purporting to be derived from Niebuhr, Wachsmuth, Heeren, and especially Professor Schlosser, of Heidelberg, we find the distinct statement, without reference, however, to any authorities, both that public works were built by contract, and that the laborers were slaves.

" The " undertook no Romans," says this writer, buildings on account of the State, but had them performed by contract with private speculators, in the same way as they farmed out the collection, or rather the proceeds of the public revenues. These contracts

* Inquiry into the State of Slavery among the Romans, by Wm. Blair, Esq., p. 2. t Plutarch's Life of the Gracchi. : Frontinus, chap. ii.

CROTON AQUEDUCT. 219

were drawn up in writing, of which Cato has preserved to us a specimen in his book on agriculture."

In reference to the Aqua Appia, the same writer makes this statement " The pride :

of a princely patrician, Appius, who looked indeed upon his family as his country, but who looked upon his country as his family a man who may be called the express image of the ancient patriciate of the sternness, vigor, simplicity and constancy of the old Roman nobility for the first time since the kingly era, employed the revenues of the State,

greatly augmented as these were by the possession of Campania and the plunder of Samnium, in a gigantic undertaking, in the building of an enormous aqueduct, and the planning of the most remarkable highway of the Roman empire.

At this time the Romans as well as the 1 ^atins continued to pay war- taxes, land-taxes, property-taxes the tithe of the demesne, lands brought large sums in, and the tolls had ;