It was a great and difficult problem which Rome undertook, when she undertook to govern this Romano-Hellenic world; it was not wholly misunderstood, but it was by no means solved.

The untenableness of the idea of Cato's time-- that the state should be limited to Italy, and that its rule beyond Italy should be only over clients--was doubtless discerned by the leading men of the following generation; and the necessity of substituting for this ruling by clientship a direct sovereignty of Rome, that should preserve the liberties of the communities, was doubtless recognized.

But instead of carrying out this new arrangement firmly, speedily, and uniformly, they annexed isolated provinces just as convenience, caprice, collateral advantage, or accident led them to do so; whereas the greater portion of the territory under clientship either remained in the intolerable uncertainty of its former position, or even, as was the case with Syria especially, withdrew entirely from the influence of Rome.
And even the government itself degenerated more and more into a feeble and short-sighted selfishness.

They were content with governing from one day to another, and merely transacting the current business as exigency required.

They were stern masters towards the weak.