AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE ROMAN HISTORY.

CHAP. I.

Of the Origin of the ROMANS.

(Year of the World, 2800—Before Christ, 1184.)

All [1]nations [2]seem [3]willing to [4]derive [5]merit from the [6]splendor of their [7]origin, and [8]where [9]history [10]is silent, they [11]generally [12]supply the [13]defect with [14]fable. The [15]Romans were [16]particularly [17]desirous of being [18]thought [19]descended from the [20]Gods, [21]as if they would [22]hide the [23]meanness of their [24]real [25]ancestry. [26]Æneas, the [27]son of [28]Venus and [29]Anchises, having [30]escaped from the [31]destruction of [32]Troy, [33]after [34]many [35]adventures and [36]dangers [37]arrived in [38]Italy, [39]where he was [40]kindly [41]received by [42]Latinus, [43]king of the [44]Latins, who [45]gave him his [46]daughter [47]Lavinia in [48]marriage. Italy was [49]then [50]as it is [51]now, [52]divided into a [53]number of [54]small [55]states, [56]independent of [57]each other, and, [58]consequently, [59]subject to [60]frequent [61]contentions [62]among themselves. [63]Turnus, [64]king of the [65]Rutuli, was the [66]first who [67]opposed Æneas, he having [68]long [69]made pretensions to Lavinia himself. A [70]war [71]ensued, in which the [72]Trojan [73]hero was [74]victorious, and [75]Turnus [76]slain. In [77]consequence of this, Æneas [78]built a [79]city, which was [80]called [81]Lavinium, in [82]honour of his [83]wife; and [84]some time after [85]engaging in another [86]war [87]against [88]Mezentius, one of the [89]petty kings of the [90]country, he was [91]conquered in his [92]turn, and [93]died in [94]battle, after a [95]reign of four [96]years.

[97]Ascanius, his [98]son, [99]succeeded to the [100]kingdom, and to him, Silvius, a [101]second son, [102]whom he had by Lavinia. It would be [103]tedious to [104]recite a [105]dry [106]catalogue of the kings that [107]followed, and of whom we [108]know [109]little more than their [110]names; it will be [111]sufficient to [112]say, that the [113]succession [114]continued for [115]near [116]four [117]hundred [118]years in the [119]family, and that [120]Numitor was the [121]last king of Alba.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. II.

(Of the World, 3301—Before Christ, 753.)

The [1]twelfth [2]king of the [3]Latins after [4]Æneas, was [5]Amulius, who [6]circumvented his [7]brother [8]Numitor, to whom the [9]right of [10]succession [11]appertained, upon the [12]account of his [13]age. Numitor had an [14]only [15]daughter [16]called Sylvia, and [17]Romulus and [18]Remus, [19]twin brothers, and founders of Rome, were, as it is said in fable and history, the [20]sons of [21]Mars and Sylvia. The children being [22]exposed by the [23]king’s [24]order, were [25]privately [26]educated by one [27]Faustulus, a [28]shepherd. When they were [29]grown up, they [30]slew Amulius, [31]restored their [32]grandfather, to his [33]kingdom, and [34]built [35]Rome 753 years before [36]Christ was [37]born.

Romulus, having [38]put his [39]rival brother to [40]death, [41]was [42]proclaimed king by his [43]followers; and having [44]settled the [45]state [46]affairs, and [47]being in want of females, he [48]seized upon all the [49]young women that [50]came to [51]see the [52]public [53]games at Rome; upon which a [54]terrible and long [55]war with the [56]Sabines [57]ensued.

The [58]Cæninenses, [59]Antemnates, and [60]Crustumini were [61]conquered; and [62]at last the [63]Sabines, under the [64]conduct of [65]Tatius, [66]bearing hard upon the Romans, by the [67]interposition of the [68]Sabine women who had been [69]detained at Rome, it was [70]agreed upon [71]betwixt both [72]parties, [73]that they should [74]jointly [75]inhabit Rome, and Romulus and Tatius should [76]reign [77]together. Tatius being [78]slain six [79]years after, Romulus reigned [80]alone, and [81]completed the [82]term of 38 years, having conquered the [83]neighbouring cities. At last, [84]a great [85]tempest [86]arising as he [87]held an [88]assembly at the [89]lake of Caprea, [90]he was no where to be found, being [91]torn in pieces by the [92]senators (as it was [93]generally [94]thought) to whom he was [95]now [96]grown [97]odious on [98]account of his [99]cruelty. He [100]first [101]divided the city into [102]thirty [103]curiæ, and [104]three [105]tribes. The [106]poor he [107]put [108]under the [109]protection of the [110]great, whom he [111]named [112]patricii. He [113]triumphed [114]three times [115]over his [116]vanquished [117]enemies; [118]first, over the Cæninenses, and Antemnates, in which [119]war having [120]killed their [121]king [122]Acron [123]with his own hand, he [124]consecrated his first [125]spoils to [126]Jupiter Feretrius; [127]secondly, over the [128]Camerini; [129]thirdly, over the [130]Fidenates, and [131]Veientes.

[132]After an [133]interregnum of a [134]year’s continuance, [135]Numa Pompilius, a Sabine, [136]born at [137]Cures, was [138]chosen king by the Romans, 714 years before [139]Christ was [140]born; [141]who [142]applying himself to the [143]preservation of the public [144]quiet, [145]instituted all the [146]religious [147]rites of the Romans. He [148]made an [149]addition of two [150]months to the year, which [151]till that time had [152]consisted of [153]ten, and [154]reigned forty-three years.

[155]The third king of the Romans was [156]Tullus Hostilius, a [157]man of a [158]restless temper, and [159]fit for nothing but war. He [160]conquered the Albans, and [161]destroyed their city, after he had first [162]removed the [163]inhabitants, and all their [164]substance to Rome; and [165]torn to pieces, [166]tied [167]betwixt two [168]chariots, [169]Metius Fusetius, [170]dictator of the [171]Albans, [172]convicted of [173]treachery. He [174]triumphed [175]three times over the Albans, the [176]Fidenates, and the Sabines. He [177]reigned [178]thirty-two years, and [179]perished with his [180]wife, and [181]whole family, by [182]a thunderbolt [183]from heaven.

The [184]fourth king that reigned at Rome was [185]Ancus Martius, [186]grandson to Numa Pompilius, by whom the [187]Latins were [188]subdued, and most of them [189]taken into the city, and [190]settled in the [191]Aventine mount; [192]the Janiculum was [193]fortified by him, a [194]bridge made over the [195]Tiber, and Ostia [196]built. He reigned 24 years.

The [197]fifth king of Rome was [198]Tarquinius Priscus, the [199]son of [200]Demaratus, a [201]Corinthian. He [202]came to Rome from [203]Tarquinii, a [204]town of Etruria, [205]from whence he was [206]called [207]Lucius Tarquinius. After he [208]came to the [209]government, he [210]augmented the [211]senate, [212]subdued the [213]twelve [214]nations of Etruria, and [215]borrowed from them the [216]ensigns of [217]supreme [218]power, the [219]fasces; the [220]trabea; the [221]curule chair; the [222]prætexta; and other [223]things of that [224]kind. He was slain by the sons of [225]Ancus, after he had reigned 38 years.

His [226]son-in-law Servius Tullius, the [227]sixth in [228]order, [229]began his [230]reign in the year 577 before Christ. He was for his [231]rare [232]endowments [233]preferred before those of the royal [234]blood. He first [235]instituted the [236]census, and [237]ordered it to be [238]kept [239]every five years; [240]divided the [241]people into [242]classes, and [243]centuries, and [244]enlarged the city: and after he had [245]governed the [246]kingdom with great [247]applause 44 years, he was [248]murdered through the [249]horrid [250]wickedness of his own [251]daughter, and Tarquin his [252]son-in-law.

The [253]seventh and [254]last king that reigned at Rome was Tarquin, [255]surnamed [256]the Proud, whom [257]most of the [258]old Roman [259]authors [260]affirm to be the son of [261]Priscus; [262]but [263]Dionysius [264]will have him to be his grandson. He [265]governed the [266]kingdom he had [267]procured by his [268]wickedness [269]no better than he got it, being [270]cruel to the [271]senators, and his [272]other [273]subjects. He [274]conquered the [275]Volsci, the Sabines, and Gabii; and having [276]built the [277]Capitol with the [278]spoils of the cities he had [279]taken, he was [280]at last [281]turned out of the city, and of his kingdom, for a [282]violence [283]committed by his [284]son upon [285]Lucretia.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. III

(Of the World, 3545—Of Rome, 245.)

[1]King Tarquin, with his [2]family, being [3]banished, [4]L. Junius Brutus, and [5]L. Tarquinius Collatinus were [6]made [7]consuls. [8]The former was so [9]severe, that he [10]scourged and [11]beheaded his own sons for [12]favouring [13]the banished kings, being a [14]greater [15]friend to the [16]public [17]liberty than to his own family. A [18]field of the Tarquins, which [19]lay [20]between the city and [21]the Tiber, was [22]consecrated to [23]Mars, and [24]from thence [25]called [26]Campus Martius. [27]Brutus [28]died in the [29]war [30]against the Tarquins, who [31]prevailed upon some of the [32]neighbouring [33]nations to [34]assist them; [35]amongst the [36]rest, Porsena, king of Etruria, [37]made war upon the Romans, in [38]favour of the Tarquins: in which war the [39]bravery of [40]Horatius Coccles was very [41]remarkable, who [42]maintained the [43]fight [44]against the [45]victorious [46]enemy [47]till the [48]bridge on the Tiber was [49]cut down, [50]when he [51]swam and crossed the [52]river. Nor [53]must we [54]pass over in silence the [55]noble [56]attempt of [57]Mutius Scævola, who [58]secretly [59]entered the [60]enemy’s [61]camp with a [62]resolution to [63]kill the king; [64]but having by [65]mistake [66]slain one of his nobles, he [67]thrust his [68]hand into the [69]fire that was upon the [70]altar; which so [71]terrified the king, that he [72]made [73]peace with the Romans, and [74]returned [75]home. [76]After this, the [77]Latins made [78]war upon the Romans, [79]under the [80]conduct of [81]Octavius Mamilius, Tarquin’s [82]son-in-law; [83]against whom [84]Posthumius being made [85]dictator, [86]vanquished them in a [87]memorable [88]battle at the [89]lake Regillus.

[90]Afterwards a war was [91]proclaimed [92]against the [93]Volsci, who had [94]raised some [95]troops, to [96]send to the [97]assistance of the [98]Latins in the [99]former war. The [100]fortune of [101]Caius Marcius Coriolanus was [102]remarkable in that war, who being [103]condemned in his [104]absence, [105]retired amongst the Volsci, and [106]advised them to [107]renew the war; for the [108]management of which, being [109]chosen [110]general with [111]Tullius Accius, after he had [112]routed the Romans in [113]several [114]engagements, and [115]advanced up [116]to the very walls of the city, he was [117]moved by the [118]prayers of his [119]mother, and he [120]raised the [121]siege. After the [122]death of [123]Coriolanus, the Volsci [124]continued the war, and [125]were [126]together with the [127]Æqui, [128]and Hernici, [129]soundly [130]beaten by [131]Spurius Cassius, who had been [132]thrice [133]consul. [134]He being elevated by his [135]success, [136]aspired to the [137]throne, [138]but was [139]prevented in his [140]design, and [141]thrown headlong from the [142]Tarpeian rock.

In the year 261 from the [143]building of the city, the [144]common people being very [145]much in [146]debt, and [147]provoked by the [148]cruelty of their [149]creditors, [150]retired [151]beyond the [152]Anien into the [153]sacred mount, but were [154]reconciled by the [155]pacific [156]persuasions of [157]Menenius Agrippa; having [158]first [159]obtained from the [160]fathers, that [161]officers should be [162]appointed to [163]screen them from the [164]violence of the [165]patricii, who were [166] called [167]tribunes of the [168]people.

After this, the Romans had a war with the [169]Veientes, which the [170]family of the [171]Fabii [172]undertook to [173]carry on by themselves; and having [174]pitched their camp by the [175]river [176]Cremera, were [177]trepanned by the [178]enemy, and [179]cut off in one [180]day, to the [181]number of 306.

The war with the [182]Volsci [183]continued. They were [184]often [185]vanquished, [186]especially by T. [187]Quintius Cincinnatus, who took [188]Antium, the [189]metropolis of their [190]nation. Cincinnatus being [191]afterwards [192]taken from the [193]plough, and [194]made [195]dictator [196]against the [197]Æqui, he [198]delivered the [199]consul [200]Minucius, who was [201]besieged by them, and [202]obliged the [203]enemy to [204]pass under the [205]yoke.

In the year 303, [206]after the [207]foundation of the city, and 451 years [208]before [209]Christ, the [210]form of the [211]government was [212]changed. [213]For [214]instead of [215]consuls, the [216]decemviri were [217]set up, with [218]supreme [219]power to [220]make [221]laws for the Roman [222]people, [223]from those which their ambassadors had the year before [224]brought from [225]Greece. But [226]abusing their [227]power, they were [228]obliged to [229]lay down their [230]authority; and the [231]consuls and [232]tribunes were [233]restored.

