ed the boundary of fairness and began abusing the political system. One, symptom, characteristic of the break-up of the late Roman world, was the corruption that poised the whole body politic (Alfoldi 28). Many city officials took the Roman citizens for granted. For example, upon arrival of an important statesman the citizens were forced to line the streets and embrace the governor. If a citizen wanted to meet with an official, he or she had to receive special permission. When special access was granted, the person must introduce himself or herself to the official by kissing his hand or robe. Emperors would also abuse the citizens by taxing them dry. The Emperor was richer by several magnitudes than his wealthiest subject. His way of life outshone everyone elses, and his domestic staff was much bigger even than that of the city-prefect with 400 slaves in his townhouse (Duncan-Jones 39). Army commanders would also use the loyalty of the soldiers for their own personal advantage. They would often take control of newly conquered territories and exploit them for their own benefit. Senators would also acquire new territories by claiming that the empire was in debt to the statesman. And since the empire was ran by senators, they would help each other by covering or illegally aiding one another, therefore leading to the economic and social advancement of only a select few. Independent land owners were the most physically abusing of the three rulers. Because the countryside was less observed by the cities population and therefore itself was less observant of the latters values, it permitted less civilized behavior (MacMullen 84).Although the three rulers had separate intentions, they all ruled their territories through favors and fear. Gifts to the ruler were often expected instead of surprising. I saw a poor man in the course of being forced to pay what he could not pay, and dragged off to jail because some great mans table l...
