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166
THE DECLINE AND FALL
CHAP. VI.
_____ age of only ten years, the imperial title and the popular name of Antoninus. The beautiful figure of the youth, assisted by an additional donative, for which the ceremony furnished a pretext, might attract, it was hoped, the favour of the army, and secure the doubtful throne of Macrinus.
- ↑ Dion, 1. Ixxxviii. p. 1350. Elagabalus reproached his predecessor with daring lo seat himself on the throne ; though, as pretorian prefect, he could not have been admitted into the senate after the voice of the crier had cleared the house. The personal favour of Plautianus and Sejanus had broke through the established rule. They rose indeed from the equestrian order ; but they preserved the prefecture with the rank of senator, and even with the consulship.
- ↑ He was a native of Caesarea in Numidia, and began his fortune by serving in the household of Plautian, from whose ruin he narrowly escaped. His enemies asserted, that he was born a slave, and had exercised, among other infamous professions, that of gladiator. The fashion of aspersing the birth and condition of an adversary, seems to have lasted from the time of the Greek orators, to the learned grammarians of the last age.