下载辰思小说免费APP
15。OftheCommerceoftheRomanswiththeBarbarians。TheRomanshavingerectedavastempireinEurope，Asia，andAfrica，theweaknessofthepeopleandthetyrannyoftheirlawsunitedallthepartsofthisimmensebody。TheRomanpolicywasthentoavoidallcommunicationwiththosenationswhomtheyhadnotsubdued：thefearofcarryingtothemtheartofconqueringmadethemneglecttheartofenrichingthemselves。
Theymadelawstohinderallcommercewithbarbarians。"Letnobody，"
saidValensandGratian，[115]"sendwine，oil，orotherliquorstothebarbarians，thoughitbeonlyforthemtotaste。""Letnoonecarrygoldtothem，"addGratian，Valentinian，andTheodosius；[116]"rather，iftheyhaveany，letoursubjectsdeprivethemofitbystratagem。"Theexportationofironwasprohibitedonpainofdeath。
Domitian，aprinceofgreattimidity，orderedthevinesinGaultobepulledup，[117]fromfear，nodoubt，lesttheirwinesshoulddrawthitherthebarbarians。ProbusandJulian，whohadnosuchfears，gaveordersfortheirbeingplantedagain。
IamsensiblethatuponthedeclensionoftheRomanempirethebarbariansobligedtheRomanstoestablishstapletowns，andtotradewiththem。ButeventhisisaproofthatthemindsoftheRomanswereaversetocommerce。[118]
16。OftheCommerceoftheRomanswithArabiaandtheIndies。ThetradetoArabiaFelix，andthattotheIndies，werethetwobranches，andalmosttheonlyones，oftheirforeigncommerce。TheArabianswerepossessedofimmenseriches，whichtheyfoundintheirseasandforests；
andastheysoldmuchandpurchasedlittle，theydrewtothemselvesthegoldandsilveroftheRomans。[119]Augustus，[120]beingwellapprisedofthatopulence，resolvedtheyshouldbeeitherhisfriendsorhisenemies。Withthisviewhesent？liusGallusfromEgyptintoArabia。
Thiscommanderfoundthepeopleindolent，peaceable，andunskilledinwar。Hefoughtbattles，laidsiegestotowns，andlostbutsevenofhismenbythesword；buttheperfidyofhisguides，longmarches，theclimate，wantofprovisions，distempers，andill—conduct，causedtheruinofhisarmy。
HewasthereforeobligedtobecontentwithtradingtoArabia，inthesamemannerasothernations；thatis，withgivingthemgoldandsilverinexchangefortheircommodities。TheEuropeanstradewiththemstillinthesamemanner；thecaravansofAleppoandtheroyalvesselofSuezcarrythitherimmensesums。[121]
NaturehadformedtheArabsforcommerce，notforwar；butwhenthosequietpeoplecametobenearneighbourstotheParthiansandtheRomans，theyactedasauxiliariestobothnations。？liusGallusfoundthematradingpeople；Mahomethappenedtofindthemtrainedtowar；heinspiredthemwithenthusiasm，whichledthemtogloryandconquest。
ThecommerceoftheRomanstotheIndieswasveryconsiderable。
Strabo[122]hadbeeninformedinEgyptthattheyemployedinthisnavigationonehundredandtwentyvessels；thiscommercewascarriedonentirelywithbullion。Theysentthitherannuallyfiftymillionsofsesterces。Pliny[123]saysthatthemerchandisebroughtthencewassoldatRomeatcent。percentprofit。Hespeaks，Ibelieve，toogenerally；
ifthistradehadbeensovastlyprofitable，everybodywouldhavebeenwillingtoengageinit，andthenitwouldhavebeenatanend。
Itwilladmitofaquestion，whetherthetradetoArabiaandtheIndieswasofanyadvantagetotheRomans。Theywereobligedtoexporttheirbullionthither，thoughtheyhadnot，likeus，theresourceofAmerica，whichsupplieswhatwesendaway。Iampersuadedthatoneofthereasonsoftheirincreasingthevalueoftheirspeciebyestablishingbasecoinwasthescarcityofsilver，owingtothecontinualexportationofittotheIndies：andthoughthecommoditiesofthiscountryweresoldatRomeattherateofcent。percent，thisprofitoftheRomans，beingobtainedfromtheRomansthemselves，couldnotenrichtheempire。