In the 315th year of the city, Sp. Melius, in the [234]time of a [235]famine, [236]endeavouring to [237]make his way to a [238]throne, by [239]sharing [240]corn [241]amongst the [242]people, was [243]slain by [244]order of [245]Quintius Cincinnatus the [246]dictator, by [247]C. Servilius Ahala [248]master of the horse. In the [249]following year the [250]Fidenates [251]revolted to [252]Lars Tolumnius, king of the [253]Veientes, and [254]put the Roman ambassadors to [255]death, who had their [256]statues [257]erected in the [258]forum. The [259]Veientes [260]in the next year were [261]subdued by [262]Mamercus Æmilius, [263]dictator. [264]Tolumnius was [265]slain by [266]Cornelius Cossus, who was the [267]second from [268]Romulus that [269]dedicated the [270]spoils [271]called [272]Opima to Jupiter [273]Feretrius.

[274]Censors were [275]set up at Rome in the 311th year of the city, who [276]held their [277]office [278]at first for [279]five [280]years, [281]but were [282]afterwards, in the year 320, [283]reduced by [284]Mamercus Æmilius, [285]dictator, to a year and a [286]half. In the year 323, the [287]dictator [288]A. Posthumius was very [289]successful [290]against the [291]Æqui and the [292]Volsci; but [293]stained the [294]victory with the [295]blood of his own [296]son, whom he [297]beheaded for having [298]fought [299]contrary to his [300]orders.

In the year of the city 358, the [301]town of [302]Veii was [303]taken by [304]Camillus, dictator, [305]after a [306]siege of [307]ten years. He [308]likewise [309]reduced the [310]Falisci, [311]not so much by his [312]arms, as the [313]opinion they had of his [314]justice.

But after these [315]great [316]successes, the Romans were [317]nearly [318]ruined by the [319]Galli Senones, who having [320]laid [321]siege to [322]Clusium in Etruria, the Romans [323]sent three of the [324]Fabian family ambassadors to them. These, [325]contrary to the [326]law of [327]nations, [328]marched out into the [329]field with the [330]Clusini against the [331]Gauls, which proceeding so [332]incensed the latter, that [333]leaving [334]Clusium, they marched to Rome. The Romans were [335]routed, and [336]put to [337]flight in the very [338]first [339]attack at Allia. After which the city was [340]taken and [341]burnt; the [342]Capitol, [343]whither the [344]flower of the Roman [345]youth [346]retreated, was [347]besieged, and had it not been for Manlius, who was afterwards surnamed [348]Capitolinus, would have been [349]taken by the [350]barbarians in the [351]night time; but he, being [352]awakened by the [353]cackling of [354]geese, and [355]others [356]with him, [357]pushed the [358]Gauls [359]as they [360]came up, [361]headlong down the precipice. [362]In the mean time [363]Camillus, who was [364]then in [365]exile at Ardea, being [366]recalled and [367]made [368]dictator, [369]raised an [370]army, [371]came to Rome, [372]drove them out, and at [373]about [374]eight [375]miles [376]distance from the city [377]utterly [378]destroyed their [379]whole [380]army.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. IV.

(Of the World, 3670—Of Rome, 370.)

The city being [1]destroyed by the Gauls, the Romans had [2]thoughts of [3]leaving it, and [4]removing to [5]Veii; but were [6]dissuaded from that [7]design by [8]Camillus; [9]whilst [10]Marcus Manlius (who [11]obtained the [12]surname of [13]Capitolinus for his [14]noble [15]defence of the [16]Capitol) [17]endeavoured by [18]ambition and [19]popular [20]favour [21]to possess himself of the [22]supreme [23]power, he was [24]thrown from the [25]Tarpeian rock, which he had [26]defended, in the year 370.

In the year 377, there was a [27]strong [28]contest [29]between the [30]nobility and the [31]people. [32]C. Licinius Stolo and [33]L. Sextius, [34]tribunes of [35]the people, [36]proposed a [37]law for [38]choosing [39]one of the consuls out [40]of the people. They [41]carried their point at last, in the year 387, and in the [42]following year [43]L. Sextius was elected consul.

[44]After this, the Romans had [45]war with the [46]Tiburtes, the [47]Tarquinenses, and [48]Falisci; and again with the [49]Gauls, who being [50]drawn up [51]in order of [52]battle, one of them [53]sent a [54]challenge to the Romans, and was [55]slain by [56]one M. Valerius, a [57]tribune of the [58]soldiers, by the [59]assistance of a [60]crow, who [61]from thence had the [62]surname of [63]Corvinus.

[64]But of all their [65]wars, none was more [66]troublesome and [67]lasting than that [68]against the [69]Samnites; which the Romans [70]undertook the year of the city 411, at the [71]request of the [72]Campani. It [73]lasted [74]seventy years; [75]though they were [76]several times [77]beaten, as in the year 413, in which the [78]Latins [79]rose up in arms [80]against the Romans, but were the year after [81]conquered by the [82]consuls Torquatus and Decius; the [83]former of whom [84]beheaded his own [85]son for [86]fighting [87]without his [88]order; the [89]other [90]devoted himself to [91]destruction for the [92]army; after which the [93]enemies [94]submitted, but [95]soon after [96]rebelling again, they were [97]at last [98]entirely [99]reduced in the year 416.

[100]About this time the [101]Gauls [102]made a [103]peace with the Romans, which they [104]kept [105]thirty years. But in 450, the [106]Cisalpine, [107]together with the [108]Transalpine [109]Gauls, and the [110]Tuscans, [111]laid waste the [112]Roman [113]territories. The Cisalpine [114]returning [115]home [116]loaded with [117]spoils, [118]fell out together about them. [119]Four years after that, having [120]joined the [121]Samnites and [122]Tuscans, they fell [123]upon the Roman [124]army [125]commanded by [126]L. Scipio, the [127]proprætor, in which [128]battle, [129]P. Decius [130]the consul [131]devoted himself.

[132]Ten years after this, the [133]Galli Senones being [134]invited by the [135]Lucani, [136]Brutii, Samnites, and Tuscans, [137]besieged [138]Aretium, and having [139]vanquished [140]L. Cæcilius the [141]prætor, [142]killed 13,000 Romans; which [143]overthrow the consul Dolobella [144]revenged upon them [145]soon after; for having [146]routed the [147]Gauls, and [148]taken their city of Sena, [149]he sent a [150]colony there. The [151]Boii being [152]moved at the [153]hard [154]fate of the [155]Senones, [156]entered into an [157]alliance with the [158]Tuscans, and [159]engaged the Romans at the [160]lake of [161]Vadimon; in which [162]battle [163]almost [164]all the Tuscans were [165]slain, and very [166]few of the Boii [167]escaped. This [168]happened in the year of the city 471; but in the [169]following year the Boii were [170]entirely [171]reduced, which was [172]about three years [173]before [174]Pyrrhus, [175]came into [176]Italy.

The [177]Palæpolitani [178]likewise, [179]where [180]now [181]Naples is, [182]venturing to make war upon the Romans, were [183]subdued the third year [184]after, [185]that is to say, in the year of the city 428, by [186]Publius the proconsul.

The [187]twelve [188]nations of the Tuscans, [189]rising for the [190]utter ruin [191]of the Roman name in the year of the city 442, were [192]routed in a great [193]battle by Fabius the [194]consul, in the [195]year 444, in which were [196]slain, or [197]taken of the [198]enemy, to the [199]number of 60,000.

In the year 472, the [200]Tarentines, [201]brought the [202]Romans against them [203]by plundering their [204]fleet, and [205]assailing their [206]ambassadors, who [207]came to [208]complain of the [209]injury. They, [210]together with the [211]Samnites, and [212]Salentines, were [213]defeated by L. [214]Æmilius Barbula. [215]Terrified at this [216]ill fortune, they [217]sent for [218]Pyrrhus to their [219]assistance; who, in the year of the city 474, having [220]brought over an [221]army into [222]Italy, [223]waged against the Romans [224]a war which [225]lasted six years. In the [226]first [227]encounter the Romans, [228]headed by [229]Lævinus, being [230]conquered, not so much by the [231]strength of the [232]enemy, as by the [233]strange [234]shape of the [235]elephants, [236]yielded up the [237]day: Pyrrhus [238]dismissed all the [239]prisoners [240]without [241]ransom. [242]Soon after, having [243]made some [244]fruitless [245]overtures of [246]peace by his [247]ambassador [248]Cyneas ([249]for [250]Appius Claudius [251]obstructed it), he [252]engaged the Romans [253]twice: the [254]victory [255]both times being [256]dubious. He was [257]then [258]invited by the [259]Syracusans [260]into Sicily against [261]the Carthaginians; [262]where [263]matters [264]not succeeding [265]according to his [266]desires, he [267]returned into [268]Italy in the year 479; and being [269]defeated, [270]forced out of his [271]camp, and [272]beaten from [273]Tarentum, he returned into [274]Epirus.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. V.

(Of the World, 3790—Of Rome, 490.)

[1]After this, a [2]war [3]broke out [4]between the Romans and the [5]Carthaginians, in the year of the city 490, [6]occasioned by the [7]ambition and [8]formidable [9]power of each of them. [10]Hiero, king of Syracuse, and [11]ally of the Carthaginians, [12]made war against the [13]Mamertini, who had [14]seized upon Messana. They [15]applied to the Romans for [16]help, who [17]carrying over an [18]army into [19]Sicily, [20]fell upon Hiero, and the Carthaginians. The [21]fortune of the war was for a [22]long time very [23]doubtful; the Carthaginians [24]being successful by [25]sea, and the Romans by [26]land. The most [27]memorable [28]person in all this war was [29]Attilius Regulus, who having [30]brought the Carthaginians [31]very low by two [32]victories [33]obtained over them at sea and land; and [34]refusing to [35]grant them [36]peace but upon [37]hard terms, he was [38]vanquished by [39]Xantippus the [40]Lacedæmonian [41]general, and [42]taken [43]prisoner with 15,000 [44]men, 30,000 being [45]slain, in the year 498. Being [46]afterwards [47]sent to [48]Rome by the [49]Carthaginians, to [50]treat with the [51]senate upon an [52]exchange of [53]prisoners, he [54]interposed to [55]prevent it, and [56]returning to [57]Carthage, was [58]put to [59]death in the most [60]cruel [61]manner [62]imaginable, as [63]many [64]authors [65]tell us. The [66]first among the Romans that [67]obtained a [68]victory by sea, was C. [69]Duilius, in the first year of this [70]war. C. [71]Lutatius [72]gained [73]another in the 23rd and [74]last year; in which he [75]made an end of the war with the Carthaginians, [76]near the [77]island of the [78]Ægates. A [79]peace was [80]concluded upon these [81]terms, that they should [82]quit all the islands which [83]lie between Italy and Africa, and should [84]pay [85]yearly 2,200 [86]talents for [87]twenty years [88]together. This [89]happened in the year of the city 513, and 241 before [90]Christ.

In the year 519, the [91]temple of [92]Janus was [93]shut, which very rarely [94]happened in Rome; but upon the [95]breaking out of new wars, it was [96]soon [97]open again. The [98]Ligures, the Sardi, and Corsi were [99]subdued; after which the Romans [100]had war with the [101]Illyrians, and their [102]queen Teuta, which war was [103]ended in [104]three years time. There [105]happened [106]about this [107]time a [108]dreadful [109]irruption of the [110]Gauls. The [111]Insubres and [112]Boii, having [113]first [114]sent for some [115]transalpine Gauls, [116]fell upon the Romans, [117]on account of the [118]land in Picene, that had been [119]taken from the Galli [120]Senones, and [121]disposed of by [122]Flaminius, [123]tribune of the [124]people, by virtue of the [125]Agrarian law, [126]made in the year of the city 452. They were [127]several times [128]worsted, and the Insubres [129]entirely [130]subdued, and king [131]Virdumarus [132]slain by C. [133]Marcellus, the [134]consul, who was the only person after [135]Romulus that [136]consecrated [137]Opima Spolia to [138]Jupiter Feretrius. In this war Hiero, king of Sicily, [139]sent the Romans a [140]vast quantity of [141]corn, the [142]price of which he [143]received after the war was [144]ended.

After this, [145]followed a [146]second war with the Carthaginians, four and twenty years after the [147]end of the [148]former; which [149]indeed did not [150]last [151]so long, but was [152]so much more [153]terrible for the [154]dreadful [155]slaughter that was made in it ([156]says Florus) that if [157]any one [158]compared the [159]losses on [160]each side, the [161]people that [162]proved [163]victorious [164]seemed more [165]likely to be [166]conquered. The first cause of this war was the [167]same with that of the former, [168]ambition and the [169]impatience of the Carthaginians [170]under their [171]servitude. The first cause of this [172]combustion was [173]Hannibal, the son of [174]Hamilcar, who was [175]general of the [176]Carthaginians in the [177]former [178]war, and had [179]accepted the [180]conditions of peace [181]with a heavy heart. For after [182]affairs were [183]settled in Africa, being [184]sent into [185]Spain, in the year of the city 517, he [186]carried along with him Hannibal, who [187]was then nine years old, having [188]first [189]brought him before an [190]altar, and [191]made him [192]swear that he [193]never would be a [194]friend to the Romans. Hamilcar being [195]slain about nine years after, Asdrubal, his son-in-law, was [196]put in his [197]place. He [198]sent for Hannibal, and being slain himself eight years after, was [199]succeeded by him, [200]being in the 27th year of his age. [201]As soon as he was made [202]general, he [203]conquered all Spain within the river [204]Iberus. After that he [205]fell upon the [206]town of [207]Saguntum with all his [208]forces, and [209]took it, after a [210]siege of seven [211]months. The [212]Saguntines having [213]in vain [214]waited for [215]assistance from the Romans, [216]were all destroyed [217]partly by the [218]enemy’s [219]sword, and [220]partly by their own [221]hands. This war [222]broke out in the year of the city 536; and [223]lasted seventeen years.

