ments. A black-list of the chief men in the northern Greek states
was published by the Roman commission: they were to go and
stand their trial in Rome. The steady loyalty of the Achaean
League did not protect it. Infamous traitors accused the best
patriots of disloyalty, and 1000 men, the very pick of their citi-
zens, were deported to Italy. Thus Greek public life was robbed
of all its soundest and most competent elements. Epirus was
for the moment the scene of the worst atrocities. Its chief men
had been removed or murdered. Finally, by an act of cruel
treachery, the defenceless country was swept by the Roman army.
It is said that 150,000 people were carried off into slavery. The
kindly Paullus, deservedly popular in Greece, had to preside over
the commission and to carry out these abominations; but he was
not the man to question the orders of the Senate.

232. The old-fashioned scruples of Paullus caused him to
keep for the Roman treasury the rich war-booty that properly
belonged to it. For himself he took only the royal library of
Macedon, as a prize for his grown-up sons. In his army he
had maintained discipline, and the largess given to the soldiers
at his triumph was on a moderate scale. We hear that the men
were sulky at the poor returns from the sale of captives, and
grumbled at the stingy dole. The triumph itself was splendid
beyond precedent. But it was the state-finances that profited.
The old war-tax or forced loan (tributum), formerly one of the
regular burdens of citizenship, ceased to be levied. It was indeed
a turning-point in Roman history. The Roman soldier-citizen
was developing into a greedy mercenary, and an honest com-
mander like Paullus, thinking only of his duty, was already
exceptional. And the position of Rome was now one of un-
challenged supremacy. The virtues of her people and govern-
ment had been a wondrous growth, stimulated by the actual or
probable competition of rivals. Now there was no rival power,
nor the smallest likelihood of one to come. The hand of Rome
was everywhere, and no fugitive enemy could find a safe refuge
from her vengeance. Nor could her prisoners in Italy escape.
The custody of Perseus and Gentius, and also of the suspected
Greeks, was provided for by placing them out in towns of the
Italian Allies. No doubt this was a great nuisance and respon-
sibility laid on the local authorities, but it was a saving of trouble
to the Roman government. We may see in it an additional proof

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