OCR Rendition - approximate

Relations between Civilized and Savage Life 319 might be taken to bring to Rome somewhat of the arts, the literature, and refinement of the conquered people, but these were secondary objects, and were often aimed at no further than was needed to adorn the triumphal procession of the conqueror. The essential object was always dominion. The conquered country was to be bodily absorbed into the Imperial Republic or Empire with as little change as was consistent with safety -and apart from what personal vanity or avarice might demand, little need be taken from the conquered people, as long as the ruler bowed to the majesty of Rome, and was content to retain his crown as a vassal of Rome. Sufficient garrisons were placed in all posts, of great strategic importance, but the form of government, and the framework and all details of internal administration remained unchanged, few additions or alterations were made, save those which were essential to the Empire. Regarding these the roughest Roman soldier seems to have had an instinct almost as intuitive and discriminating as Caesar himself : as long as the people were content to act on the principle " We have no king but Caesar " all might go on as under their own rulers, great causes and capital cases being alone reserved for decision by Imperial authority. Our own Empire in India, and that of the Manchus in China, are modern examples of the working of a policy akin to that of Rome. An entirely different coursewas followed (though itwas to secure the same object) when a rude and barbarous people were subdued. We could hardly have a better example than is afforded by the history of our own island. The Romans found Britain in a condition of civilization little if at all superior to that of the Zulus in our own day. In each province of the island, after the preliminary work of conquest by victory in the field, secure communication by means of military roads between carefully selected strategical points was the first care of the conquerors. Wherever the military detachments rested even for a single day, the post was appropriately fortified according to the best known rules of military art, and the fortifications of all points of permanent strategical importance were of a character to indicate that permanent undisputed possession of the country was the dominant idea of the conqueror. So wisely, with reference to the natural features of the country, were the lines of communications and fortified posts chosen by the Roman invaders, that the general direction of the trunk lines of Roman road will usually be found identical with those of our modern great lines of railway, the deviations being in most cases due either to natural obstacles which the modern locomotive finds more difficult to surmount than did the Roman Legion ; whilst there are few natural ports, or natural centres of commercial transit, which are