ty as censor, and appointed or deposed its members; and he raised
the property qualification of each Senator to about $50,000. A large
part of the people of the capital were maintained by the free
distribution of corn; but Augustus reduced the number from 320,000 to
200,000, providing for the poorer citizens by settling them in new
colonies, and his measures seem to have produced general contentment.

He was also sincerely desirous to reform the morals of the nation.
Several laws were passed encouraging marriage, and in B.C. 18 he obliged
the Senate to decree that marriage should be imperative upon every
citizen of suitable age. Celibacy was punished by an incapacity to
receive bequests, and even the childless married man was deprived of
half his legacy; these efforts, however, failed, and a general license
prevailed. As censor, he sought to restrain extravagance, and limited
the sum to be expended upon entertainments. He insisted that the _toga_,
the national dress, be worn at least at the public spectacles; he
endeavored to preserve the distinctions of rank by providing each of the
three orders with its own seats in the circus; and he plainly sought to
elevate the aristocracy, and to withdraw all political power from the
people. It is said, however, that he once entertained the design of
resigning his authority, but was prevented from doing so by the advice
of his friends, who represented to him that the Romans were no longer
capable of governing themselves.

The Praetorian guard, which Augustus provided for his own protection,
consisted of ten cohorts, each containing 800 or 1000 men, both cavalry
and foot: of these only three cohorts were kept in the city, the others
being distributed through the Italian towns. These soldiers received
double pay, and were commanded by the _praefectus praetorii_: at a later
period they became the masters of the empire.

The whole army, amounting to about 350,000 men, was encamped in various
portions of his dominions. His fleet, which numbered 500 ships, was
stationed chiefly at Misenum and Ravenna. His revenues arose from the
contributions of the provinces, from various taxes, and from the rent of
the public domain. An excise was imposed upon all goods exposed for
sale, and there was also a tax upon all bachelors.

Augustus encouraged commerce and industry, built new roads, and provided
the capital with an abundance of food. Games and public spectacles were
exhibited to amuse the