Upon the first [224]coming of Hannibal into Italy, both the [225]consuls were [226]defeated, P. [227]Cornelius at [228]Ticinum, and [229]Sempronius at Trebia. They [230]received a greater [231]overthrow the [232]following year near the [233]Thrasymene [234]lake. [235]In the mean time, Q. [236]Fabius Maximus being made [237]dictator by the [238]people, [239]recovered in some [240]measure the Roman [241]affairs. But the most [242]fatal [243]stroke was that of Cannæ, in the year of the city 538, [244]occasioned by the [245]rashness of one of the [246]consuls, [247]Terentius Varro. [248]Forty thousand Romans were [249]killed in that [250]battle: [251]however, their [252]courage was not [253]cast down by this [254]overthrow; [255]for they would not [256]redeem those that had been [257]taken [258]prisoners, in the battle of Cannæ. In the year 540, the [259]consul [260]Marcellus [261]besieged [262]Syracuse, which had [263]declared for the Carthaginians; it was [264]wonderfully [265]defended a long time by the [266]contrivance of [267]Archimedes, who was an [268]excellent [269]astronomer, but more [270]famous for the [271]invention of [272]military [273]engines. It was [274]taken [275]at last with [276]much [277]difficulty, after a [278]siege of three years. We are [279]told that Archimedes being very [280]intent upon his [281]study at that time, and not [282]minding the [283]hurry, and [284]noise of the [285]army, when they [286]broke into the [287]town, was [288]killed by a [289]soldier; that Marcellus was much [290]concerned for his [291]death, having [292]given [293]strict [294]charge to his [295]men to [296]spare his [297]life.

[298]In the mean time, [299]Lævinus the [300]prætor [301]stopt [302]Philip king of [303]Macedon, who having made an [304]alliance with Hannibal, was [305]ready to [306]come into Italy, and [307]forced him to [308]burn his [309]fleet, and [310]retreat into Macedon, in the year of the city 542. But in Spain, the two [311]brothers P. and C. [312]Scipio, who had [313]till then [314]prevented Hasdrubal’s [315]passage into Italy to his brother Hannibal, and had [316]performed a great many [317]gallant actions, were both slain, and their [318]armies [319]destroyed. L. Marcus, a Roman knight, being [320]chosen general, by the [321]votes of the [322]soldiers, [323]upheld their [324]tottering [325]cause; by whose [326]conduct in one [327]day, and a [328]night, two [329]camps of the [330]enemy were [331]taken by [332]assault, and about [333]thirty-seven thousand [334]men [335]slain. The [336]same year [337]Tarentum, [338]except the [339]citadel, was taken by Hannibal; and Capua [340]besieged by the Romans; and Hannibal [341]marched to Rome to [342]draw them from it. But a [343]sudden [344]storm [345]arising, [346]forced him from the [347]walls, and the [348]sight of it. Capua was after that [349]surrendered to the Romans, the [350]grandees of which [351]poisoned themselves; the [352]senators were [353]beheaded, and the city [354]deprived of its [355]liberty.

There was a [356]son of that P. Scipio, who, as we have said was [357]killed in [358]Spain, [359]named [360]likewise P. Scipio, who after the [361]death of his [362]father and [363]uncle, was [364]sent into Spain, [365]being but twenty-four years old. There having [366]performed very great [367]things, and [368]vanquished Hasdrubal, the son of [369]Gisco and [370]Mago, [371]he drove the Carthaginians out of Spain, in five years after he [372]came there; from thence [373]passing over into Africa, he [374]made an [375]alliance with [376]Syphax, king of the [377]Masylians, and after that with Masanissa, king of the [378]Masasulians. These things [379]were done in the year 548, and the [380]third from the [381]death of [382]Marcellus; who having been [383]successful in [384]several [385]battles with Hannibal, was [386]at last, [387]trepanned by an [388]ambuscade, and slain. In the [389]following year, Hasdrubal was [390]cut off, with his [391]army [392]before he could [393]join his [394]brother, by the two [395]consuls, [396]Claudius Nero and [397]Livius Salinator. Hannibal was [398]then in Apulia, [399]opposed by Nero the consul. [400]Livy was [401]encamped in [402]Cisalpine Gaul [403]against Hasdrubal, Nero [404]marched [405]through Italy [406]privately, in six [407]days time, [408]came to the [409]camp of his [410]colleague with a [411]part of his [412]army, and having [413]conquered the [414]enemy, [415]returned to his camp before Hannibal [416]perceived that he was [417]gone. There are [418]said to have been 56,000 of the [419]enemy [420]slain in the [421]battle, and 5,400 [422]taken [423]prisoners. The head [424]of Hasdrubal was [425]thrown before the [426]advanced guard of the Carthaginians by Nero.

P. Scipio [427]resolved to [428]carry the [429]war into Africa, that he might [430]draw Hannibal out of Italy; but [431]at first that being [432]looked upon as a [433]rash [434]design, he had neither [435]money nor [436]men from the [437]government. [438]Wherefore, having [439]raised none but [440]volunteers, and [441]borrowed money, he first [442]went to [443]Sicily, and [444]from thence to Africa, in the year 550; [445]when the [446]image of the [447]Idæan mother was [448]brought from [449]Pessinus in [450]Phrygia, to Rome, [451]according to the [452]advice of [453]the oracle.

The general [454]employed [455]against him by the [456]Carthaginians was Hasdrubal, the son of Gisco, who had [457]contracted his daughter [458]Sophonisba to Masanissa. But the Carthaginians had [459]given her to [460]Syphax, (who being [461]in love with the [462]young lady, [463]laid waste their [464]country in the [465]absence of her [466]father and [467]husband) to [468]take him off from the Roman [469]alliance: at which [470]usage Masanissa being [471]incensed, he [472]gave himself up [473]entirely to the Roman [474]interest, and was very [475]serviceable to them in [476]reducing the Carthaginians.

[477]After a great many [478]overthrows, the Carthaginians [479]found themselves [480]obliged to [481]recall Hannibal out of Italy, to the [482]defence of their country, where, after a [483]fruitless [484]overture of [485]peace, he was [486]vanquished by Scipio, and an [487]end was put to the [488]war, after it had [489]lasted seven years.

The second [490]Punic war was [491]followed by the [492]Macedonian, [493]against king Philip. That which put the Romans upon it was the [494]former injuries [495]Philip had done them, [496]as likewise the late [497]vexation he had given their [498]allies, [499]especially the Athenians, who being [500]harassed by the king, [501]fled to the Romans. [502]At length [503]Titus Quinctius Flaminius [504]put an end to the war, four years after it [505]began, by the [506]conquest of Philip at [507]Cynoscephalæ, in [508]Thessaly.

After this [509]followed the war with [510]Antiochus, king of Asia, who having [511]recovered Syria, and [512]conquered Scopas, the general of [513]Ptolemæus Epiphanes, [514]began now to be [515]formidable to the Romans, [516]against whom Hannibal did not a little [517]inflame him; who, for [518]fear of the same [519]enemy, had [520]fled to the king. The [521]ambassadors of the [522]Ætolians too, who were now [523]averse to the Roman [524]alliance, [525]contributed not a [526]little towards it. Antiochus [527]therefore having [528]clapped up a peace with [529]Ptolemy, to whom he [530]gave his daughter Cleopatra in [531]marriage, and [532]granted [533]Cœlo Syria, and [534]Judea by way of [535]portion, [536]made war upon the Romans, which being begun in the year of the city 562, [537]lasted three years in all. For in the year 565, L. [538]Cornelius Scipio the [539]consul, [540]going over into Asia, with his brother P. Scipio [541]Africanus, as his [542]lieutenant, did, by the [543]assistance, [544]chiefly of his [545]counsel, [546]conquer Antiochus. Livy [547]tells us, there were 50,000 [548]foot [549]slain in one [550]battle, and 4,000 [551]horse. A peace was [552]granted Antiochus [553]upon the following condition [554]among others, that he should [555]recede [556]from all the countries [557]on this side [558]mount Taurus.

After Antiochus was [559]conquered, the Ætolians were [560]reduced by Fulvius the consul; and the same year the Gallo-Greci were [561]subdued by the other [562]consul, Cneius Manlius.

In the 149th [563]Olympiad [564]died three [565]famous generals, P. Scipio, Hannibal, and [566]Philopæmen. Scipio was [567]impeached for [568]taking [569]money of Antiochus for the peace [570]he granted him; after which he [571]retired to [572]Liturnum in Campania, and [573]died there in the year of the city 570. Hannibal a year or two after (for [574]historians are not [575]agreed upon the [576]matter) being [577]demanded of Drusias, king of Bythynia, by the Roman [578]ambassadors, [579]in order to be [580]put to [581]death, [582]poisoned himself. [583]About the [584]same time Philopæmen, general of the [585]Achæans, was [586]taken by the [587]Messenians, and [588]slain, after he had [589]forced to a [590]submission the Lacedæmonians, who had [591]thrown off the Achæan [592]alliance.

In the mean time Philip, being [593]checked [594]rather than [595]conquered in the [596]former war, was [597]very busy in [598]making [599]preparations for [600]another; but before [601]matters were [602]ripe [603]enough [604]for that purpose, he died, and was [605]succeeded by his son [606]Perseus, who [607]went on with the [608]preparations of war [609]against the Romans; which was [610]finished in four years after its [611]beginning with the [612]ruin of him and the [613]kingdom of Macedon [614]together, in the year of the city 586. The general [615]employed by the Romans in that war, was [616]Paulus Æmilius, who in one [617]battle, [618]wherein were slain 20,000 [619]men, and 11,000 [620]taken [621]prisoners, [622]put a [623]final period to the [624]Macedonian [625]empire in the [626]11th year of king Perseus. About the same time, [627]Gentius, king of the [628]Illyrians, being [629]trepanned into an [630]alliance by Perseus, was [631]conquered by [632]Amicius the [633]prætor.

After the [634]conquest of Antiochus, the Macedonians [635]rebelled again, but were [636]subdued, and Macedon [637]reduced to the [638]rank of a [639]province.

Some time after a war [640]broke out with the [641]Achæans, who having [642]pulled down all the [643]walls of [644]Lacedæmon, and [645]taken away their [646]ancient [647]laws, had [648]obliged them to [649]unite with them; which the Lacedæmonians [650]complained of to the Romans, who [651]sent [652]against the Achæans Metellus the prætor, by whom they were [653]defeated in two [654]engagements at [655]Thermopylæ, and in [656]Phocis; and [657]presently after [658]entirely reduced by the consul [659]L. Nummius, and [660]Corinth, the [661]metropolis of their [662]nation, [663]burnt.

The same year Carthage was [664]taken and [665]destroyed. The [666]occasion of this war was a [667]difference [668]between Masanissa and the Carthaginians [669]about their [670]territories; which [671]controversy being [672]referred to the Romans, they obliged the Carthaginians to [673]give up the [674]country in [675]dispute, and [676]money, also, to Masanissa. But the Romans had [677]before-hand [678]resolved [679]utterly to [680]raze Carthage, [681]right or wrong, [682]chiefly at the [683]instigation of [684]Marcus Cato the censor, who, whenever he [685]gave his [686]opinion upon any [687]debate in the [688]senate, [689]used [690]finally to [691]add, Carthage [692]must be [693]destroyed. [694]Wherefore in the year of the city 605, Carthage was [695]besieged by the consuls [696]Manilius and [697]Censorinus. They soon after [698]surrendered to the Romans; but being [699]ordered to [700]demolish their city, and [701]fix themselves at ten [702]miles [703]distance from the [704]sea, they were so [705]inflamed with [706]fury and [707]despair, that they [708]held out even [709]beyond their [710]strength, [711]till in the fourth year, the [712]same in which [713]Corinth was destroyed, it was [714]taken by [715]P. Cornelius Scipio, the [716]proconsul, who was [717]Paulus Æmilius’s son, and had been [718]adopted by the son of Scipio Africanus. At the [719]beginning of the war Masanissa, king of the [720]Numidians, [721]died, in the 97th year of his [722]age, having [723]left behind him forty-four sons, and [724]continued [725]an ally of the Romans near 60 years.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. VI.

(Of the World, 3908—Of Rome, 608.)

[1]About the same time the [2]Lusitanians in [3]Spain [4]beat the Romans most [5]shamefully [6]under the [7]conduct of [8]Viriathus; who from a [9]huntsman [10]became a [11]highwayman; and from a highwayman, a general, and [12]defeated the Roman [13]armies [14]several times. But that [15]overthrow was most [16]memorable of all [17]others, in which, in the year 608, having [18]routed the [19]forces of [20]Vetilius the [21]prætor, [22]he took him prisoner, and [23]put him [24]to death, according to [25]Appian. Nor was he the [26]only one that was [27]conquered by Viriathus, but several others [28]underwent the same [29]fate. The first that was [30]successful [31]against him was [32]C. Lælius the prætor, in the year 609. After which the proconsul [33]Quintius Fabius Maximus [34]defeated him. In the year 614, [35]Q. Servilius Cæpio [36]basely [37]procured him to be [38]assassinated by some of his own [39]officers, whom he had [40]bribed [41]for that purpose, to the great [42]dishonour of the Roman [43]name.

