8 The Imperial Government
aviolentexpressionofrage.^33 Theaccountsoftheeventsleadinguptothe
murderofCaracallagivefurtherevidence,somewhatinconflict.Herodian
tellsofmessengersfromRomebringingabundleofofficialletterstoCara-
callainSyria;theyarrivetofindhimjustsettingoffforsomechariotracing,
sohetellsMacrinus,thepraetorianprefect,tolookthroughthelettersfor
him.AmongthemMacrinusfindsinformationagainsthimself.^34 Dio’sver-
sionislessdramaticandclearlypreferable.Ashehadrecordedearlier,Cara-
callahadentrustedthehandlingofroutinelibelliandletterstohismother,
Iulia Domna;^35 his statement is strikinglyconfirmed by the publication of
aletterfromIuliatoEphesus,theonlyknownexampleofaletterfroman
empresstoacity.^36 Macrinus,accordingtoDio,waswarnedprivately,while
theofficialletters,whichweredelayed,wenttoIuliaDomnaatAntioch—
forshewasinstructed‘‘tosortoutall[communications]thatarrived.’’^37 The
twoaccounts,thoughdifferent,havethesamebearingonthissubject.Then,
totakeanexampleofasemi-officialletter,thereistheonewrittenbyAelius
AristidestoMarcusAureliusaftertheearthquakeatSmyrna,whichisextant
amonghisorations(Or.19Keil).Itcontainedamovingappealforaidand,
accordingtoPhilostratus,whentheEmperorcametothewords,‘‘thewinds
blowthroughthedesertedcity,’’histearsfellonthepage.^38 Onemaypre-
sumethathewasnotlookingovertheshoulderofthetheofficialincharge
ofimperialcorrespondenceatthetime.
Then there are some more general references to emperors reading offi-
cialcommunications.JuliusCaesarhadincurredpublicdispleasure‘‘because
duringtheperformancehespenthistimereadingoransweringlettersand
libelli’’;Augustuswascarefultoavoidthismistake,^39 butMarcusAureliuswas
not—‘‘ItwasMarcus’habittoread,listento,andsubscribe[documents]dur-
ingthecircusgames.’’^40 SuetoniusdescribesVespasian’sordovitae(wayoflife):
- Ibid.,304.CompareJos.,Ant. Jud.18,163–64:Tiberiusreadingaletterfromthepro-
curator at Jamnia, Herennius Capito—‘‘having read this letter, the Emperor was deeply
pained.’’ - 4,12,6–7.
- 77,18,2.
36.Jahreshefte Öst. Arch. Inst.45(1960):Beiblatt,cols.80–82,no.7.
37.Dio78,4,2–3. - Philost.,Vit. Soph. II, 9. Compare Constantine’s reply to a letter from Eusebius,
bishopofAntioch,Euseb.,Vita Const.3,61,1:‘‘Ihavereadwiththegreatestpleasurethe
letterwhichyoursagacitycomposed.’’ - Suet.,Div. Aug.45.
40.HA,Marc. Aur. 15. CompareHA,Had. 20, 11, ‘‘Hewrote, dictated, listened, and,
incredibleasitseems,conversedwithhisfriends,allatoneandthesametime.’’