82
GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM OF MITHRIDATES
/.
it had its own senate, or municipal of three hundred members, elected by the inhabitants to rule over them, from among the
US that
tells
I
council \
Under
wealthiest and best educated of the citizens.
ordinary circumstances
the blessing of
it
enjoyed complete self-government, and was entirely free from Parthian interference, paying no doubt its appointed " free tribute, but otherwise holding the position of a city."
It
was only
in the case of internal dissensions
that these advantages were lost, and the Parthian soldiery, invited within the walls, arranged the of and settled the of the constitution quarrels parties,
State at
its
pleasure.
Privileges of a similar character,
less
extensive, belonged, though probably seem, to most of the other Greek cities, \
it
at
would least
seventy in number, contained within the empire. The Parthian monarchs thought it politic to favour them ;
(
and
their practice in this respect justified the title of
l^ Phil-Hellene," upon their coins.
which they were fond of assuming On the whole, the policy may have
been wise, but it diminished the unity of the empire, and there were times when serious danger arose from The Syro-Macedonian monarchs could always it. count with certainty on having powerful friends in Parthia, anxious to render them assistance, whatand even the ever portion of it they invaded ;
Romans, though their ethnic connection with the cities was not so close, were som.etimes indebted to them for aid of an important kind. Another anomaly of a similar character, but of less importance, since the number of persons which it affected cannot have be^n nearly so great, was the