The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-07
WEALTH IN OTHER DAYS

From Gibbons Roman Empire.
7 is natural to suppose that the great
est number, as well as the most
4 considerable of the Roman edifices,
were raised by the emperors. who pos
sessed so unbounded a command both OF
men and money. Augustus was accus-
toned 10 boast that he had found his
capital of brick and that he had left 1t
of marble. But IL the emperors
were the first, they were not the only
architects of their dominions. Their ex-
ample was universally initiated by their
principal subjects who were not afraid
of declaring to the world that they had
the spirit to conceive, and the wealth
to accomplish the noblest undertakings.
The opulcnt senators of Rome
and the provinces esteemed it an honor
and almost an obligation to adorn the
spiendor of their age and country: and
the Influence of fashion very frequently
supplied the want of taste or generosity.
Among a crowd of these private bene-
factors we may select Herodes Atticus,
an Athenlan citizen. who lived in the age
of Antonines. Whatever might be the
motive of his conduct, his magnificence
would have been worthy OF the greatest
kings.
The family of Herod, at least after it
had been favored by fortune, was lineally
descended from Cimon and Miltiades.
Theseus and Cecrops. Aeacus and Jupi-
ter But the posterity of so many gods
and heroes was fallen into the most
abject state. His grandfather had suf-
fered by the hands of justice, and julius
Atticus, his father. must have ended his
life in poverty and contempt had he not
discovered an immense treasure buried
under an old house. the last remains of
his patrimony. According to the rigor
of the law, tie emperor might have as
serted his claim, and the prudent Atticus
prevented. by frank confession. the
officiousness of informers. But the equit-
able Nerva, who then filled the throne.
refused to accept any part of It. and
commanded him to use without scruple
the present of fortune. The cautious
Athenian still insisted that the treasure
was too considerable for subject and
that he knew not how to use it. Abuse
natured peevishness; for ii is your own.
Many will be of the opinion that Atticus
literally obeyed the emperor's last in
structions; since he expended the greatest
part of his fortune, which was much
increased by an advantageous marriag e,
in the service Of the public. He had OBJ
tanned for his son Herod the prefecture
of the free cities of Asia; and the young
magistrate observing that the town of
Troas was indifferently supplied with wa
ter, obtained from the munlhcence of
Hadrian 300 myriads of drachms (about
100000 pounds) for the construction of a
new aqueduct. But in the execution Of
the work the charge amounted to more
than double the estimate. and the officers
of the revenue began to murmur till the
generous Att.cus silenced their COM
plants by requesting that he might be
permitted to take upon himself the whole
additional expense.
The ablest preceptors of Greece and
Asia had been invited by liberal rewards
to direct the education of young Herod.
Their pupil soon became celebrated
orator, according to the useless rhetoric
of that age. which, combining itself to the
schools, disdained to visit either the forum
or the senate. lie was honored with the
consulship at Rome; but the greatest
part of his life was spent in a philo-
sophie retirement at Athens. and his adj
jacent villas; perpetually surrounded by
sophists, who acknowledged without re-
luctance the superiority of rich and
generous rival. The monuments of his
genius have persisted; some considerable
ruins still preserve the fame of his taste
and munihcence;l modern travellers have
measured the remains of the stadium
which he constructed at Athens. 1t was
| 600 feet in length, built entirely of white
marble. capable OF admitting the whole
body OF the people. and finished In four
| years, whilst Herod was president of the