After this a much more [44]dangerous war [45]broke out in Celtiberia. The Numantini having [46]received the [47]Segidenses their [48]allies, that had [49]escaped the [50]hands of the Romans, were [51]commanded by Metellus the proconsul, [52]to deliver up the [53]refugees, and [54]lay down their [55]arms, but they [56]refused both: and [57]though they were so much [58]inferior to the Romans, in [59]number and [60]strength, they [61]made a [62]gallant [63]resistance for some [64]years. The [65]army of [66]M. Popilius the proconsul, was [67]cut off by them, and the year [68]following, [69]thirty [70]thousand Romans, under the consul Mancinus, were [71]routed by four thousand of the Numantini; which [72]disgrace was [73]followed by a most [74]shameful [75]peace; but the senate [76]refused to [77]ratify it; [78]wherefore Mancinus was [79]delivered up into their hands, but the Numantini would not [80]receive him. [81]At last they were [82]vanquished in the [83]field by Scipio, who had [84]destroyed Carthage; and being [85]shut up within their own [86]walls, were [87]reduced to [88]so desperate a condition, that they all [89]laid violent hands upon themselves; and Numantia was [90]levelled with the ground, in the ninth year after their [91]revolt from the Romans, and from the [92]foundation of the city 621.

[93]Whilst the Romans were [94]still at war with the [95]Achæans and Carthaginians, Macedon was [96]conquered a third time. [97]Andriscus, a [98]man of [99]mean birth, who [100]pretended to be [101]Philip the son of [102]Perseus, had [103]possessed himself of it. He was conquered by [104]Q. Cæcilius Metellus, with the [105]slaughter of 25,000 [106]of his men. Metellus had [107]from thence [108]the surname of [109]Macedonicus.

At the time that the Romans were [110]engaged in the [111]Numantine war, there was a [112]rising of the [113]slaves in Sicily. A [114]Syrian, [115]by name Eunus, [116]pretending to a [117]divine [118]inspiration, [119]called the slaves to [120]arms and [121]liberty, [122]as it were by the [123]order of the [124]gods; and having [125]raised a [126]vast [127]army, [128]consisting of no less than 70,000 men, he [129]vanquished four Roman prætors, and was [130]at last [131]routed himself, by P. Rupilius the consul, in the year of the city 622.

Attalus, son of [132]Eumenes, king of [133]Phrygia, when his [134]uncle Attalus was [135]dead (who after Eumenes’ death had [136]managed the [137]kingdom as his [138]guardian), [139]reigned five years, and dying about the year of the city 621, made the Roman people his [140]heir: which [141]Aristonicus, a son of Eumenes by one of his [142]mistresses, [143]taking amiss, he [144]seized upon Asia, and [145]cut off the army of Crassus the prætor. Afterwards he was [146]vanquished by the consul Peperna, and an [147]end was put to the war the year [148]following, 625, by M. Aquilius the consul. This was a [149]melancholy year for the [150]death of Scipio Africanus, who was [151]found dead in his [152]bed, not without the [153]suspicion of having been [154]poisoned by his [155]wife.

The year in which Attalus [156]made the Roman people his [157]heir, there was a [158]formidable [159]sedition at Rome. For T. Gracchus, [160]tribune of the [161]people, having made the [162]Agrarian law, that [163]nobody should [164]possess above 500 [165]acres of [166]land, and [167]proposing to have the [168]money of king Attalus [169]divided amongst the people, and [170]likewise [171]suing for the [172]tribuneship against the year following, the senators being very much [173]disturbed at the [174]matter, he was, by the [175]order of P. Corn. Nasica, [176]slain in the [177]Capitol, [178]whither he had [179]fled for [180]refuge.

After the death of Tiberius, his [181]brother Caius [182]pursuing the same [183]design, was [184]taken off by Opimius, the consul, and [185]together with him, Fulvius Flaccus, who had been consul.

In the year of the city 629, the Romans first made war upon the [186]Gauls [187]beyond the Alps. They [188]began with the Salii, and [189]Allobroges, whom Fulvius Flaccus [190]subdued. In the year 633, Fabius the consul made an end of the war with the Allobroges. He [191]conquered Bituitus, king of the Arverni, in [192]battle. The king himself [193]coming to Rome to [194]satisfy the senate, was [195]confined at Alba. Then Gallia Narbonensis was made a [196]province, and a [197]colony [198]sent to Narbon in the year 636.

The Romans were after this [199]almost [200]perpetually at war with the Gauls, by whom they were [201]oftentimes [202]soundly beaten; but, above all others, the Cimbri and Teutones were [203]terrible to them. They [204]marching for Italy, and not [205]being able to [206]prevail with the senate for [207]room to [208]settle in, they [209]routed M. Silanus the consul; the year following Scaurus was [210]defeated by the Cimbri, and L. Cassius by the Helvetii Tigurini the year after that. But the [211]overthrow of Q. Cæpio was more [212]memorable than all the [213]rest. He had [214]plundered [215]Tholouse in the [216]country of the Tectosagæ, and had [217]carried off an hundred thousand [218]pounds of [219]gold, and fifteen hundred thousand pounds of [220]silver. This was done in the year of the city 648. But the following, he, with C. Manilius, [221]paid for this [222]sacrilege, with the [223]utter, [224]destruction of the Roman army. It is certain there were [225]slain in this [226]battle of the Romans and their [227]allies, [228]fourscore thousand, and of [229]servants that [230]followed the [231]camp [232]threescore thousand.

At length the Teutones and the [233]Ambrones were almost all [234]destroyed, two hundred thousand being slain, and seventy thousand [235]taken [236]prisoners, by C. Marius the consul, in the year 652; and the following year, the same Marius, [237]in conjunction with Catulus, defeated the Cimbri, that were [238]making their way through [239]Noricum, [240]slew an hundred and twenty thousand, and took sixty thousand prisoners.

With so many [241]victories did Marius [242]consummate the [243]glory he had [244]got in the war with Jugurtha. For in the year of the city 643, a war was [245]undertaken against Jugurtha, king of Numidia, because he had [246]deprived his [247]cousins Hiempsal and Adherbal, the sons of Micipsa, and [248]grandsons of Masanissa, of their [249]lives and [250]kingdom. He [251]prevailed against the Romans for some years, more by his gold than by his arms; but was at last [252]brought low by Metellus the consul, and [253]finally [254]entirely [255]subdued by Marius, and [256]delivered up by Bocchus, king of Mauritania, to whom he had [257]fled for refuge; after which he was [258]carried to Rome, to [259]grace the [260]triumph of Marius, and [261]put to death in [262]prison.

This [263]happy [264]progress of the [265]empire [266]abroad, was [267]interrupted by [268]frequent and [269]shameful [270]disorders at [271]home, which were [272]occasioned by the tribunes. Saturninus having [273]had the Agrarian law [274]passed, to [275]divide among the people the land which Marius had got, by [276]driving the Cimbri out of Gaul, [277]banished Metellus Numidicus, who [278]opposed him; but at last was [279]slain himself by Marius, then consul for the sixth time, in the year 654; and the following year Metellus was [280]recalled from [281]banishment.

After Saturninus, Livius Drusus, tribune of the people, but [282]favouring the senate, being [283]desirous to [284]restore them to their [285]ancient [286]splendor, and to [287]put the [288]execution of their laws into their [289]hands, which C. Gracchus had [290]divided [291]between them and the [292]knights, he passed the same Agrarian laws, and put the [293]allies in [294]hopes of the [295]freedom of the city; which [296]being not able to [297]bring about, he [298]fell under an universal [299]odium, and was [300]stabbed, nobody [301]knew how, in the year 663.

After this, the Romans were [302]engaged in two most [303]difficult and terrible wars, almost at the same time; one in Italy, and the other without. That was [304]called the [305]Social or [306]Marsic war, because the Marsi had been the first [307]beginners of it; for all the [308]Latins, and most of the people of Italy, being [309]disgusted, that they who were [310]sharers in all the [311]hardships and [312]dangers of the war, should be [313]excluded from the [314]honours and [315]dignities of the [316]state; and being [317]frustrated in the hopes of [318]obtaining the [319]freedom of the city by Drusus, [320]endeavoured to [321]compass that by [322]force of arms, which they could not obtain [323]by fair means. They first [324]attempted in the Latin [325]Feriæ, to [326]assassinate both the consuls, Philip and Cæsar; but the [327]matter being [328]discovered, they [329]openly [330]revolted, [331]massacred Q. Servilius the proconsul, [332]Fonteius and all the Romans at [333]Asculum. After this the war was [334]carried on with [335]various [336]success. Cn. [337]Pompey Strabo, father of Pompey the [338]Great, [339]distinguished himself upon this [340]occasion. He [341]forced the Vestini and Peligni to [342]submission, and [343]triumphed upon that [344]account. [345]Likewise L. Sylla Cæsar, the consul’s [346]lieutenant, did, by his great successes against the enemy, [347]obtain the [348]consulship, in which he [349]made an end of the war.

Soon after [350]broke out a war between the Romans and [351]Mithridates, who having [352]taken off Ariarthes, king of Cappadocia, his [353]sister’s [354]husband, together with his son of the same [355]name, had [356]seized upon the kingdom; but being forced to [357]forego what he had [358]unjustly got, Ariobarzanes was [359]nominated king of Cappadocia by the senate, but forced out of his [360]dominions by Mithridates, and [361]restored by Sylla. After this he was once more [362]driven out of Cappadocia by Mithridates, [363]as was likewise Nicomedes out of Bithynia. But both [364]recovered their dominions again by a [365]decree of the senate; which Mithridates being [366]offended at, he [367]invaded Cappadocia and Bithynia, [368]routed the Roman armies, [369]massacred all the Italians, [370]throughout Asia in one day; and [371]reduced Macedon, [372]Thrace, [373]Greece, and [374]Athens. The consul Sylla [375]marching against him, [376]took Athens, and having [377]defeated his generals, forced him to a peace upon the [378]conditions of his [379]quitting Asia, Bithynia, and Cappadocia.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. VII.

(Of the World, 3966—Of Rome, 666.)

Marius, [1]though now [2]broken with [3]age and years, yet being very [4]ambitious of getting [5]employed against Mithridates, could not [6]bear with patience the [7]bestowing that [8]province upon Sylla. [9]Wherefore he [10]prevailed by the [11]means of C. Sulpicius, the tribune of the people, to have it [12]taken from Sylla, and bestowed upon himself. At which Sylla being [13]enraged, [14]seized upon the city, and having [15]slain Sulpicius, [16]obliged Marius to [17]fly. In his [18]absence, Cinna the consul, making a [19]disturbance, was [20]driven out of the city, and being [21]joined by Marius, Carbo, and Sertorius, [22]assaulted Rome; which, having [23]taken, [24]he put a great many of the Romans [25]to the sword. Marius [26]died a natural death the year following.

Sylla having made peace with Mithridates, [27]returned into Italy, and [28]made an end of the civil war in two years time, by the [29]defeat of Carbo, Norbanus, young Marius, and others; and being [30]declared [31]dictator, [32]took off a great many of Marius’s party by means of a [33]proscription. Q. Sertorius [34]retired into Farther Spain, where he [35]held out for some years very [36]valiantly.

Sylla having in the year 675 [37]laid down the [38]dictatorship, died the year following of the [39]lousy [40]disease, in the sixtieth year of his [41]age. After his death, Lepidus the consul, [42]endeavouring to [43]annul the [44]acts of Sylla, was [45]forced out of the city by his [46]colleague Catulus. And the year following [47]advancing up to the city with an [48]army, he was defeated by the same Catulus and Cn. Pompey, and [49]fled into [50]Sardinia, where he [51]fell ill and died. The same Pompey being [52]sent into Spain against Sertorius, [53]performed no important things; but the latter being [54]treacherously [55]slain by his own people, he [56]easily [57]recovered that province in the year 681.

In the mean time the war with Mithridates [58]broke out again, while Sylla was yet living; and after Sylla’s death, Mithridates having [59]entered into an [60]alliance with Sertorius, [61]seized by force of arms upon Bithynia, which Nicomedes at his death in 679, had [62]left to the Roman people. L. Lucullus consul, in 680, [63]went against him, and being very [64]successful both by [65]sea and [66]land, he [67]obliged him to fly, first into [68]Pontus, and soon after to [69]Tigranes in Armenia. Lucullus [70]conquered Pontus, and defeated both the kings who [71]engaged him with an army of two hundred thousand [72]foot and sixty thousand [73]horse, in the year of the city 685. After this, Tigranocerta, the capital of Armenia, and [74]Nisibis, two very great cities, were [75]taken. But this excellent general being [76]forsaken by his men, was [77]obliged to [78]leave the [79]fruit of his [80]toil and [81]victories to Cn. Pompey, in the year 688. He having [82]forced Tigranes to [83]surrender, obliged him to be [84]satisfied with Armenia; and whilst he [85]pursued Mithridates, he [86]added the [87]Iberians and [88]Albanians to the Roman empire, in the year 689. [89]Finally, Mithridates, in the year 691, being [90]every where [91]beaten, [92]thought of [93]flying into [94]Gaul, but being [95]discouraged by the [96]revolt of his son [97]Pharnaces and the army, he [98]slew himself.

