for many succeeding generations. Capitolinus reckons that no less than eight emperors, however unworthy of the distinction, assumed the name of Antonine, and we find that Alexander Severus, who would have honoured the title, modestly refused it on the ground of personal unworthiness, although pressed by the Senate to assume the name. The indirect influence of Antonine's career may rather be sought for in the chief cities and towns of Roman Africa, which at this period had attained a high degree of civilisation, and took rank with Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch as centres of enlightenment and intellectual activity. A century and a half had elapsed since Juba II. had introduced into his remote capital at Cæsarea the elements of Hellenic culture, of which so many traces remain to the present day. During that long interval Carthage, rebuilt almost by enchantment at the will of Augustus, had gradually attained the position of metropolis of Roman Africa, and its schools, modelled after those at Athens and Corinth, never failed to attract ambitious youths from all parts of Mauritania and Numidia. Hadrumetum, Cirta, Theveste, and other towns had also well-established schools, whose reputation was celebrated throughout the Empire in the age of the Antonines; and though we have no actual record of the course of study prevailing at that period, the testimony of contemporary writers is indisputable as to the high esteem in which they were held, confirmed in later times by such reliable authorities as St. Augustine, Lactantius, and Salvian. It is quite certain, however, that the curriculum included philosophy and rhetoric, law and medicine, mathematics and natural philosophy. Natural history was not forgotten, and painting and architecture were taught by distinguished professors. From St. Augustine, who received his elementary education at Thagaste (Souk-Ahras), 1 Illic (i.e. Carthage) artium liberalium schola. Illic philosophorum officina, cuncta denique vel linguarum gymnasia vel morum.-Salvian (5th century), De Gub. Dei, vii. 67. Inscriptions in honour of professors are not wanting. It may be said that in the African provinces were the elements of a great national university, where the higher branches of science were liberally taught, and where young men from all parts of the country obtained superior education. The university existed from the age of the Antonines to the time of the Vandal kings; and owing to the influence exercised by many of the teachers, and the abundance of students, the schools of Carthage scarcely yielded the palm to those of Athens or Rome. (Paul Monceaux, Les Africains, Paris, 1894, p. 61.) we obtain a glimpse of the course of complete study desirable for youths who were natives of Africa. From Thagaste, he tells us, he was removed to Madaura in Numidia, where the schools at that time were in high repute, and afterwards to Carthage, where the collegiate system was in operation, and the teaching of the highest class. But in many instances education did not stop there. The Latin of Africa was not the Latin of Rome. It therefore became necessary for any one who was ambitious of high office in public or professional life to make himself acquainted with the Latin tongue as spoken by the educated classes in Rome. Apuleius tells us that when he left Carthage to study law in Rome he found himself quite out of his element, and, learned as he then was as a Greek scholar and a master of African Latin, had to devote himself to the study of Roman Latin. African students in Rome were numerous, especially at a later period of the Empire, for we learn from an edict in the reign of Valentinian that, complaints having been lodged of their dissipated habits, they were ordered not to frequent theatres too often, nor indulge in festive entertainments at late hours. Failing obedience, they would be put on board ship and sent back home. Numerous inscriptions in North Africa bear testimony to the eagerness displayed by scholars in the acquisition of knowledge, as well as in putting on record their proficiency in the higher branches of intellectual study. The first inscription' simply records that the deceased was a foreigner and a student at Carthage. The second is to the memory of a learned scholar at Cirta, a master of Greek and Latin (utriusque linguæ), and a renowned orator, aged twentytwo years seven days. Fuit suorum amator et patriæ; læsit neminem; clarissimum virorum et equitum Romanorum propinquus; adfuit eloquentia et industria in agendo ornatus multis; dictamine facilis extemporali volumina (?) dialogorum et epistolarum et edyliorum conscripsit. This last-mentioned inscription from Announa covers twentytwo lines, but eleven only are legible. It tells us of an amiable student of high social position, noted for his eloquence as well as application to many branches of study, in all of which he was distinguished. With pardonable pride the family of this distinguished youth wish posterity to know that the deceased could compose dialogues, idylls, and epistles, and could extemporise on any given subject. The name, age, and parentage of this ill-fated scholar whose career was cut short are unfortunately lost. D.M.S. Caledius Rufus Parcæ quos tribuerunt ter quinos bis singulos peregi annos; ingenio non humili quo gratus apud magistros fui; qui dixi scribi pincsi bene; puer doctrinæ æque dedidi mentem; nam bis septenos cum agerem annos, notas græcas quis in commatibus Here we have a memorial by the deceased himself, but the date of the drafting of this singular inscription is not given on the lines which have been preserved. There are eight additional lines, but they are not legible. In the above we are told that this youth was held in high esteem by his masters: that from childhood he had devoted himself to study: that he could speak well, write well, and paint well: and that when he was 14 years old he could write Greek shorthand a useful accomplishment in those days. It was not unusual in this country for a man to write his own epitaph, nor was it regarded as a breach of good manners on the part of educated men to use self-laudatory expressions in regard to their own merits or 1 C.I.L. No. 12,152. 2 C.I.L. No. 8500. I.R.A. No. 3338. 3 C.I.L. No. 5530 (Wilmanns descrip.). |