and so even women who had inherited from a senator had to supply
money for such purposes. Rich men of course exceeded the minimum
largely with a view to display. The old privilege still attached to Rome
of receiving com from Africa. Diocletian divided Italy into two
districts, of which the northern (annonarta regio) paid tribute for
support of the Court at Milan, while the southern (dioecesis Romae, or suburbicaria regio) supplied wine, cattle, and some other necessaries
for the capital.
Senators as such and the senatorius ordo were subject to special taxation, as well as the ordinary taxation of the provinces (with exception perhaps of the aurum coronarium). The follis senatorius was a particular tax on senatorial lands, and even a landless senator had to pay something. The aurum oblaiicium, already mentioned, was specially burdensome.
The most important officer connected with the Senate was the Praefectus urbi. His office had grown steadily in importance during the whole existence of the Empire. From the time of Constantine its holder was vir illustris. He was the only high official of the Empire who continued to wear the toga and not the military garb. He was at the head of the Senate and was the intermediary between that body and the emperor. The powers of his office were extraordinary. The members of the Senate resident in Rome were under his criminal jurisdiction. There was an appeal to him from all the lesser functionaries who dealt with legal matters in the first instance, not only in the capital, but in a district extending 100 miles in every direction. His control spread over every department of business. He was the chief guardian of public security and had the cohortes urbanae, as well as the praefectus vigilum under his command. The provisioning of the city was an important part of his duty, and the praefectus annonae acted under his orders. A whole army of officials, many of them bearing titles which would have been strange to the Republic and early Empire, assisted him in looking after the water-supply, controlling trade and the markets, and the traffic on the river, in maintaining the river banks, in taking account of the property of senators and in many other departments of affairs. It is difficult to say how far his position was affected by the presence in the city of a Corrector, and a Vicarius of the Praefectus Praetorio. The material welfare of Rome was at least abundantly cared for by the new monarchy. The city had already grown accustomed to the loss of dignity caused by the residence of the emperors in cities more convenient for the purposes of government. But the foundation of Constantinople must have been a heavy blow. The institutions of the old Rome were to a great extent copied in the new. There was a Senate subject to the same obligations as in Rome. Most of the magistracies were repeated. But until 359 no Praefectus urbi seems to have existed at Constantinople. Elaborate arrangements were made for placing the
