502 MUNICIPAL REGIME DISAPPEARS. BOOK V. They iiad therefore renounced, not only their muni- cijjal government, but all that appertained to it among the ancients, — that is to say, their religion and their private law. From that moment these men no longer formed a political body among themselves; nothing that goes to make up a regular society remained to them. Their city (urbs) might remain standing, but the state (civitas) had perished. If they continued to live together, they lived without institutions, laws, or magistrates. The arbitrary authority of a prccfecius sent by Rome maintained material order among them.' On the other hand were the allies — /cederati, or socii. They were less cruelly treated. Tiie day on which they entered the Roman dominion, it had been stipu- lated that they should preserve their municipal govern- ment, and should remain organized into cities. They therefore continued to have in every city a constitution, magistracies, a senate, a prytaneum, laws, and judges. The city was supposed to be independent, and seemed to liave no other relations with Rome than those of an ally with its ally. Still, in the terms of the treaty which had been drawn np at the time of the conquest, Rome had been careful to insert these words: Jlajes- tatem populi Momani comiter conservato!' Tiiese terms established the dependence of the allied city upon the metropolitan city, and as they were very vague, it liap- pened that the measure of this dependence was always in accordance with the will of the stronger. These cities, which were called free, received orders fiom Rome, obeyed proconsuls, and jjaid taxes to the col- » Livy, I. 38; VII. 31; IX. 20; XXVI. IG; XXVIII. 34. Cicero, Dc Lege Agr., I. G; II. 32. Festus, v. Prafectura.
- Citero. Pro Dalbo, 16.