Whilst the war with Mithridates was [99]warmly [100]carried on, there [101]broke out another with the [102]slaves, in the year of the city 681. One [103]Spartacus Ænomanus, and [104]Crixus, [105]gladiators, having [106]broken up a [107]school of gladiators at Capua, [108]belonging to Lentulus, and [109]assembled an army of [110]desperadoes, [111]routed the Roman armies several times, but at last were [112]vanquished by Crassus the prætor, and Pompey, in the year 685.

Pompey [113]likewise [114]subdued the [115]pirates, who, at the [116]instigation of Mithridates, [117]infested the seas, having an [118]extraordinary [119]commission [120]for that purpose by the [121]Gabinian law. Whilst Pompey was [122]enlarging the Roman empire [123]abroad, the [124]head of the empire was in no small [125]danger from a [126]conspiracy which [127]Cataline, [128]Lentulus the prætor, [129]Cethegus, and other senators, had [130]entered into, to [131]murder the consul [132]Cicero, and to [133]burn and [134]plunder the city. But their [135]designs were [136]prevented by the [137]vigilance of the consul. Catiline being [138]forced out of the city, [139]repaired to the army, which some of his [140]accomplices had [141]collected. Lentulus, and the rest of the [142]ringleaders of the [143]plot were put to death. This [144]happened in the year 691, and the following year Cataline was [145]defeated by [146]Petreius [147]Antony the proconsul’s [148]lieutenant, and [149]slain in the [150]fight.

The whole [151]world being now almost [152]subdued, the Roman empire was [153]arrived to that [154]grandeur, that it could [155]hardly [156]extend itself farther. No [157]outward [158]force was [159]sufficient to [160]ruin it; it [161]fell by its own [162]power, which was [163]occasioned by the [164]ambition of the [165]leading men, and the civil [166]contests that [167]arose from thence.

C. Cæsar, after the time of his [168]prætorship in the city was [169]expired, [170]obtained the province of Lusitania; and by the great feats he [171]performed there, [172]deserved well the honor of a [173]triumph; but [174]postponed the [175]hopes of that to the [176]consular [177]dignity; for which, [178]while he made all [179]possible [180]interest, Pompey [181]united with Cæsar and Crassus, while Lucullus and some others of the [182]grandees, [183]opposing his [184]acts, which he [185]desired might be [186]ratified by the senate. Thus Cæsar [187]gained the [188]consulship in the year 695, in which he [189]established the acts of Pompey by the senate, and [190]divided the [191]public [192]lands in Campania amongst the [193]citizens. He [194]married his daughter Julia to Pompey, and [195]took Calphurnia, the daughter of [196]Piso [197]as a wife. Having by these [198]arts, and a [199]boundless [200]generosity, [201]gained the [202]favor of all [203]ranks and [204]degrees of men, he [205]procured the province of Gaul, which he [206]governed for nine years; during which time he [207]reduced all Gaul, that is [208]comprehended within the [209]Pyrenean mountains, the [210]Alps, the Rhone, and the [211]Rhine, in the [212]form of a province, and [213]imposed a [214]yearly [215]tribute upon it. He was the first of all the Romans that [216]attacked the [217]Germans [218]beyond the Rhine. He likewise [219]visited the [220]Britons, where [221]none before him had ever [222]come. In this [223]interval, in the year 698, he [224]entered into an [225]association with Pompey and Crassus; by [226]virtue of which he was to have Gaul [227]continued to him. Pompey was to have [228]Spain, and Crassus Syria, in order to a war against the [229]Parthians; to which he [230]accordingly [231]went in the year 699, and the third year after, [232]perished most [233]miserably, with the greater [234]part of his army; after which the Parthians made an [235]irruption into Syria, but were [236]bravely [237]repulsed by Cassius.

After the death of Crassus, Pompey not being able to [238]endure an [239]equal, nor Cæsar a [240]superior, the civil war broke out. Pompey’s [241]party [242]endeavouring to [243]take away from Cæsar both his army and province, as soon as the time of his [244]government should [245]expire; whilst Cæsar’s on the other [246]hand were for [247]treating Pompey [248]in like manner. At last in the year 705, in the [249]consulship of C. Claudius Marcellus, and L. Cornelius Lentulus, the senate, by a [250]vote, obliged Cæsar to [251]disband his army by a certain day. Antonius and Cassius, tribunes of the people, [252]interposing their [253]authority in vain, [254]left the town, and [255]repaired to Cæsar, who [256]advancing his army towards the city, [257]struck such a [258]consternation into Pompey and the rest, that [259]leaving the city [260]without much ado, and [261]shortly after Italy, they [262]passed over into [263]Greece. Cæsar went to Spain, where he [264]vanquished Petreius and Afranius, and [265]forced their armies to [266]surrender [267]prisoners of war. In his [268]return he [269]took [270]Marseilles, and after that was made dictator, to which [271]office he was [272]chosen four times, and at last had it [273]given him for [274]life.

In the year 706, Pompey being [275]defeated by Cæsar in the [276]fields of [277]Pharsalia, went to [278]Egypt, where he was slain by the [279]order of [280]Ptolemy, in the 59th year of his [281]age. Hither Cæsar [282]likewise [283]came the following year, and after a very [284]dangerous [285]rencounter, which he [286]happily [287]accomplished, [288]delivered the [289]kingdom of Egypt to Cleopatra and her brother. In the year following he vanquished Scipio and Cato, with king Juba, in Africa. Cato [290]laid violent hands upon himself at Utica. The year that [291]followed was [292]remarkable for the [293]correction of the [294]calendar and the year. The same year likewise he [295]conquered Pompey’s sons; and the year after was [296]stabbed in the [297]senate house, by a [298]conspiracy of Brutus and Cassius, and some others, in the 56th year of his age.

Besides these [299]convulsions, with which the whole [300]world was [301]shattered, there were some less [302]disturbances [303]happened a little before. [304]Clodius Pulcher being [305]made tribune of the people, [306]banished Cicero, for having [307]condemned the [308]associates of Cataline to death without a [309]trial; which [310]calamity he [311]bore too [312]meanly, and [313]by no means [314]agreeable to the [315]dignity of his past life. But he was [316]recalled the year after by the [317]interposition of Pompey, and Lentulus the consul, and [318]received with the greatest [319]honor. The same Clodius [320]declared [321]Cyprus to [322]belong to the Roman people, and Cato being [323]sent to [324]take possession of it, Ptolemy, king of the [325]island, after first [326]throwing all his [327]money into the sea, [328]prevented his [329]disgrace by a [330]voluntary death. The senate [331]bestowed the [332]prætorship upon Cato at his [333]return, by a [334]vote of the house, without any [335]election; which honor he [336]refused, being [337]desirous to [338]obtain it rather by the [339]free [340]votes of the people. But he was [341]disappointed in his [342]hopes, and Vatinius was [343]preferred to him.

[344]Bribery [345]ruling in [346]all [347]elections, and the [348]candidates making a most [349]dismal [350]confusion, after a long [351]interregnum, Pompey was made consul, without a [352]colleague, a thing [353]wholly new, and never heard of before; in which office he made a [354]severe [355]inquiry into all other [356]misdemeanors, as likewise into the death of Clodius, whom Milo [357]killed the same year, and for which he was [358]banished.

After the death of Cæsar, Antony the consul so [359]inflamed the people by [360]a seditious [361]harangue, that they [362]burnt his [363]body [364]publicly, and [365]threatened to set fire, and [366]pull down the houses of the [367]assassins. Octavius Cæsar, the son of Accia [368]Julius’s sister, was his [369]adopted son by [370]will. He being [371]slighted by M. Antony, [372]raised an army of [373]veteran soldiers, and [374]opposed his [375]tyrannical [376]proceedings. Antonius [377]extorted from the people by force the province of Gaul, but his [378]passage there was opposed by D. Brutus at Modena, where he was [379]besieged by Antony.

In the [380]consulship of [381]Hirtius and Pansa, in the year of the city 711, at the [382]instigation of Cicero Antony was [383]declared [384]enemy, and a war [385]undertaken against him; when Octavius [386]joined in [387]commission with the consuls, with the [388]power of proconsul, being then about the 20th year of his age. There was a [389]dreadful and [390]bloody [391]battle [392]fought near Modena, in which all Cæsar’s [393]life-guards were slain; but Antony was routed, and the [394]siege [395]raised, yet both the consuls were killed.

In Macedon, Brutus [396]took off C. Antonius, M. Antony’s brother, who was [397]intriguing against him, and [398]got together a [399]formidable army. Upon which the senate [400]resolved by [401]degrees to [402]take down Octavius, [403]for fear of his [404]growing too [405]powerful; which he being [406]apprehensive of, [407]he entered into an [408]association with Antony and Lepidus; and [409]consequently they were all three made [410]commissioners [411]for settling the [412]republic. They having [413]divided the whole [414]empire into three parts, [415]proscribed a great many of the Romans, and amongst the rest M. [416]Tully Cicero, who, whilst he was [417]endeavouring to [418]make his escape into Greece, was killed by Pompilius, a [419]captain, whose [420]cause he had [421]pleaded in a capital [422]action. There was a [423]dreadful [424]havoc made in this [425]proscription. The [426]Epitome of Livy speaks of no less than an hundred and thirty senators; the same year, [427]gave [428]beginning to one of the finest cities of France, [429]Lyons.

The year following, Octavius and Antony [430]fought a battle with M. Brutus and the [431]principal of the [432]conspirators, near the city of Philippi. The [433]right [434]wings were [435]victorious on both [436]sides, and on both sides the [437]camps were [438]plundered. But Cassius, who was in the wing that was [439]routed, [440]giving up all for lost, [441]slew himself. Brutus, being [442]defeated in another [443]engagement, likewise put an end to his own life, being then thirty-seven years of age, and none of Cæsar’s [444]assassins [445]lived above three years after, being all [446]taken off by a [447]violent death, as [448]Suetonius says; some too [449]killed themselves with the same [450]dagger with which they had slain Cæsar.

After the [451]victory, Antony [452]went to Asia, and Octavius to Italy; where he [453]was engaged in a war with L. Antony, the brother of the [454]triumvir, and his [455]wife Fulvia, a [456]woman of a [457]manly [458]spirit. He forced Lucius from the town; after which, being [459]declared an enemy, he [460]besieged him in Perusia, and obliged him to [461]surrender. In the mean time, the Parthians being [462]invited by Labienus, one of Pompey’s party, made an [463]irruption into Syria, whom Ventidius, after a very [464]signal [465]overthrow, in which the king was slain, [466]drove out again, and [467]recovered Syria.

S. Pompey, Cneius’s son, having a [468]fleet at his [469]command, [470]infested the seas. Cæsar made with him a peace, which was [471]soon [472]broken. [473]An engagement [474]followed, wherein Pompey was [475]worsted, and [476]forced to [477]fly. He was soon after [478]put to death by [479]order of M. Antony, under whose [480]protection he had put himself. About this time Antony made an [481]attempt upon the Parthians, by whom he was most [482]shamefully [483]beaten. At last Antony being [484]entirely [485]devoted to his Cleopatra, [486]divorced Octavia, Cæsar’s sister, and [487]declared war against him, in which he was at last defeated by sea near [488]Actium, a [489]promontory of [490]Epirus. Cæsar had upwards of 400 [491]ships, and Antony about 200, but so [492]prodigiously [493]large, that they [494]looked like [495]castles and cities [496]moving through the sea. The [497]flight of Cleopatra [498]turned the [499]fate of a [500]dubious [501]engagement into the [502]ruin of Antony; he followed her into Egypt, and being [503]besieged in Alexandria, he [504]slew himself, and Cleopatra soon [505]followed his [506]example.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. VIII.

(Of Rome, 725—Of Christ, 11.)

After the death of Antony and Cleopatra, [1]Egypt was [2]reduced to the [3]form of a [4]province. Cæsar, in the year 725, [5]triumphed three times, for the [6]conquest of [7]Dalmatia, the victory at Actium, and the [8]reducing of Egypt. After which he [9]advised with Agrippa and Mecænas, either [10]seriously, or [11]pretendedly, about the [12]laying down of his [13]authority; Agrippa was for it, Mecænas against it; this last [14]advice he [15]resolved to follow, but [16]brought a [17]bill [18]nevertheless into the senate [19]to divest himself of his power, and by that [20]stratagem got it [21]secured to him both by the senate and the people, in the year 726.

[22]Cornelius Gallus, a [23]Roman [24]knight, [25]governor of Egypt, being [26]banished for his [27]insolence, slew himself. Augustus [28]carried on a war against the Cantabri and Austus for some years, by his [29]lieutenants: that is to say, from the year 729 to 735, in which they were entirely [30]reduced by Agrippa; who, upon his [31]return [32]refused a [33]triumph which was [34]offered him. [35]Phraates, king of the Parthians, about this time [36]restored the Roman [37]standards that had been [38]taken from Crassus.

For two of his [39]friends, Mecænas and M. Vipsanius Agrippa, he had a [40]particular [41]esteem above all others; the [42]former was a great [43]patron of [44]learning and [45]learned men. Augustus made Agrippa his [46]son-in-law, by [47]marrying his daughter Julia to him, whom he had by Scribonia. She had children, C. and L. Cæsars, Agrippa Posthumus, Agrippina married to Germanicus, Drusus’s son, Livia’s [48]grandson, and Julia, whom Æmilius married. He took Livia, when she was [49]big with child, by her former [50]husband Tiberius Nero, by whom he had no [51]issue, though she had by Nero, Tiberius, who was emperor afterwards, and Drusus who [52]died in Germany.

