Egypt, Seleucus of Babylon, Caffander of Macedonia, and Lyfimachus of Thrace. A great battle was fought near IPSUS in Phrygia, in which Antigonus was defeated and flain, b. C. 301. The conquefts of Alexander were shared among the victors, who now affumed to themfelves the title of kings. Two only however tranfmitted their dominions to their defcendants, Ptolemy and Seleucus, who were indeed the most deferving.

During thefe tranfactions, there had been great revolutions in Greece. The Lacedæmonians had taken up arms in the lifetime of Alexander, and were fubdued by Antipăter, whom Alexander had left governor of Macedonia in his abfence. The Athenians, upon hearing of Alexander's death, gave vent to immoderate joy. Having engaged feveral ftates to join them, by the perfuafion of Demofthenes, they marched against Antipăter, and having defeated him, under the command of Softhenes, obliged him to fhut himself up in Lamia, a city of Theffaly. But he having received reinforcements, at laft proved victorious. He demanded that thofe should be given up to him who were authors of the war. Demofthenes, that he might not fall into his hands, poisoned himself, fee p. 287. During the struggles between the generals of Alexander, Athens frequently changed mafters, and as often its form of government. Sometimes ariftocracy, fometimes democracy prevailed. The people favoured or condemned their chief citizens according to the caprice of their conquerors.

Under Polyfperchon, whom Antipater had appointed to fucceed him in the regency of Macedonia, in preference to his fon Caffander, the democratical faction at Athens put to death the virtuous PHOCION, at an advanced age, a favourer of oligarchy, who had often commanded the armies of the republic with fuccefs.

Caffander having become mafter of Athens, appointed DEMETRIUS PHALEREUS to govern it, which he did with great juftice and moderation for ten years. The Athenians, out of gratitude for his merits, erected to him three hundred and fixty ftatues, the number of days at that time in the year, according to the Greeks. But Demetrius, the fon of Antigonus, having expelled the Macedonian garrifon from the city, reftored the popular government. Phalereus retired into Egypt, where he got the charge of a fplendid library which Ptolemy was then collecting at Alexandria. All his ftatues were now thrown down, and fentence of death pronounced against him. The Athenians paid almoft divine honours to their prefent mafter. But after the fatal battle of Ipfus, they

refufed

refufed him admiffion into their city., Demetrius, however, having retrieved his affairs, forced them to furrender, and still treated them with clemency. He was making rapid progrefs in the reduction of the rest of Greece, when he was called off by the information that Ptolemy and Lyfimachus had tript him of his remaining poffeffions in Afia. Next year, however, upon the death of Caffander, he found means, by the murder of Caffander's fon, to procure the crown of Macedonia, which he held for feven years. Ambitious to regain his father's dominions, he made great preparations for invading Afia. But being deferted by his troops, who, offended at his haughtiness, proclaimed Pyrrhus king of Epire, he fled into Greece in the difguife of a common foldier. There having collected what forces he could raife, and leaving fuch places as continued faithful to him to his fon Antigonus, he embarked for Afia with about eleven thoufand men. But being unfuccefsful in all his attempts, he was at laft obliged, from mere want, to furrender himfelf to Seleucus. He died about three years after in captivity, by his intemperance in cating and drinking-a striking example of the uncertainty of fortune.

PYRRHUS was foon obliged to, relinquish Macedonia by Lyfimachus; who, engaging in war with Seleucus, was defeated and flain, b. C. 281. Seleucus, now the only furviving general of Alexander, was foon after affaffinated in Macedonia by Ptolemy Ceraunus, brother to the king of Egypt, on whom he had conferred the greatest favours. Ceraunus, now made king of Macedonia, and alfo of Thrace, by the deftruction of the family of Lyfimachus, did not long enjoy the reward of his crimes. He was defeated and flain by the Gauls under BRENNUS, who at that time made an irruption into thofe countries. The Gauls, difperfed up and down after their victory, were unexpectedly attacked by a body of troops fuddenly collected by Softhenes, a private individual, and many of them cut to pieces. But Brennus, in a fhort time being ftrengthened by new reinforcements, overpowered Softhenes. Advancing from thence to pillage the temple of Delphi, he is faid to have perifhed, with a great part of his troops, in a ftorm. Such as furvived were cut off by the inhabitants of the country. Much about this time another body of Gauls fettled in Afia, and gave name to the province of Galatia.

After the death of Softhenes, Antigonus Gonatas, the fon of Demetrius, obtained the kingdom of Macedonia, b. C. 276, but was difpoffeffed of it by Pyrrhus, after returning from his wars in Italy. Pyrrhus being flain at the fiege of Argos,

by

by a tyle thrown by a woman from the top of a house, (Oppreffit hoftili tegula jača manu, Ovid. Ib. 304.) Antigonus again recovered the crown, and after enjoying it thirty-four years, left it to his fon Demetrius.

