REGISTERS were kept both at Athens and Rome, in which were inserted the names of such children as were to be brought up, as soon as they were born. Marcus Aurelius required all free persons to give in accounts of their children, within 30 days after the birth, to the treasurer of the empire, in order to their being deposited in the temple of Saturn, where the public acts were kept. Officers were also appointed as public registers in the provinces, that recourse might be had to their lists of names, for settling disputes, or proving any person's freedom.