facilities, and then only to an extent restricted to their purely official requirements. A Vicar could dispose of a train of ten horses and thirteen asses on a dozen occasions in the year, in order to make tours of inspection throughout his diocese; legates from foreign countries and delegates from provincial centres, journeying to Constantinople to negotiate a treaty or to lay their grievances before the Emperor, were provided for according to circumstances.[1] The highways were constantly permeated by the Imperial couriers bearing dispatches to or from the capital.[2] These emissaries were also deputed to act as spies, and to report at headquarters any suspicious occurrences they might observe on their route,[3] whence they were popularly spoken of as "the eyes of the Emperor."[4] They were known by their military cloak and belt, their tight trousers,[5] and by a spray of feathers[6] in their hair to symbolize the swiftness of their course. One or two were appointed permanently to each province with the task of scouring the
- ↑ Cod. Theod., VIII, v, with Godefroy's paratitlon.
- ↑ Cod. Theod., VI, xxvii; called Agentes in rebus.
- ↑ They appear to have originated in the Frumentarii (corn-collectors), who were sent into the provinces to purvey for the wants of the capital. Encouraged on their return to tattle about what they had seen, signs of disaffection, etc., their secondary vocation became paramount; and under Diocletian they were reconstituted with a more consonant title, whilst their license was restrained; Aurelius Vict., Diocletian; Hist. Aug. Commodus, 4, etc.
- ↑ Libanius, Epitaph. Juliani (R., I, p. 568); cf. Xenophon, Cyropaedia, viii, 2. The Persian king was the original begetter of "eyes and ears" of this description; Herodotus, i, 114.
- ↑ Liban., Adv. eos qui suam Docendi Rat., etc. At this time they were generally called Veredarii, veredus being the name of the post-horses they always rode; Procopius, De Bel. Vand., i, 16; De Bel. Pers., ii, 20.
- ↑ Vetus Glossarium, sb. Vered. eq. (Godefroy ad Cod. Theod., VI, xxix, 1).
