His hope was, that in this way making himself in part the
creation of the senate, he might strengthen his title against competitors
at Rome, whilst the entire military administration going on under his own
eyes, exclusively directed to that one object, would give him some chance
of defeating the hasty and tumultuary competitions so apt to arise amongst
the legions upon the frontier. We notice the transaction chiefly as
indicating the anomalous situation of the senate. Without power in a
proper sense, or no more, however, than the indirect power of wealth, that
ancient body retained an immense _auctoritas_--that is, an influence
built upon ancient reputation, which, in their case, had the strength of a
religious superstition in all Italian minds. This influence the senators
exerted with effect, whenever the course of events had happened to reduce
the power of the army. And never did they make a more continuous and
sustained effort for retrieving their ancient power and place, together
with the whole system of the republic, than during the period at which we
are now arrived. From the time of Maximin, in fact, to the accession of
Aurelian, the senate perpetually interposed their credit and authority,
like some _Deus ex machina_ in the dramatic art.
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