Tiberius having gotten the [53]tribunitial [54]power for five years, was [55]sent to [56]settle the [57]affairs of Armenia. Soon after he [58]retired to Rhodes, where, for fear of [59]falling under the [60]displeasure of his [61]step-sons, he [62]continued seven years. But the [63]occasion of his [64]retirement was his [65]aversion for his wife Julia, who [66]spent her time in all [67]manner of [68]debauchery. Augustus, upon a [69]discovery of her [70]pranks, [71]banished her.

The [72]age of this emperor [73]produced several great [74]men: amongst the [75]Greeks [76]Dionysius Halicarnassensis and [77]Nicholas Damascenus were [78]famous for their [79]talents in writing [80]history; and amongst the [81]Latins [82]Cornelius Nepos, Atticus’s [83]son-in-law, and Sallust, who died four years before the [84]battle of Actium. In this age lived likewise those [85]celebrated [86]poets, [87]Virgil, [88]Horace, [89]Ovid, [90]Tibullus, and [91]Propertius.

Augustus died at Nola, in Campania, in the 14th year of [92]Christ, and the 76th year of his age, having [93]held the empire by himself, from the death of M. Antony, forty-three years; he was an [94]excellent [95]prince, and [96]necessary for those times.

He was [97]succeeded by Tiberius, a prince of a [98]savage [99]disposition, and [100]given up to all manner of debauchery; he was the son of Livia by Nero. He [101]dissembled his [102]vices at the [103]beginning of his reign with [104]wonderful [105]art, through fear of Germanicus, his brother’s son, whom he had [106]adopted at the [107]command of his [108]father-in-law. For, as he [109]gained a great [110]reputation by his [111]virtues and [112]exploits in war, he was [113]looked upon with a [114]jealous eye, as [115]fitter for the empire than himself. He [116]removed him from Germany where he had [117]wonderful [118]success against the enemy, into the [119]East, to [120]fight against the Parthians, in the year 769, having sent at the same time Cn. Piso into Syria, between whom and Germanicus was a [121]mortal enmity. Wherefore Germanicus died, not without the [122]suspicion of having been [123]poisoned by him, for which being [124]prosecuted at Rome by Agrippina, the wife of Germanicus, he [125]prevented his [126]sentence by a [127]voluntary death.

[128]Ælius Sejanus, a Roman [129]knight, was afterwards [130]raised by Tiberius, who after a great many [131]wicked [132]actions, [133]aiming now at no less than the empire itself, was, by a [134]letter of Tiberius to the senate, [135]thrown from the [136]top of all his [137]grandeur, and died by the [138]hand of an [139]executioner, with all his [140]family, in the 18th year of Tiberius.

About the 18th year of his [141]reign, he [142]retired to Caprea, an [143]island on the [144]coast of Campania, with a [145]design of never returning to the town, where he [146]privately [147]wallowed in all manner of [148]debauchery, and died in the 23rd year of his reign, to the great [149]joy of every one, being then in the 78th year of his age.

[150]Jesus Christ, the son of God, was [151]born of the [152]Virgin Mary, in the reign of Augustus, and [153]crucified in that of Tiberius, being then thirty-three years of age.

Caius Cæsar Caligula, so [154]called from a [155]shoe [156]worn by the [157]soldiery, which, when a boy, he [158]wore in the camp, [159]succeeded Tiberius, being the son of Germanicus and Agrippina, the daughter of M. Agrippa and Julia. He was [160]entered into the five and twentieth year of his age. Great was the joy of the people upon his first [161]accession to the [162]throne, and no less were their [163]hopes that he would be [164]like Germanicus his father, who is said to have been [165]possessed of all the good [166]qualities of [167]body and [168]mind. And indeed as the worst of princes frequently [169]begin well, he gave many [170]signs of his [171]moderation and [172]regard to the good of the public. But soon after, as if he had [173]put off all [174]humanity, he [175]outstripped the most savage [176]creatures in [177]cruelty; and having made sad [178]havoc among all [179]ranks and [180]degrees of men, he [181]killed likewise Macro, [182]commander of the [183]prætorian [184]bands, by whose [185]means he had been made emperor. He also [186]committed [187]crimes with his sisters. Having in a year’s time [188]exhausted [189]immense [190]treasures that had been [191]left by Tiberius, he [192]fell to [193]proscribing and [194]plundering. Among other proofs of his cruelty, he was [195]heard to say, I [196]wish the Roman people had but one [197]neck. In all his [198]buildings, or public [199]works, he [200]effected what was [201]looked upon to be impossible. He [202]ordered himself to be [203]worshipped as a god throughout the [204]world, and [205]temples to be [206]erected to him. At last, he was slain by Chærea Cassius, [207]tribune of a [208]cohort of his [209]guards, and some others, who had [210]entered into a [211]plot against him, after he had [212]reigned three years, ten months, and eight days, and [213]lived twenty-nine years.

Claudius Nero, Caligula’s uncle, and the son of Drusius [214]reigned after him, [215]naturally no bad man, but [216]senseless and foolish. He was not naturally [217]cruel, but only so when [218]instigated by others, [219]especially by his [220]freedmen and his [221]wives, into whose hands he [222]gave up himself and his [223]affairs. His first lady was Messalina, whose [224]depravity and [225]dissoluteness every body [226]knew but himself; till at last [227]venturing to [228]marry one Silius, a knight, she was by her [229]husband’s order slain, together with her [230]paramour, at the [231]instigation of [232]Narcissus, who with [233]Pallas, another of his [234]freedmen, [235]ruled him entirely.

Another [236]instance of his [237]folly is, that after Messalina was [238]put to death, by whom he had his son [239]Britannicus, and Octavia, he married Agrippina Germanicus his brother’s daughter, the mother of Nero by [240]Domitius, in the ninth year of his reign, by the [241]advice of Pallas: at whose and Agrippina’s [242]request, he [243]adopted Nero, and [244]passing by Britannicus, [245]designed him for his [246]successor. He [247]banished the [248]Jews from Rome, and the [249]mathematicians out of Italy: and [250]undertaking an [251]expedition into [252]Britain, he [253]subdued it all in sixteen days time, as Dio says, in the third year of his reign. He died in the year of Christ 54, by [254]poison [255]put in a [256]mushroom by Agrippina. He reigned thirteen years eight months and twenty days, and lived sixty-four years.

Domitius Nero, [257]mounted the throne after the death of his [258]step-father, being then seventeen years of age. He at first, [259]behaved himself in such a manner, that he might be [260]reckoned among the best of [261]princes; that is, as long as he [262]listened to the [263]precepts of his [264]master Seneca. Afterwards, being [265]corrupted with [266]luxury and [267]flattery, he [268]became more like a [269]monster than a man. He [270]stopped the progress of the Parthians, who had [271]over-run Armenia, by Corbulo, a [272]gallant [273]commander, and a person of great [274]virtue and [275]authority, who [276]recovered Armenia, in the ninth year of Nero, and [277]obliged [278]Tiridates, Volegesis king of the Parthians brother, to [279]come to Rome, and to [280]beg his [281]crown of Nero, in the thirteenth year of Nero’s reign; in which year he [282]recalled Corbulo, and put him to death. He [283]destroyed Britannicus by [284]poison in the very [285]beginning of his reign. He likewise [286]ordered his mother Agrippina to be put to death, after having first [287]disgraced and [288]banished her from the [289]court, which [290]parricide, that nothing might be [291]wanting to [292]complete the [293]unhappiness of the times, the Senate [294]approved of. Afterwards having married Poppæa, whom he [295]took from Otho, he [296]banished Octavia, and at last put her to death. Upon the [297]discovery of a [298]plot, which Piso, and some others had [299]laid against him; he put to death the [300]poet Lucan, and Seneca the philosopher, with several others, in the year of Christ 65, and the same year he [301]kicked his wife Poppæa, when [302]pregnant, [303]to death. He had the [304]impudence to [305]appear upon the [306]stage, and [307]act amongst the [308]players and [309]harpers, and [310]ride [311]chariot-races at the [312]Circensian games; and to [313]represent for his [314]diversion the [315]appearance of [316]Troy in [317]flames, he [318]set fire to the city, and [319]imputed it to the [320]Christians. He [321]became so odious and [322]contemptible by his [323]villanies, that he was [324]forsaken by all, and being [325]sought for in order to be [326]punished, he [327]performed the [328]executioner’s [329]office upon himself, in the 14th year of his [330]reign, and 68th of our Lord.

A little before Nero’s death, [331]C. Julius Vindex, who was [332]proprætor of Gaul, [333]openly [334]rebelled, and [335]persuaded Sergius Galba, [336]governor of Spain, to [337]set up for emperor, which he accordingly did, and [338]put Vindex to death presently after. He reigned about seven months, being very [339]old. He was slain together with Piso, whom he had [340]adopted, after M. Silvius Otho was [341]proclaimed emperor; he reigned only about three months.

In the mean time, Vitellius [342]trusting to the [343]legions of Germany, which he [344]commanded in [345]quality of a [346]consular [347]lieutenant-general, [348]took upon him the [349]name of emperor, and [350]defeated Otho’s army in a [351]rencounter near [352]Bebriacum, who being [353]weary of a civil war, killed himself.

Vitellius reigned eight months after Otho, and was [354]succeeded by Vespasian, who had been [355]sent by Nero to [356]quell the [357]Jews. He reigned ten years with the greatest [358]justice and [359]clemency. He was a great [360]encourager of [361]learning and [362]learned men. The only thing that was [363]blamed in him, was his [364]covetousness, which he used to [365]excuse, by [366]alleging the [367]emptiness of the [368]Exchequer.

The war in [369]Judea was [370]finished in his time, to which he was sent by Nero, as we have [371]already [372]said. It was [373]begun by some [374]seditious [375]people that were [376]headed by Eleazar, the son of Ananias, the [377]high-priest, who [378]took up arms against the Romans, under the [379]pretence of [380]religion. Cestius Gallus, [381]lieutenant of Syria, [382]laid siege to [383]Jerusalem, but was [384]beaten off with great [385]slaughter in the 12th year of Nero. The [386]victorious Jews upon their [387]return to Jerusalem, amongst other generals, [388]made choice of [389]Josephus, the son of [390]Matthias for one. In the year of Christ 67, Vespasian, [391]carrying his arms through Galilee and Judea, [392]took, besides most of their towns, Josephus their [393]commander, who [394]foretold his [395]rise. At last, he [396]fell upon Jerusalem, the [397]metropolis of the [398]nation, which was taken by his son Titus, in the second year of his reign.

This [399]proved the [400]ruin of the nation, and of the very name of the Jews. The [401]calamity was indeed so [402]violent, and the [403]miseries they [404]suffered so [405]various, that it was [406]visible they were [407]punished for the [408]horrid [409]murder of the [410]only begotten son of God; for a [411]dreadful [412]famine [413]forced the [414]besieged to [415]live on human [416]flesh; mothers to [417]eat their own children; and eleven hundred thousand [418]persons (a thing hardly ever [419]heard of before), [420]perished in that [421]siege. The city was [422]finally [423]razed to the ground. Vespasian, in the third year of his reign [424]triumphed, with his son Titus, over the Jews; upon which he [425]shut up the [426]temple of [427]Janus. He [428]died in his ninth [429]consulship whilst he was [430]giving [431]audience to some [432]ambassadors, having lived sixty-nine years, one month and seven days, and reigned eight years.

Titus, who [433]succeeded his father, is [434]deservedly [435]ranked among the best [436]emperors, although before he [437]came to the [438]empire, he was [439]thought a man of a cruel [440]temper, [441]covetous, and [442]depraved. But upon his [443]advancement, he was so much [444]altered for the better, that he [445]deserved the [446]title of the [447]delight of [448]mankind. He was [449]remarkable for great [450]mildness, and [451]easy temper, and never [452]sent any one away [453]dissatisfied; and [454]remembering once at [455]supper that he had [456]done nobody any [457]kindness that day, he told all those who were about him that he had [458]lost a day. In his reign, in the year of Christ 80, there was a [459]dreadful [460]eruption of [461]flames and [462]ashes out of [463]mount Vesuvius, which [464]flew as far as Africa, Syria, and Egypt; and the two towns of Pompeii and [465]Herculaneum[A] were [466]utterly [467]ruined by it. This good emperor died in the year of Christ 81, two years and three months after he had [468]succeeded his father, and in the one and fortieth year of his [469]age, not without the [470]suspicion of having been [471]poisoned by his [472]brother Domitian.

Titus was very much [473]lamented both by the senate and people: and their [474]concern for his death was very much [475]increased by his brother and [476]successor Domitian, the worst prince of all that [477]came before, or [478]followed after him. At first he made some [479]show of [480]clemency and [481]justice, but soon [482]discovered his [483]temper, and [484]imitated Nero in [485]cruelty, [486]rapine, and [487]debauchery. He [488]ordered himself to be [489]called God, and was at last [490]destroyed by means of a [491]plot, in the year of Christ 96, after he had reigned fifteen years.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. IX.

(Of Rome, 836—Of Christ, 96.)

