rna, and of
Ephesus, who so long disputed with each other the titular primacy of
Asia? The capitals of Syria and Egypt held a still superior rank in the
empire; Antioch and Alexandria looked down with disdain on a crowd of
dependent cities, and yielded, with reluctance, to the majesty of Rome
itself.

Chapter II: The Internal Prosperity In The Age Of The Antonines.--Part
IV.

All these cities were connected with each other, and with the capital,
by the public highways, which, issuing from the Forum of Rome, traversed
Italy, pervaded the provinces, and were terminated only by the frontiers
of the empire. If we carefully trace the distance from the wall of
Antoninus to Rome, and from thence to Jerusalem, it will be found that
the great chain of communication, from the north-west to the south-east
point of the empire, was drawn out to the length if four thousand
and eighty Roman miles. The public roads were accurately divided by
mile-stones, and ran in a direct line from one city to another, with
very little respect for the obstacles either of nature or private
property. Mountains were perforated, and bold arches thrown over the
broadest and most rapid streams. The middle part of the road was raised
into a terrace which commanded the adjacent country, consisted of
several strata of sand, gravel, and cement, and was paved with large
stones, or, in some places near the capital, with granite. Such was
the solid construction of the Roman highways, whose firmness has not
entirely yielded to the effort of fifteen centuries. They united
the subjects of the most distant provinces by an easy and familiar
intercourse; out their primary object had been to facilitate the marches
of the legions; nor was any country considered as completely subdued,
till it had been rendered, in all its parts, pervious to the arms and
authority of the conqueror. The advantage of receiving the earliest
intelligence, and of conveying their orders with celerity, induced the
emperors to establish, throughout their extensive dominions, the regular
institution of posts. Houses were every where erected at the distance
only of five or six miles; each of them was constantly provided with
forty horses, and by the help of these relays, it was easy to travel
a hundred miles in a day along the Roman roads. * The use of posts
was allowed to those who claimed it by an Imperial mandate; but though
originally intended for the public service, it was sometimes indul