their office immediately on leaving the pomerium and were to wear them
continually until they should return. The heads of imperial provinces, on
the other hand, were to be chosen by himself and be his agents, and they
were to be named proprætors even if they were from the ranks of the
ex-consuls. Of these two names which had been extremely common under the
democracy he gave that of prætor to the class chosen by him because
from very early times war had been their care, and he called them also
proprætors: the name of consul he gave to the others, because their
duties were more peaceful, and called them in addition proconsuls. These
particular names of prætor and consul he continued in Italy, and spoke of
all officials outside as governing as their representatives. He caused
the class of his own choosing to employ the title of proprætor and to
hold office for as much longer than a year as should please him, wearing
the military costume and having a sword with which they are empowered to
punish soldiers. No one else, proconsul or proprætor or procurator, who
is not empowered to kill a soldier, has been given the privilege of
wearing a sword. It is permitted not only to senators but also to knights
who have this function. This is the condition of the case.--All the
proprætors alike employ six lictors: as many of them as do not belong to
the number of ex-consuls are named from this very number.[3] Both classes
alike assume the decorations of their position of authority when they
enter their appointed district and lay them aside immediately upon
finishing their term.

[-14-] It is thus and on these conditions that governors from among the
ex-prætors and ex-consuls have been customarily sent to both kinds
of provinces. The emperor would send one of them on his mission
whithersoever and whenever he wished. Many while acting as prætors and
consuls secured the presidency of provinces, as sometimes happens at the
present day. In the case of the senate he privately gave Africa and Asia