, and himself as the subject, of the laws.
He studied to heal the wounds which Imperial pride, civil discord, and
military violence, had inflicted on the constitution, and to restore,
at least, the image of the ancient republic, as it had been preserved by
the policy of Augustus, and the virtues of Trajan and the Antonines.
It may not be useless to recapitulate some of the most important
prerogatives which the senate appeared to have regained by the election
of Tacitus. 1. To invest one of their body, under the title of emperor,
with the general command of the armies, and the government of the
frontier provinces. 2. To determine the list, or, as it was then styled,
the College of Consuls. They were twelve in number, who, in successive
pairs, each, during the space of two months, filled the year, and
represented the dignity of that ancient office. The authority of the
senate, in the nomination of the consuls, was exercised with such
independent freedom, that no regard was paid to an irregular request of
the emperor in favor of his brother Florianus. "The senate," exclaimed
Tacitus, with the honest transport of a patriot, "understand the
character of a prince whom they have chosen." 3. To appoint the
proconsuls and presidents of the provinces, and to confer on all the
magistrates their civil jurisdiction. 4. To receive appeals through the
intermediate office of the praefect of the city from all the tribunals of
the empire. 5. To give force and validity, by their decrees, to such
as they should approve of the emperor's edicts. 6. To these several
branches of authority we may add some inspection over the finances,
since, even in the stern reign of Aurelian, it was in their power to
divert a part of the revenue from the public service.

Circular epistles were sent, without delay, to all the principal cities
of the empire, Treves, Milan, Aquileia, Thessalo nica, Corinth, Athens,
Antioch, Alexandria, and Carthage, to claim their obedience, and to
inform them of the happy revolution, which had restored the Roman senate
to its ancient dignity. Two of these epistles are still extant.
We likewise possess two very singular fragments of the private
correspondence of the senators on this occasion. They discover the most
excessive joy, and the most unbounded hopes. "Cast away your indolence,"
it is thus that one of the senators addresses his friend, "emerge from
your retirements of Baiae and Puteoli. Give yourself to the city, to the