The
city was rendered still stronger by art than nature had formed it. As early
as the fifth or sixth centuries of the Christian era the port was
converted, by the retreat of the sea, into dry ground, and a grove of pines
grew where the Roman fleet had anchored.
Besides the principal ports of Ravenna and Misenum, Augustus stationed a
very considerable force at Frejus, on the coast of Provence, forty ships in
the Euxine, with 3000 soldiers; a fleet to preserve the communication
between Gaul and Britain, another near Alexandria, and a great number of
smaller vessels on the Rhine and the Danube. As soon as the Romans had
constant and regular fleets, instead of the legionary soldiers, who used to
fight at sea as well as at land, a separate band of soldiers were raised
for the sea service, who were called Classiarii; but this service was
reckoned less honourable than that of the legionary soldiers.
The period at which we are arrived seems a proper one to take a general
view of the commerce of the Roman empire; though, in order to render this
view more complete, it will be necessary in many instances to anticipate
the transactions posterior to the reign of Augustus. We shall, therefore,
in the first place, give a statement of the extent of the Roman empire when
it had reached its utmost limits; secondly, an account of its roads and
communications by land; and, lastly, an abstract of the principal imports
into it, and the laws and finances, so far as they respect its commerce.
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