y from the principate, and recourse was regularly had
to it when the imperial throne was vacant. The elected emperor was usually
the choice of the leading military and civil officials, approved by the
army. In Constantinople, from the fifth century at least, the nomination
was made by these officers in conjunction with the reorganized senate, and
the new emperor was proclaimed before the people assembled in the
Hippodrome. The emperors thus appointed claimed to have been elected by
the officials, the Senate, and the army with the sanction of the people.
However, as the history of the time shows, the right of election might be
exercised at any time, and a victorious usurper became a legal ruler. Thus
the autocracy, as has been aptly remarked, was tempered by a legal right
of revolution. As this method of election guaranteed a high average of
ability among emperors, so the custom of cooeptation gave opportunity to
admit the claim of dynastic succession. An Augustus could appoint as his
colleague the one whom he wished to succeed him on the throne. However, it
is to be noted that a son who was thus elevated to the purple became
emperor by virtue of his father's will and not by the right of birth.

*The imperial court.* Under Diocletian the organization and ceremonial of
the imperial palace were thoroughly remodelled. The servants of the
household--ushers, chamberlains, grooms and the like--were now formed into
corps on a military basis, with a definite regulation of insignia, pay,
term of service and promotion. In harmony with the general spirit of the
autocracy, the court ceremonial was designed to widen the gulf between the
ruler and his subjects and to protect his person by rendering it
inaccessible. Surrounded by all the pomp and pageantry of an oriental
potentate, the Roman emperor was removed from contact with all but his
immediate _entourage_. The effect of this seclusion was to enhance the
power of the few who were permitted to come into touch with him, in
particular the officials of the imperial household. The personal servants
of the emperor were placed on the same level as the public administrative
officers, and the most important of them, the grand chamberlain, before
the close of the fourth century had become one of the great ministers of
state, with a seat in the imperial cabinet. In conformity with the
assumption of the title _dominus_ and of the diadem, was the requirement
of prostration from all who were adm