The Client Princes of the Roman Empire. By P. C.
Sands, M.A. (Cambridge University Press. 4s. 6d.)—This essay, which obtained the Thirlwall Prize in 11)00, shows us in a very illuminating way one aspect of the Roman dominion. It is quite impossible for us to analyse its contents, so varied are they. Rome had many ways of dealing with the States with which she came in contact : friendship, alliance, subjection, aro all termsi which vary in their meaning when applied to this relation. The ideal was to be seen in the mutual obligations of the cliens and patronus at home, service rendered by one and protection afforded by the other. But in practice the ideal was not a little lowered. Political and personal considerations intervened; sometimes the bettor course was deliberately postponed to the worse. A particularly instructive chapter is that in which the Roman relation to protected States is compared to that which is to be soon in the British raj in India. We do not come badly out of the comparison. Europe owns much to-day to Roman rule, what- ever its defects. Misguided patriots in India might profitably apply the moral. Partisans and doctrinaires here are probably beyond the reach of any teaching.
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