DuringalongperiodoftwohundredandtwentyyearsfromtheestablishmentofthisartfulsystemtothedeathofCommodus，thedangersinherenttoamilitarygovernmentwere，inagreatmeasure，suspended。Thesoldierswereseldomrousedtothatfatalsenseoftheirownstrength，andoftheweaknessofthecivilauthority，whichwas，beforeandafterwards，productiveofsuchdreadfulcalamities。CaligulaandDomitianwereassassinatedintheirpalacebytheirowndomestics:theconvulsionswhichagitatedRomeonthedeathoftheformer，wereconfinedtothewallsofthecity。ButNeroinvolvedthewholeempireinhisruin。Inthespaceofeighteenmonths，fourprincesperishedbythesword；andtheRomanworldwasshakenbythefuryofthecontendingarmies。Exceptingonlythisshort，thoughviolenteruptionofmilitarylicense，thetwocenturiesfromAugustus^29toCommoduspassedawayunstainedwithcivilblood，andundisturbedbyrevolutions。Theemperorwaselectedbytheauthorityofthesenate，andtheconsentofthesoldiers。
^30Thelegionsrespectedtheiroathoffidelity；anditrequiresaminuteinspectionoftheRomanannalstodiscoverthreeinconsiderablerebellions，whichwereallsuppressedinafewmonths，andwithouteventhehazardofabattle。^31
[Footnote*:Caligulaperishedbyaconspiracyformedbytheofficersofthepraetoriantroops，andDomitianwouldnot，perhaps，havebeenassassinatedwithouttheparticipationofthetwochiefsofthatguardinhisdeath。—W。]
[Footnote29:Augustusrestoredtheancientseverityofdiscipline。Afterthecivilwars，hedroppedtheendearingnameofFellow—Soldiers，andcalledthemonlySoldiers，Sueton。inAugust。c。25。SeetheuseTiberiusmadeoftheSenateinthemutinyofthePannonianlegions，Tacit。Annal。i。]
[Footnote30:Thesewordsseemtohavebeentheconstitutionallanguage。SeeTacit。Annal。xiii。4。