. Dig. 4, 4, I, 'minor quam
quinque viginti annorum natu'; or as
here, 'minor triginta annorum. Cf.
Lex Malacit. c. 54, where both these last
forms are used; and Livy xxxviii 38,
'ne minores octonum denum annorum.
The genitive in these cases is the gen. of
quality, 'younger than a person of thirty
years.

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a censoribus in senatum legi. The lectio senatus took place every five years by the authority of the II viri quinquennales or censores, who then had to make out the 'album decurionum.' So in the album Canusinum, 'II viri quinquennales nomina decurionum in aere incidenda curaverunt.'

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an ii qui non gesserint ... possint senatores legi. At every lectio the censors had three classes of men out of whom to make up the album for the next five years (1) survivors from the last album; (2) magistrates and ex-magistrates of the last five years; (3) those who, though they had never been magistrates, had all the necessary qualifications. Marquadt, ii p. 187. Men chosen out of this last class were called 'pedani,' and in Rome 'pedarii.' See Aul. Gell.

Capita legis, tum edictum

6 a destinatis, B. and Ald.
adest natis, Avant.

3, 18, Atque haec etiam vocabuli istius
ratio, dicitur quam Gabius Bassus in
commentariis suis scriptam reliquit. Sena-
tores enim dicit in veterum aetate qui
curulem magistratum gessissent, curru
solitos . . in curiam vehi; . . sed eos
senatores qui magistratum curulem non-
dum ceperant, pedibus itavisse in curiam :
propterea senatores nondum maioribus
honoribus functos, pedarios nominatos.'

...

quia sit aliquanto melius honestorum hominum liberos quam e plebe in curiam admitti. This evidently implies that in the provincial towns the tendency was already beginning for the better families to abstain from the ordinary cursus honorum, which was thus left to those of more plebeian origin. It was the custom from the time of Augustus for the sons of decuriones to be allowed to be present in the senate, and to be entered in the album under the title of 'praetextati,' but without the right to vote. Suet. Aug. 38, 'liberos senatorum, quo celerius reipublicae adsuescerent, protinus a virili toga latum clavum induere et curiae interesse permisit.' It is possible that the custom grew up of admitting these praetextati into the senate rather than ex-magistrates.

Cf.

§ 4. destinatis designatis. Cf. Suet. Caes. 1, 'flamen dialis destinatus'; id. Tib. 31, 'destinatos magistratus': Tac. Ann. i 3, 'destinari consules.'

LXXX [LXXXIII]

TRAIANUS PLINIO S.

Interpretationi tuae, mi Secunde carissime, idem existimo. hactenus edicto divi Augusti novatam esse legem Pompeiam ut magistratum quidem capere possent ii qui non minores duorum et viginti annorum essent, et qui cepissent, in senatum cuiusque civitatis pervenirent. Ceterum non capto magistratu eos qui minores triginta annorum sint, quia magistratum capere possint, in curiam etiam loci cuiusque non existimo legi posse.

I ut existimo, Avant.

idem existimo, B. and Ald. 3 duo, Avant.

Agreeably with your interpretation, my dear Pliny, I am of opinion that the lex Pompeia was so far modified by the edict of Augustus that any persons of not less than twenty-two years can hold a magistracy, and those who have so held, may be admitted into the senates of their respective towns. But I do not think that men under thirty years who have not held a magistracy can be admitted to the senate, merely because they are capable of holding a magistracy. Interpretationi tuae. idem exThis is the marginal reading in

istimo.

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LXXXI [LXXXV]

De Dione qui reliquias suorum religioso loco posuisset

C. PLINIUS TRAIANO IMPERATORI

Cum Prusae ad Olympum, domine, publicis negotiis intra 1 hospitium eodem die exiturus vacarem, Asclepiades magis

§ 1. While I was attending to public business, sire, at Prusa, on the last day of my stay there, I learnt that an appeal was made to me by Claudius Eumolpus. It seems that at a meeting of the senate Cocceianus Dio wished some public work, of which he had had the management, to be handed over to the town, but Eumolpus, representing Flavius Archippus, insisted that the expenses of the work must be first audited, as he had made an

improper use of the money. § 2. He added that your statue had been placed in the temple in question, although the bodies of Dio's wife and daughter were buried there, and begged me to investigate the matter publicly. § 3. I consented, and offered to delay my departure, but he begged for a longer time to prepare his case, and urged that the trial should be held in another town. § 4. I fixed on Nicaea, but when the day ar0

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