Itmaybealleged，ontheotherhand，thatthiscommerceincreasedtheRomannavigation，andofcoursetheirpower；thatnewmerchandiseaugmentedtheirinlandtrade，gaveencouragementtothearts，andemploymenttotheindustrious；thatthenumberofsubjectsmultipliedinproportiontothenewmeansofsupport；thatthisnewcommercewasproductiveofluxury，whichIhaveprovedtobeasfavourabletoamonarchicalgovernmentasfataltoacommonwealth；thatthisestablishmentwasofthesamedateasthefalloftheirrepublic；thattheluxuryofRomehadbecomenecessary；andthatitwasextremelyproperthatacitywhichhadaccumulatedallthewealthoftheuniverseshouldrefunditbyitsluxury。
Strabosays[124]thattheRomanscarriedonafarmoreextensivecommercewiththeIndiesthanthekingsofEgypt；butitisveryextraordinarythatthosepeoplewhoweresolittleacquaintedwithcommerceshouldhavepaidmoreattentiontothatofIndiathantheEgyptiankings，whosedominionslaysoconvenientlyforit。Thereasonofthismustbeexplained。
AfterthedeathofAlexander，thekingsofEgyptestablishedamaritimecommercewiththeIndies；whilethekingsofSyria，whowerepossessedofthemoreeasternprovinces，andconsequentlyoftheIndies，maintainedthatcommerceofwhichwehavetakennoticeinthesixthchapter，whichwascarriedonpartlybyland，andpartlybyrivers，andhadbeenfurtherfacilitatedbymeansoftheMacedoniancolonies；
insomuchthatEuropehadcommunicationwiththeIndiesbothbyEgyptandbySyria。Thedismemberingofthelatterkingdom，whencewasformedthatofBactriana，didnotproveinanywayprejudicialtothiscommerce。
MarinustheTyrian，quotedbyPtolemy，[125]mentionsthediscoveriesmadeinIndiabymeansofsomeMacedonianmerchants，whofoundoutnewroads，whichhadbeenunknowntokingsintheirmilitaryexpeditions。WefindinPtolemy[126]thattheywentfromPeter’stower[127]asfarasSera；andthediscoverymadebymercantilepeopleofsodistantamart，situatedinthenorth—eastpartofChina，wasakindofprodigy。Hence，underthekingsofSyriaandBactriana，merchandisewasconveyedtothewestfromthesouthernpartsofIndia，bytheriverIndus，theOxus，andtheCaspianSea；whilethoseofthemoreeasternandnorthernpartsweretransportedfromSera，Peter’stower，andotherstaples，asfarastheEuphrates。Thosemerchantsdirectedtheirroutenearlybythefortiethdegreeofnorthlatitude，throughcountriessituatedtothewestofChina，morecivilisedatthattimethanatpresent，becausetheyhadnotasyetbeeninfestedbytheTartars。
NowwhiletheSyrianempirewasextendingitstradetosuchadistancebyland，Egyptdidnotgreatlyenlargeitsmaritimecommerce。
TheParthianssoonafterappeared，andfoundedtheirempire；andwhenEgyptfellunderthepoweroftheRomans，thisempirewasatitsheight，andhadreceiveditswholeextension。
TheRomansandParthiansweretworivalnations，thatfoughtnotfordominionbutfortheirveryexistence。Betweenthetwoempiresdesertswereformedandarmieswerealwaysstationedonthefrontiers；sothatinsteadoftherebeinganycommerce，therewasnotsomuchascommunicationbetweenthem。Ambition，jealousy，religion，nationalantipathy，anddifferenceofmannerscompletedtheseparation。Thusthetradefromeasttowest，whichhadformerlysomanychannels，wasreducedtoone；andAlexandriabecomingtheonlystaple，thetradetothiscitywasimmenselyenlarged。
Weshallsaybutonewordoftheirinlandtrade。ItsprincipalbranchwasthecornbroughttoRomeforthesubsistenceofthepeople；butthiswasratherapoliticalaffairthanapointofcommerce。Onthisaccountthesailorswerefavouredwithsomeprivileges，becausethesafetyoftheempiredependedontheirvigilance。[128]
17。OfCommerceaftertheDestructionoftheWesternEmpire。AftertheinvasionoftheRomanempireoneeffectofthegeneralcalamitywasthedestructionofcommerce。Thebarbarousnationsatfirstregardeditonlyasanopportunityforrobbery；andwhentheyhadsubduedtheRomans，theyhonoureditnomorethanagriculture，andtheotherpr