[1]Cocceius Nerva succeeded Domitian in the empire. He reigned but one year, four months, and eleven days; an [2]excellent prince, but [3]despised for his age. He [4]annulled all the [5]acts of Domitian, and [6]restored what had been [7]taken from the people by [8]violence and [9]injustice: but he [10]wanted [11]authority to [12]keep the soldiers within [13]due bounds; wherefore those who were [14]concerned in the death of Domitian, from whom he had [15]received the empire, were [16]killed by the [17]guards, [18]in spite of all he could do to [19]prevent it. He made Trajan, [20]lieutenant of Germany, his [21]adopted son, with whom he lived three months.

Trajan [22]took upon him the [23]government of the empire at [24]Cologn, being then in the 42nd year of his age; and a man [25]excellently [26]skilled in the [27]military art. He was likewise a person of great prudence, [28]moderation, and [29]meekness of [30]temper; so that he was thought by all to [31]deserve the [32]surname of [33]Optimus. He [34]added Dacia to the empire, and, [35]marching into the [36]East, [37]subdued the [38]Armenians, the [39]Iberians, the [40]Colchians, the [41]Sarmatians, the [42]Osrhoenians, the [43]Arabians, and the [44]Bosphoranians. He likewise [45]fell upon the Parthians, and [46]took the cities Seleucia, [47]Ctesiphon, and [48]Babylon, with several others. But upon his [49]taking a voyage in the [50]Red Sea, almost all those nations [51]rose in rebellion. He, however, [52]quickly [53]reduced them either in person or by his [54]lieutenants. There was in his time a great [55]earthquake, which [56]ruined the city of [57]Antioch: it [58]happened in the year of Christ 115, in the [59]consulship of Messala and Pedo, the latter of whom was [60]buried in the [61]ruins of the [62]place, and Trajan was [63]drawn through a [64]window, and had [65]much ado to [66]escape. The Jews of [67]Syrene [68]took up arms, and [69]exercised all manner of [70]cruelty upon the Romans and Greeks throughout [71]Egypt and [72]Cyprus. Trajan [73]suppressed this rebellion with infinite [74]slaughter, by his lieutenant Martius Turbo. [75]Whilst he was [76]preparing to march against the Parthians, who were up in arms, having [77]forced from amongst them the king that had been [78]given them by the Roman emperor; this excellent prince [79]fell ill, and [80]died at [81]Selinus in Cilicia. He reigned nineteen years, six months, and fifteen days.

[82]Ælius Hadrianus, Trajan’s [83]cousin and [84]countryman, [85]obtained the empire after him, by the [86]favour of Plotina, Trajan’s wife; a man very [87]fickle in his [88]temper and [89]genius, [90]equally [91]formed for virtue and [92]vice. He [93]went through all the [94]provinces of the empire, so that nobody had ever [95]travelled over so much of the [96]world as he. After the death of Trajan, he [97]abandoned Armenia, Syria, and Mesopotamia, to the Parthians, and [98]intended likewise to [99]leave Dacia, had he not been [100]apprehensive of [101]ruining the many thousands of Romans that were there.

He [102]rebuilt Jerusalem, which he [103]called Ælia Capitolina, and [104]settled a colony there; and in the same place where the [105]temple had [106]stood, [107]built another in [108]honour of [109]Jupiter; which so [110]provoked the Jews, that, [111]taking up arms, they [112]carried on the war with more [113]fury than ever, under the [114]conduct of Barchochebas; against whom, amongst other [115]skilful generals that he [116]employed, Hadrian [117]sent for Julius Severus out of [118]Britain, by whom the Jews were by [119]degrees [120]suppressed and utterly [121]destroyed; there being no less than 50,000 slain in that war, besides an [122]innumerable [123]multitude that were [124]consumed by [125]famine, [126]pestilence, and [127]fire; so that [128]Palestine became almost a [129]wilderness. After that time, the Jews were [130]forbidden, [131]under pain of death, to come to Jerusalem, unless one day in a year to [132]lament their [133]misery.

At last Hadrian [134]growing old and [135]infirm, having no [136]children of his own, [137]adopted [138]Arrius Antoninus, who was afterwards [139]surnamed [140]Pius, [141]upon condition that he should adopt Annius Verus, son of Ælius Verus, and [142]M. Aurelius Antoninus. After which he died at Baiæ, in the year of Christ 138, having lived sixty-two years, and reigned twenty-one and eleven months.

Antoninus Pius, adopted by Hadrian, [143]governed the Roman empire with so much virtue and [144]goodness, that he [145]surpassed all [146]example; for he [147]managed the [148]commonwealth rather with the [149]affection of a father, than with the authority of a prince, and [150]kept the world in [151]peace during his whole reign, for which [152]reason he was [153]compared to Numa. [154]Foreign and [155]remote princes and [156]nations [157]feared him to that degree, that they [158]referred the [159]decision of their [160]controversies to him. He [161]forbade any [162]scrutiny to be made after those, who had [163]entered into a [164]plot against his [165]life. He died in the seventieth year of his age, and twenty-fourth of his reign.

After him reigned M. Antonius Verus, [166]son-in-law of Pius; for he had married his daughter Valeria Faustina. He had from [167]his youth been [168]educated as well in the [169]knowledge of other [170]arts as the [171]studies of [172]wisdom, which he [173]made appear no less in his life and [174]conduct, than his [175]words and [176]professions. In the [177]beginning of his reign, he made L. Ælius Verus his [178]partner of the empire, to whom he married his daughter Lucilla. They reigned together eleven years, being of very [179]different [180]inclinations; for Verus was of a [181]listless, [182]luxurious, and [183]morose temper, but was [184]kept within [185]bounds through the [186]respect he had for his father-in-law; by whom he was [187]sent against the Parthians, and [188]carried on the war [189]successfully for four years, by his lieutenants; wherefore they both [190]triumphed over the Parthians. Afterwards they [191]undertook an [192]expedition against the Marcomanni, but upon their [193]march, Verus was [194]seized with an [195]apoplexy, between Concordia and [196]Altinum, and died. M. Aurelius carried on the war for three years against the Marcomanni, to whom the Quadi, [197]Vandals, [198]Sarmatians, and Suevi, [199]joined themselves. His army in [200]want [201]of water, was [202]relieved by a [203]legion of [204]Christians that was in it, who, by their [205]prayers [206]procured [207]rain from [208]heaven, according to [209]Eusebius. The [210]exchequer being quite [211]exhausted by the great [212]expense of the war, that he might not [213]burthen the people with [214]taxes, he [215]produced all the imperial [216]furniture and [217]sold it; and after the victory [218]restored the [219]price to those [220]purchasers who [221]were willing to [222]part with what they had [223]bought. Avidius Cassius, upon [224]false advice that he was [225]dead, [226]seized the [227]government, and was slain three months after. M. Aurelius died at Vienna, after a reign of nineteen years, and eleven months.

He was [228]succeeded by his [229]wicked son Aurelius Commodus Antoninus, who [230]resembled Nero for [231]cruelty, [232]lust, [233]avarice, and such practices as are [234]scandalous in an emperor. Having [235]settled his affairs with the [236]Germans, he triumphed at Rome. He put to death his sister Lucilla, who, with [237]several others, had [238]conspired against his life. He [239]used to [240]fight among the [241]gladiators in the [242]public games. He was at last, after an [243]infamous life, [244]slain by the [245]contrivance of a [246]mistress, and the captain-general of his [247]life-guards, whom he had [248]determined to [249]put to death. He reigned twelve years, nine months, and fourteen days.

After Commodus was [250]killed in the year of Christ 193, P. [251]Helvius Pertinax, was [252]declared emperor, by those who had [253]dispatched Commodus, who [254]endeavouring to [255]reduce the [256]commonwealth into better [257]order, and to [258]curb the [259]licentiousness of the [260]soldiery, was, within eighty days after his coming to the empire, [261]murdered by his own guards. The empire after this, was by the soldiers [262]exposed to [263]sale, and Didius Julianus [264]coming up to their [265]terms, was [266]accepted of, and [267]proclaimed emperor accordingly. But [268]not being able to [269]make up the [270]promised donative, he was [271]forsaken by them, and slain by [272]order of Septimius Severus, after he had reigned two months and five days.

This Severus, a [273]native of Africa, was at that time lieutenant of Pannonia, and [274]took upon him the government, under the [275]pretence of [276]revenging Pertinax’s death. He first of all [277]disbanded the guards for that [278]abominable [279]murder. Then he [280]fell upon Pescennius Niger, lieutenant of Syria, and Clodius Albinus of [281]Britain, his [282]competitor for the empire. Niger was [283]conquered, and Antioch, into which he [284]threw himself, was taken; after which, [285]flying towards the [286]river Euphrates, he was [287]taken and slain. After the [288]taking off of Niger, Severus [289]took [290]Byzantium, which had [291]declared for him, after a [292]siege of three years.

[293]Matters being [294]brought to a [295]peaceable [296]settlement in the [297]East, he [298]turned his arms [299]westward against Clodius Albinus, and [300]engaged him at [301]Lyons in [302]France; where many being slain on both [303]sides, and amongst others, Albinus, he was [304]left sole [305]possessor of the empire. The city was [306]plundered and [307]burnt, Albinus’s [308]head [309]sent to Rome, and a [310]dreadful [311]havoc made among those who had been his [312]favourers and [313]friends.

After this, he [314]marched [315]eastward again, and [316]conquered the Parthians, the [317]Adiabenians, and Arabians, whilst Plotianus, in the mean time, [318]governed all at Rome. Plotilla, this man’s daughter, was [319]contracted to Antoninus, Severus’s son, and the [320]nuptials were [321]celebrated in the tenth year of Severus’s reign. But not long after, Plotianus being [322]engaged in a [323]plot against the emperor, was slain by his [324]son-in-law, and a great many that had been in his [325]interest, killed after him.

Severus [326]undertook an [327]expedition into Britain, with his two sons, in the 15th year of his reign, where he [328]continued three years; being very [329]successful, he [330]drew a [331]wall [332]across the [333]island for its [334]security. He died at York, after he had reigned seventeen years eight months and three days.

[335]Antoninus Caracalla and Geta, the two sons of Severus, were after him [336]advanced to the empire, in the year of Christ 211. But the [337]difference of their [338]humour and [339]manners was such, that they were [340]perpetually at [341]variance. Geta was of a [342]mild and civil [343]temper, the other [344]cruel and [345]boisterous, who, in the second year of his reign, [346]slew his brother in his [347]mother’s [348]bosom. After him, a great many of his friends and [349]favourers were [350]put to death, amongst whom the [351]famous [352]lawyer [353]Papinian, because he would not [354]justify his [355]parricide. After this, he [356]marched into the [357]East. At Alexandria he made a [358]shocking [359]massacre of the [360]inhabitants, for having some time before made some [361]jests upon him. He then [362]invaded [363]Artabanus, king of the Parthians, and [364]laid waste his [365]dominions. He was [366]killed by the [367]contrivance of Opilius Macrinus after he had reigned six years and two months.

Macrinus [368]enjoyed the empire but a short time; for he and his sons were slain by the [369]soldiers within a year and two months after he obtained it: and was [370]succeeded by [371]Antoninus Heliogabalus, [372]supposed, but [373]falsely, to be the son of Caracalla. He was the [374]vilest [375]wretch that ever lived, [376]given up to all manner of [377]vice. Wherefore, after a reign of three years, and nine months, he was slain by the [378]soldiery, with his mother Julia, or Semiamira.

After this, [379]M. Aurelius Alexander [380]mounted the throne, having been [381]created Cæsar the year before; an [382]extraordinary prince, and well [383]instructed in all the [384]arts of [385]peace and war. He [386]carried a strict hand over the [387]judges, and was very [388]severe upon all those that by [389]favour or [390]bribery [391]transgressed the [392]bounds of [393]justice. He [394]banished from his [395]person all [396]flatterers, [397]buffoons, and such as are a [398]scandal to the [399]court. He [400]forbade the [401]sale of [402]offices, saying, that what was [403]bought would be [404]sold again. He [405]allowed the [406]deputies of the [407]provinces all their [408]furniture out of the [409]exchequer, that they might not be [410]burdensome to the people. He was [411]successful against the Persians, but at last slain in a [412]sedition of his army.

In the fifth year of his reign, [413]Artaxerxes, [414]the Persian, having [415]defeated the Parthians in three [416]battles, and slain their king Artabanus, [417]raised again the empire of the Persians in the East. He also made an [418]excursion into the Roman [419]territories, but was defeated by Alexander. After this, he [420]undertook an [421]expedition against the Germans, in which he was slain by Maximinus, together with his mother, after a reign of thirteen years.

Maximinus was made emperor after the [422]murder of Alexander, and [423]put a happy end to the German war. In the mean time he made a [424]dreadful [425]havoc at Rome, by his governor there, and killed a great many of the [426]nobility. During this, the two [427]Gordians, father and son, while at [428]Carthage, [429]laid claim to the empire. The Romans, being [430]headed by the senate, [431]declared against Maximinus; and [432]persons were [433]dispatched away to [434]secure the provinces for the senate. At home, twenty [435]commissioners were [436]nominated for the [437]management of public [438]affairs. The Gordians being [439]killed in Africa, after a year and a few days, by [440]Capelian, Maximinus’s general, [441]Balbinus and [442]Maximus Pupienus, two of the [443]twenty [444]commissioners, were [445]advanced to the empire by the senate in the year of Christ 237; in which Maximinus, as he was [446]besieging Aquileia, was slain by the [447]soldiers with his son, who was but a [448]boy, after a reign of two years and ten months.

