The kind cruelty of Commodus united them in CHA P. death *. IV. The tyrant's rage, after having shed the noblest The minis blood of the senate, at length recoiled on the ter Perenprincipal instrument of his cruelty. Whilst nis. Commodus was immersed in blood and luxury, he devolved the detail of the public business on. Perennis; a servile and ambitious minister, who had obtained his post by the murder of his predecessor, but who possessed a considerable share of vigour and ability. By acts of extortion, and the forfeited estates of the nobles sacrificed to his avarice, he had accumulated an immense treasure. The Prætorian guards were under his iminediate command; and his son, who already discovered a military genius, was at the head of the Illyrian legions. Perennis aspired to the empire; or what, in the eyes of Commodus, amounted to the same crime, he was capable of aspiring to it, had he not been prevented, surprised, and put to death. The fall of a minister A. D. 180. is a very trifling incident in the general history of the empire; but it was hastened by an extraordinary circumstance, which proved how much the nerves of discipline were already relaxed. The legions of Britain, discontented with the administration of Perennis, formed a deputation of fifteen hundred select men, with instructions to march to Rome, and lay their complaints before the emperor. These military petitioners, by * In a note upon the Augustan History, Casaubon has collected a number of particulars concerning these celebrated brothers. See p. 96, of his learned commentary. ЗЯНМА МАМОЯ ІНТО inflaming CHA P. by their own determined behaviour, by the divisions of the guards, by exaggerating the barotovalgetermined nawab, onto men strength of the British army, and by alarming Revolt of alady to lay pot on to Hum the minister's death, as the only redress of their 1088901 The negligence of the public administration was betrayed soon afterwards, by a new disorder, which arose from the smallest beginnings. A spirit of desertion began to prevail among the troops; and the deserters, instead of seeking their safety in flight or concealment, infested the highways. Maternus, a private soldier, of a daring boldness above his station, collected these bands of robbers into a little army, set open the prisons, invited the slaves to assert their freedom, and plundered with impunity the rich and defenceless cities of Gaul and Spain. The governors of the provinces, who had long been the spectators, and perhaps the partners, of his depredations, were, at length, roused from their supine indolence by the threatening commands of the emperor. Maternus found that he was encompassed, and foresaw that he must be overpowered. A great effort of despair was his last resource. He ordered his followers to disperse, p. 677 to 1. Ixxii. p. 1210. Herodian, l. i. p. 22. Hist. August. .48. Dion gives a much less odious character of Perennis, than the other historians. His moderation is almost a pledge of his veracity. IV. to pass the Alps in small parties and various dis- CHA P. guises, and to assemble at Rome, during the licentious tumult of the festival of Cybele *. To murder Commodus, and to ascend the vacant throne, was the ambition of no vulgar robber. His measures were so ably concerted, that his concealed troops already filled the streets of Rome. The envy of an accomplice discovered and ruined this singular enterprise, in the moment when it was ripe for execution †. ter Clean Suspicious princes often promote the last of The minismankind, from a vain persuasion that those who der. have no dependence, except on their favour, will have no attachment, except to the person of their benefactor. Cleander, the successor of Perennis, was a Phrygian by birth; of a nation, over whose stubborn, but servile temper, blows only could prevail. He had been sent from his native country to Rome, in the capacity of a slave. As a slave he entered the Imperial palace, rendered himself useful to his master's passions, and rapidly ascended to the most exalted station which a subject could enjoy. His influence over the mind of Commodus was much greater than that of his predecessor; for Cleander was devoid of VOL. I. L any * During the second Punic war, the Romans imported from Asia the worship of the mother of the gods. Her festival, the Megalesia, began on the fourth of April, and lasted six days. The streets were crowded with mad processions, the theatres with spectators, and the public tables with unbidden guests. Order and police were suspended, and pleasure was the only serious business of the city. See Ovid. de Fastis, 1. iv, 189, &c, ↑ Herodian, 1. i. p. 23. 28. Cicero pro Flacco, c. 27. IV. His avarice and cruelty. CHAP any ability or virtue which could inspire the em peror with envy. for distrust. Avarice was the reigning passion of his soul, and the great principle of his administration. The rank of Con- ́ sul, of Patrician, of Senator, was exposed to public sale; and it would have been considered as disaffection, if any one had refused to purchase these empty and disgraceful honours with the greatest part of his fortune. In the lucrative provincial employments, the minister shared with the governor the spoils of the people. The execution of the laws was venal and arbitrary. A wealthy criminal might obtain, not only the reversal of the sentence by which he was justly condemned, but might likewise inflict whatever punishment he pleased on the accuser, the witnesses, and the judge. By these means, Cleander, in the space of three years, had accumulated more wealth than had ever yet been possessed by any freedman †. Commodus was perfectly satisfied with the magnificent presents which the artful courtier laid at his feet in the most seasonable moments. Το divert the public envy, Cleander, under the emperor's name, erected baths, porticos, and places of exercise, for the use of the people ‡. He flat * One of these dear-bought promotions occasioned a current bon mot, that Julius Solon was banished into the senate. + Dion (1. lxxii. p. 12, 13.) observes, that no freedman had possessed riches equal to those of Cleander. The fortune of Pallas amounted, however, to upwards of five and twenty hun dred thousand pounds; Ter millies. Dion, l. lxxii. p. 12, 18. Herodian, 1. i. p. 29. Hist. August. p. 52. These baths were situated near the Porta Copena. See Nardini Roma Antica, p. 79. flattered himself that the Romans, dazzled and CHA P. amused by this apparent liberality, would be less IV. affected by the bloody scenes which were daily exhibited; that they would forget the death of Byrrhus, a senator to whose superior merit the late emperor had granted one of his daughters; and that they would forgive the execution of Arius Antoninus, the last representative of the name and virtues of the Antonines. The former, with more integrity than prudence, had attempted to disclose, to his brother-in-law, the true character of Cleander. An equitable sentence pronounced by the latter, when proconsul of Asia, against a worthless creature of the favourite, proved fatal to him*. After the fall of Perennis, the terrors of Commodus had, for a short time, assumed the appearance of a return to virtue. He repealed the most odious of his acts, loaded his memory with the public execration, and ascribed to the pernicious counsels of that wicked minister, all the errors of his inexperienced youth. But his repentance lasted only thirty days; and, under Cleander's tyranny, the administration of Perennis was often regretted. and death A D, 189. Pestilence and famine contributed to fill up the Sedition measure of the calamities of Rome +. The first, of Cleancould be only imputed to the just indignation of der, the gods; but a monopoly of corn, supported by the riches and power of the minister, was considered * Hist. August. p. 48. L 2 + Herodian, l. i. p. 28. Dion, 1. lxxii. p. 1215. The latter says, that two thousand persons died every day at Rome, during a considerable length of time. |