cxxiii.) three curious circumstances relative to the journeys of the Romans.1.They were preceded by a troop of Numidian light horse, who announced, by a cloud of dust, the approach of a great man.2.Their baggage mules transported not only the precious vases, but even the fragile vessels of crystal and murra, which last is almost proved, by the learned French translator of Seneca, (tom.iii.p.

402-422,) to mean the porcelain of China and Japan.3.The beautiful faces of the young slaves were covered with a medicated crust, or ointment, which secured them against the effects of the sun and frost.] [Footnote 44: Distributio solemnium sportularum.

The sportuloe, or sportelloe, were small baskets, supposed to contain a quantity of hot provisions of the value of 100 quadrantes, or twelvepence halfpenny, which were ranged in order in the hall, and ostentatiously distributed to the hungry or servile crowd who waited at the door.

This indelicate custom is very frequently mentioned in the epigrams of Martial, and the satires of Juvenal.

See likewise Suetonius, in Claud.c.21, in Neron.
c.