Balbinus and Pupienus, with Gordian ([449]a boy, who, as will be seen [450]hereafter, [451]perished in Africa), reigned together for a year. But afterwards being [452]desirous to [453]get rid of Gordian, who was more in [454]favour than themselves, they were slain by the soldiers in the year of Christ 238; from which time Gordian [455]enjoyed the empire by himself, a [456]youth of an [457]extraordinary [458]genius, and [459]prone to all manner of virtue; which was [460]improved by the [461]prudence of Misitheus, a very [462]learned and [463]eloquent man, whose daughter he [464]married; with whom he [465]marched at the [466]head of the great army against the Persians, and [467]recovered from them [468]Carræ, [469]Nisibis, and other towns, and [470]forced them back into their own [471]country. The year [472]following, Misitheus being [473]murdered by the [474]contrivance of [475]Philip the Arabian, Gordian himself was soon after slain in a [476]tumult, which the same Philip [477]raised by the [478]help of some soldiers he had [479]corrupted, after he had reigned six years, in whose [480]place the [481]parricide [482]succeeded.

In the fourth year of Philip’s reign, the [483]Secular games were [484]celebrated at Rome, in the [485]thousandth year of the city. He was [486]at last [487]slain at Verona, by the soldiers, in the sixth year of his [488]reign.

Decius, [489]born in [490]Lower Pannonia, a man of great [491]courage and [492]experience in war, [493]succeeded him. He [494]perished in a [495]morass in a battle against the [496]Barbarians. This [497]defeat was [498]occasioned by the [499]treachery of Gallus, who [500]secretly [501]caballed with the enemy after he had reigned thirty months. This Gallus being made emperor by the [502]choice of the [503]soldiery, and having [504]taken his son as a [505]partner in the [506]government, was slain together with him by the soldiers, two years and four months after at Interamna, as he was [507]marching against Æmilian, who was [508]raising a [509]rebellion in Mœtia.

Æmilian did not reign long, being slain three months after his [510]advancement, and was [511]succeeded by Valerian, with his son Gallienus, who reigned six years together; during which time the Roman empire was [512]miserably [513]rent by the Barbarians. Thirty [514]tyrants [515]started up in several [516]places, according to [517]Trebellius Pollio. Wherefore Valerian [518]marching against the [519]Scythians, who had [520]taken [521]Chalcedon, [522]burnt Nice, and the [523]temple of the [524]Ephesian Diana, and from thence [525]advancing against Sapores, who [526]was very troublesome to the [527]Eastern [528]borders, he [529]took him [530]prisoner, and [531]treated him like a vile [532]slave; for when he [533]mounted his [534]horse, he [535]set his [536]foot upon his [537]neck, who [538]bowed down [539]for that purpose. At last he [540]ordered him to be [541]flayed and [542]salted. This [543]victory over the Romans [544]happened in the year of Christ 260. After which Odenatus, a senator of the [545]Palmyrenians, whom Zenobia had [546]married, [547]bravely [548]repulsed the Persians that still [549]harassed the [550]borders.

[551]In the mean time Gallienus, wholly [552]given up to [553]luxury and [554]debauchery, [555]suffered the empire to be [556]torn to pieces by the Barbarians, and [557]tyrants. Odenatus, after the [558]taking of Nisibis and Carræ, and the [559]recovery of Mesopotamia, [560]upon routing of the king of the Persians, having [561]sent the great [562]lords of the Persians to him in [563]chains, he was [564]not ashamed to [565]triumph, as if he had [566]conquered them himself. Odenatus was [567]murdered by his [568]cousin, together with his son Herod, whose [569]wife Zenobia, being a [570]woman of a [571]masculine spirit, [572]undertook the government. Gallienus was slain with his brother Valerian at [573]Milan, as he was marching against Aureolus the tyrant. He reigned almost seven years with his father, and eight alone.

Claudius [574]succeeded him; a [575]frugal and [576]moderate prince, and very [577]serviceable to the public, who having [578]taken off the tyrant Aureolus, was very [579]successful against the [580]Goths, of whom he [581]slew 320,000, and [582]sunk 200 of their [583]ships. The rest of the Barbarians were [584]consumed at [585]Hæmimontium by [586]famine and [587]pestilence; and soon after Claudius [588]died of the same [589]plague, after a reign of one year and nine months.

His brother Quintilius [590]usurping the empire, was slain by the soldiers ten days after, who had now [591]made choice of Aurelian, a person of [592]mean birth, but [593]reckoned amongst the most [594]glorious princes, only rather too [595]cruel. He [596]subdued the Alemanni and Marcomanni, from whom the Romans had before [597]received a [598]signal [599]overthrow. After that victory he [600]came to Rome, [601]put several of the [602]senators to death, and [603]enlarged the [604]walls of the city. Then marching [605]eastward, he conquered Zenobia, whom with the tyrant [606]Tetrichus, he [607]led in [608]triumph. [609]Aurelius Victor tells us, he was the first of the Roman emperors who [610]wore a [611]diadem on his [612]head, or [613]used [614]jewels and [615]cloth of [616]gold. He was [617]taken off by [618]Mnestheus, a [619]notary to the [620]secretaries at [621]Cænophrurium, [622]betwixt [623]Byzantium and Heraclea. After his [624]death, there was an [625]interregnum of about seven months, [626]occasioned by a [627]dispute between the senate and the army, about the [628]choice of an emperor; at length Tacitus was [629]chosen by the senate, a person of [630]excellent [631]morals, and very [632]fit for the [633]government, he was [634]descended from Tacitus the [635]historian; and he [636]died of a [637]fever six months after at Tarsus. His brother Florianus [638]succeeded him: but Probus being [639]set up by a [640]majority of the army, Florianus [641]bled himself to death, two months after his brother died, in the year of Christ 276.

This Probus was [642]born in Pannonia Sirmiensis, a very fine man, and an excellent [643]soldier, of [644]unspotted morals. [645]As soon as he was [646]made emperor, he [647]punished all those who [648]had a hand in the death of Aurelian. After that, he [649]marched to [650]Gaul, [651]recovered several towns out of the [652]hands of the [653]Barbarians, and [654]slew nearly 70,000 of them. After [655]reducing [656]Gaul, he recovered [657]Illyricum, and [658]subdued the people [659]called the [660]Getæ; then going into the [661]East, he [662]fell upon the [663]Persians; when having [664]defeated them, and [665]taken several towns, he was [666]slain on his [667]return to Italy, by the soldiers, at [668]Sirmium, who [669]hated him for his great [670]severity. This [671]happened in the seventh year of his [672]reign, and the 282nd of Christ.

Probus was [673]succeeded by M. Aurelius Carus, [674]born at [675]Narbon in France, who [676]immediately [677]made his sons Carinus, and Numerianus, [678]Cæsars; and having [679]sent Carinus to [680]take the care of Gaul, he [681]marched into the [682]East against the Persians with Numerianus; where, after he had [683]reduced Mesopotamia, and marched as far as [684]Ctesiphon, he was [685]struck dead by [686]lightning, having [687]reigned about a year. Numerianus being much [688]concerned for his father’s death, [689]contracted a [690]weakness in his [691]eyes with [692]weeping, and was [693]slain by the [694]contrivance of Aper his [695]father-in-law.

Carinus was nothing [696]like his father and brother, being [697]guilty of all [698]manner of [699]wickedness; [700]wherefore he was [701]odious to all [702]ranks of [703]people. He was [704]betrayed by his own army at [705]Margum in Mœsia, and [706]killed by the soldiers of Dioclesian, who, as soon as Numerianus was [707]dead, [708]accepted of the [709]purple [710]offered him by the army, being born of [711]mean parents in [712]Dalmatia (for [713]he is said to have been the [714]slave of [715]Anulinus the senator), but a [716]gallant soldier. He [717]took his [718]oath in an [719]assembly of the soldiers, that he [720]had no hand in the death of Numerianus, and upon that [721]slew Aper with his own [722]hand; and so [723]fulfilled the [724]prophecy of him, that he should be emperor, when he had killed a [725]boar with his own hand; for which reason [726]as often as he [727]met with a boar, he [728]used to kill him. After he had killed Aper, he said he had [729]found the fatal boar. He [730]suppressed the [731]boors who made an [732]insurrection in Gaul, and [733]called themselves Bacaudæ, by means of [734]Maximianus Herculius, whom he [735]sent thither [736]for that purpose in the year 285, in which this Herculius was first made Cæsar, and the year [737]following he was made Augustus. About the same time Carausius having [738]seized upon [739]Britain, and Achilleus in [740]Egypt, [741]pretended to the empire; and in the [742]East, Narses king of Persia, being [743]ready to [744]fall upon the Romans, and Africa being [745]wasted by the [746]Quinquegentians, the better to [747]conduct all these wars at once, he [748]created Constantius Chlorus, and Galerius Maximianus, Cæsars. The latter was [749]born in Dacia, not far from Sardica, and was [750]surnamed [751]Armentarius, because he had been a [752]herdsman. Dioclesian [753]gave his daughter Valeria to Armentarius, and Maximianus Herculius [754]disposed of his step-daughter Theodora to Constantius. After this, Dioclesian [755]went to Egypt, Herculius into Africa, Armentarius into the East, and Constantius into Britain. Alexandria was [756]taken by Dioclesian, after a [757]siege of eight months, in the twelfth year of his reign. Ceransius was [758]killed by his friend [759]Alectus, eight years after his [760]revolt. At the same time the Quinquegentians were [761]reduced by Maximianus Herculius: and Galerius Armentarius [762]defeated by Narsus, being [763]haughtily [764]received by Dioclesian, he the year following 297, [765]revenged this [766]disgrace, by [767]routing the Persian army, and [768]taking the [769]wives, [770]sisters, and [771]children of Narsus prisoners; upon which Dioclesian received him [772]honourably in Mesopotamia.

At length, after a [773]splendid [774]triumph, Dioclesian and Herculius [775]laid down their [776]authority; the former did it [777]by choice, and [778]retired to Salonæ; the other was [779]prevailed upon more by the [780]authority of his [781]colleague, than from any [782]inclination for it. This [783]happened in the 20th of Dioclesian, and 304th year of Christ; upon which [784]Constantius Chlorus, and [785]Galerius Maximianus Armentarius, were [786]proclaimed emperors; Severus, and Galerius Maximianus, the [787]nephew of Armentarius by a sister, were [788]declared Cæsars. Constantius [789]divided the Roman empire with Maximian, [790]keeping to himself Gaul, Italy, and Africa; but the two [791]last he afterwards [792]left to his colleague, who had besides [793]Illyricum, Asia, and the [794]East. Of this he made Maximianus [795]governor, and [796]placed Severus in Italy.

FOOTNOTES

CHAP. X.

(Of Rome, 1044—Of Christ, 304.)

Constantius Chlorus having [1]enjoyed his [2]dignity one year, or as most [3]will have it, two years, [4]died at York. He was [5]mild and [6]civil in his [7]disposition; he would [8]suffer no [9]enquiry to be made after the [10]Christians, and [11]preferred such of his [12]servants as he [13]knew to be of that [14]profession before the [15]rest.

Constantine, his son, [16]began his [17]reign in the year of Christ 306, being 32 or 33 years of age, [18]born of [19]Helen of Bithynia, whom, most [20]authors say, was not, but some, that she was, the [21]lawful [22]wife of Constantius, though of [23]mean [24]birth.

At Rome, [25]Maxentius, the son of [26]Herculius, was [27]proclaimed emperor, by the [28]prætorian [29]bands: he, at first, to [30]gain the [31]people, [32]seemed to [33]favour the [34]Christians; but [35]presently after [36]wallowed in all [37]manner of [38]wickedness and [39]cruelty. Galerius Maximianus [40]sent Severus against him, who, being [41]forsaken by his men, [42]fled to Ravenna; Galerius, upon this, [43]marching for Rome, with his [44]army, was [45]likewise forsaken by his men, and went into [46]Illyricum, where he [47]made Licinius Cæsar. Upon which Herculius [48]being now in hopes of [49]recovering the empire which he had [50]quitted against his [51]will, [52]returned from Lucania to Rome, and [53]advised [54]Dioclesian, [55]living at Carnus in Pannonia, by his [56]letters to him, to [57]do the like, which he [58]refused. He [59]trepanned Severus by [60]perjury, and [61]slew him. Then [62]laying a plot for his son, he was [63]forced to [64]fly from Rome to Constantine in Gaul, to whom he [65]gave his daughter Faustina in [66]marriage. But some time after, having [67]entered into a [68]wicked [69]design against his [70]son-in-law, Constantine, (which was [71]discovered by his daughter), he [72]fled to [73]Marseilles, and there [74]suffered the [75]punishment of his [76]treachery. About this time, Galerius Maximianus [77]died and was by his son-in-law Maxentius [78]enrolled amongst the [79]gods.

In the year 312, [80]Constantine [81]marched against [82]Maxentius, and was [83]encouraged to it by the [84]prodigy of a [85]cross he [86]saw in the [87]heavens. Having [88]passed the [89]Alps, and [90]defeated his generals near Verona, he [91]routed Maxentius himself not far from Rome, who [92]flying over a [93]bridge he had [94]laid upon the [95]Tyber, it [96]broke under him, and he was [97]drowned.