The Roinaji Empire to the 'rriinnph of CJirlstiajiity 287 subject to her rule. The illustrations in this chapter will show the reader what wonderfully fine towns the Roman colonies were (see Figs. 116, 117, 119-124). The remarkable development of such splendid cities in the The decline Roman provinces would indicate great advances in civilization. ^^^^ l^^^^ . This was without doubt true of certain localities. But this out- Augustus ward splendor of the colonies and provinces was no indication Fig. 122. Ruins of Roman Baths at Bath, England There are hot springs at Bath, England, and here the Roman colonists in Britain developed a fashionable watering place. In recent years the soil and rubbish which, through the centuries, had collected over the old Roman buildings have been removed, and we can get some idea of how they were arranged. The picture represents a model of a part of the ruins. To the right is a great quadrangular pool, eighty-three by forty feet in size, and to the left a circular bath. Over the whole a fine hall was built, with recesses on either side of the big pool where one might sit and talk with his friends of the tendency of civilization in the Roman world as a whole. The triumph of Augustus had ushered in two centuries of peace, . little affected by the frequent disturbances and the often serious wars on the frontiers. During these two centuries the most pro- found changes went on within the Roman Empire — changes which betray the slow decline and lead to the fall of the great structure of civilization which had risen to dominate the Medi- terranean world. The effort of Augustus to restore the simple wholesomeness and the sturdy virtues of the old Roman life
