254
STATE OF THE EASTERN ARMY.
frontier countries; and their discipline had latterly fallen very
much into decay. The soldiers had been greatly neglected
during the long peace under Hadrian and the unwarlike reign
of Antoninus Pius ; for the legions usually remained where they
were once stationed, which was a most imprudent system. It
can hardly be conceived how Hadrian could tolerate such a
thing. They thus became a sort of settled Janissaries on the
frontiers ; and instead of being kept in their camps, they gener-
ally took up their quarters in the towns of the provincials. In
Syria, which is one of the most beautiful and magnificent
countries in the world, with an admirable climate, and a fertile
soil, the discipline of the Koman legions had been in a state of
perfect dissolution, and the Parthians had been very successful
in their attacks. They had, it is true, also Sufferedreverses; but
their cavalry was excellent. Avidius Cassius, who had been
entrusted with the command of those legions, had restored their
discipline, and conquered the Parthians with them. The an-
cient system of changing the governors of provinces had like-
wise been neglected; and after the time of Hadrian, the Iegati
pro praetore often remained at their posts all their lives, while
the governors of the senatorial provinces were changed every
year. Avidius Cassius had thus been in Syria for a long time ;
and throughout his province, as far as Egypt, he was extremely
popular, and perhaps even more so with the natives than with the
army. But, in his army too, the ablest men were attached
to him, because he was a good general and maintained a Cas-
siana se veritas : hence a part of his Soldiersjoined the provincials
in proclaiming him emperor. It must be remembered in his
excuse that there was at the time a report current in Syria,
that M. Aurelius had died.8 Had Avidius Cassius succeeded
in obtaining the government of the empire, Komo would not
have had to suffer under the disgraceful sway of Commodus,
and much bloodshed would have been spared. The opinion
that Avidius Cassius intended to restore the republic9 is an ab-
surdity, for such a notion could not have entered the head of
a great general like him. The consequence of that measure
would have been that the voluptuous senate, that is, the fine
and fashionable gentlemen of the day, who were devoid of
8 Vulcat. Gallicanus, Avid. Cassiusy 7 ; Dion Cass. Ixxi. 22,
9 Alficri, in one of his pieces, makes Plmy deliver a speech to Trajan3 in which
he calls upon Iiim to ιcstore the republic.
Insukbection of avidius.
255
all great qualities, would have become the rulers of the world.
I entertain a high opinion of Avidius Cassius, and am con-
vinced that he intended to govern the empire according to the
moral maxims of his predecessors. But about three months
after he had assumed the imperial title, he was murdered by a
centurion10, a fact which shews that a part of the army was dis-
satisfied with his strict discipline. It had also become known
in the meantime that M. Aurelius was not dead. The provincials
reluctantly returned to their obedience to M. Aurelius. The
report that Faustina, the wife of M. Aurelius, was compromised
in the insurrection of Avidius Cassius was without any founda-
tion, and is refuted by her own letters.11 The letters of
Faustina and Marcus are very interesting; but the Latin is
fearfully bad. They contain some obsolete forms, as τebellio
for rebellis, like the ancient perduellio for peτduellis.
On receiving the news of the insurrection of Avidius Cas-
sius, M. Aurelius had gone to the East ; and the mildness
of his character was manifested in his conduct towards the
children of Avidius, and in the regulations which he made in
the province. IIe did not punish the revolted provinces;
although the senate advised him to do so. A son of Avidius
was killed, but contrary to the wish of M. Aurelius, who had
intended to save him. There are a couple of remarkable letters
of Avidius Cassius12, which I must mention in connexion with
his insurrection. Hc there expresses his dissatisfaction, with
the government of M. Aurelius, whom he calls dialogista, in a
manner which cannot surprise us ; for Avidius was a practical
man of great ability, and he could not look with pleasure upon
a sovereign who, with all his faithfulness in the discharge of
his duties, filled his high post without pleasure, and had other
things that lay nearer his heart. Avidius states that M. Aurclius
was indeed an extremely good man ; but that he was not able
to form a Correctjudgment of the men around him, who, under
the cloak of philosophy, oppressed and corrupted the subjects
of the empire. In like manner, Julian was imposed upon by
10 Vulcat. GaIlicanus, Avid. Cassius, 7, foil; Dion Cass. Ixxi. 27.
" (Vulcat. Gallicanus, I. c. 9, foil). There cannot be any Worsehistorical
sources than the writers of the “ Historia Augusta.” All of them, without ex-
ception, are persons of the greatest incapacity; for they put together things con-
tradictory and impossible, without feeling the least uneasiness. It is impossible
to keep the separate Vitae apart.—N.
12 Vulcat. Gallicanus, Avid. Cassius, 14.