The History of Rome, Book IV - The Revolution by Theodor Mommsen
page 52 of 681 (07%)
page 52 of 681 (07%)
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In the matter of taxes Rome dealt on the whole with moderation.
Those communities which from the beginning of the war had taken part with Rome--viz. Only the maritime towns of Utica, Hadrumetum, Little Leptis, Thapsus, Achulla, and Usalis, and the inland town of Theudalis-- retained their territory and became free cities; which was also the case with the newly-founded community of deserters. The territory of the city of Carthage--with the exception of a tract presented to Utica--and that of the other destroyed townships became Roman domain- land, which was let on lease. The remaining townships likewise forfeited in law their property in the soil and their municipal liberties; but their land and their constitution were for the time being, and until further orders from the Roman government, left to them as a possession liable to be recalled, and the communities paid annually to Rome for the use of their soil which had become Roman a once-for-all fixed tribute (stipendium), which they in their turn collected by means of a property-tax levied from the individuals liable. The real gainers, however, by this destruction of the first commercial city of the west were the Roman merchants, who, as soon as Carthage lay in ashes, flocked in troops to Utica, and from this as their head-quarters began to turn to profitable account not only the Roman province, but also the Numidian and Gaetulian regions which had hitherto been closed to them. Macedonia and the Pseudo-Phillip Victory of Metellus Macedonia also disappeared about the same time as Carthage from the ranks of the nations. The four small confederacies, into which the wisdom of the Roman senate had parcelled out the ancient kingdom, could not live at peace either internally or one with another. |
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