n for girls at the
state's expense as there was for boys.[191] Still, the emperors did
something. Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, and
Alexander Severus, for example, regularly supplied girls and boys with
education at public expense[192]; under Trajan there were 5000 children
so honoured. Public-spirited citizens were also accustomed to contribute
liberally to the same cause; Pliny on one occasion[193] gave the
equivalent of $25,000 for the support and instruction of indigent boys
and girls.

[Sidenote: The Vestals.]

It may not be out of place to speak briefly of the Vestal Virgins, the
six priestesses of Vesta, who are the only instances in pagan antiquity
of anything like the nuns of the Christians. The Vestals took a vow of
perpetual chastity.[194] They passed completely out of the power of
their parents and became entirely independent. They could not receive
the inheritance of any person who died intestate, and no one could
become heir to a Vestal who died intestate. They were allowed to be
witnesses in court in public trials, a privilege denied other women.
Peculiar honour was accorded them and they were regularly appointed the
custodians of the wills of the emperors.[195]

[Sidenote: Female slaves.]

The position of women in slavery merits some attention, in view of the
huge multitudes that were held in bondage. Roman law acknowledged no
legal rights on the part of slaves[196]. The master had absolute power
of life and death.[197] They were exposed to every whim of master or
mistress without redress.[198] If some one other than their owner harmed
them they might obtain satisfaction through their master and for his
benefit; but the penalty for the aggressor was only pecuniary.[199] A
slave's evidence was never admitted except under torture.[200] If a
master was killed, every slave of his household and even his freedmen
and freedwomen were put to torture, although the culprit may already
have been discovered, in order to ascertain the instigator of the plot
and his remotest accessories.[201]

The earlier history of Rome leaves no doubt that before the Republic
fell these laws were carried out with inhuman severity. With the
growth of Rome into a world power and the consequent rise of
humanitarianism[202] a strong public feeling against gratuitous cruelty
towards slaves sprang up. This may be illustrated by an event which
happened in the reign of Nero, in the year 58, when a riot ensued out o