A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

Depopulation; Incipient Feudalism 541
IV.
Edict or Pertinax Concerning Vacant Lands
Lack of cul-
In the first place he gave permission to occupy untitled
and vacant lands throughout Italy and in the other coun-
throughout
tries of the empire, as much as any one wished and was ^^^ ajd!"^^*
able to cultivate, even if it belonged to the emperor, on jjerodian ii
condition that the one who should care for it and till it 4- 6.
should become its owner. To such cultivators he granted
exemption from all taxes for ten years and eventually
unquaUtied ownership in perpetuity.
V. Tendency to Feudalism
Imperator Constantine Augustus and Caesar Julianus Imperial
to Eutychianus, Pretorian Prefect: "We hold that who- bidding
ever shall try to offer protection to the farming folk, what-
sion^of^proever
his social rank, whether a commander of either branch
tection to
'
rural
,
of military service, or count (comes) or proconsul or vice- laborers,
governor or Imperial prefect or tribune or of the rank ^'^ ' '
of a municipal councillor or of any other rank whatso- code, xxIv'^a.
ever,—he shall know that he will make himself liable for
^^^i^^i
the payment of forty pounds of gold for the protection World, 522.
furnished to each and every landed estate, unless he
abandon this rashness hereafter. All therefore shall know
that those should be smitten with the aforesaid fine,
who
have undertaken (to create) clientship of country folk,
but those also, who for the sake of defrauding the public
taxes have resorted to protections with the customary
fraud, will be liable to the twofold payment of the established
fine."