The Lacedæmonians and Athenians, alarmed at the power of Antigonus, entered into a war against him; but without fuccefs. The Athenians were again obliged to admit a garrifon into Munichia. But while thefe two ftates were fo miferably funk from the luftre of their ancestors, the fpirit of liberty was. again revived by a few inconfiderable cities in Peloponnefus, Patra, Dymer, Phara, Leontium, Pallene, &c. Thefe had for a long time been united together by a confederacy, called the Achean League, upon terms of perfect equality and freedom; but had never before made any figure. The abilities of a fingle man, at this time, raifed them to eminence. ARATUS of Sicyon, having expelled the tyrant Nicocles from that place, engaged his countrymen to join the Achæan league, b. C. 252. Being made prætor of the Achæans, he, with wonderful intrepidity and conduct, took the citadel of Corinth from the Mace=" donians by furprise, and induced that city, with several others, likewife to accede to the league. His great ambition was, to unite all the cities of Peloponnefus in one republic: but he met with unfurmountable obftacles in executing this defign. AGIS king of Sparta, grieved at the corrupt morals of his city, and animated with an enthufiaftic love of virtue, endeavoured to revive the ancient inftitutions of Lycurgus; but failing in the attempt, was condemned and executed by the influence of his colleague Leonidas, who died foon after, b. C. 244. Cleomenes, the fon of Leonidas, fucceeding, accomplished the reformation which his father had oppofed. He engaged in war with the Achæans, and gained confiderable advantages over them. Whereupon they afked affiftance from Antigonus Dofon, who reigned in Macedonia during the minority of his nephew Philip, the fon of Demetrius. Cleomenes was defeated, and obliged to fly into Egypt, where he afterwards met with a miferable fate. Antigonus ufing his victory with great lenity, left the Spartans the full enjoyment of their liberty. But hence forth that city funk into oblivion. It at laft fell under the power of tyrants, first of Machanĭdas, and after him of Nabis.

The Achæan league continued to flourish by the prudent conduct of Aratus. But being attacked and defeated by Scopas at the head of the Etolians, a fierce people, who now began to diftinguish themfelves, they called in Philip king of Macedon, at that time a young man, to their affiftance, who by his fucceffes

ceffes obtained great influence in Peloponnefus. He was at first directed by the counfels of Aratus; but being offended at the freedom of his remonftrances on fome parts of his conduct, and incited by the wicked fuggeftions of his flatterers, he caused him to be poisoned, while prætor the feventeenth time, toge ther with his fon; by which means he afterwards lost the affiftance of the Achæans in his wars with the Romans. After the death of Aratus, the Achæan league was fupported by PHILOPOMEN, called, on account of his fingular virtues, the laft of the Greeks. He, attempting to reduce Mefsene by furprise, which had revolted from the league, was taken prifoner, and put to death by poifon, b. C. 183. The Achæans afterwards revenged this outrage with great feverity.

After the reduction of Macedonia, the Romans, laying afide their former affected moderation, treated the ftates of Greece with lefs deference. They interpofed their authority in all difputes, and affumed the fame fuperiority over them as if they were already conquered. The Achæans having made war on the Lacedæmonians, at that time in alliance with Rome, were required in a commanding tone, to defift from hoftilities. Provoked at this haughtiness, and ftimulated by Diaus and Critolaus, two feditious magiftrates, they had the imprudence, by infulting the Roman deputies, to bring on themselves the whole weight of the Roman power, under which they were finally cruthed, and together with them the whole of Greece*.

Athens, however, although fubdued, continued to maintain. the most flattering of all empires, that of genius and tafte. It was the school to which the moft illuftrious citizens of Rome repaired, to learn the arts of elegance and refinement. The democratical government was ftill preferved, and the people permitted to enjoy almoft all their former privileges. In the war against Mithridates, Athens was conftrained to fide with that monarch, by Archelaus his general, and Ariftion, a native of the place. Sylla having taken the city by affault, gave it up to be plundered by his foldiers, b. C. 86. The tyrant Arillion and many others were put to death. The Athenians, however, were ftill left in the enjoyment of their democracy. Upon the invafion of the northern nations, Greece was over-run by Alaric king of the Goths. Athens capitulated; and by paying a ranfom, was preferved, A. D. 396.

Peleponnefus and Græcia Propria were reduced into the form of a province, under› the name of ACHAIA; because at that time the Achaians were the principal people of Greece, Paufan. vij. 16.

HISTORY

HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST, OR OF THE GREEK EMPIRE.

THE Eaftern empire, called alfo the Greek or Conftantinopolitan empire, was faved by the fettlement of the barbarous nations in the Weft, where they feem to have spent their force. Satisfied with their acquifitions, or divided among themselves, they thought no more of new conquefts. The great policy of the Greek emperors was to foment their divifions.

The hiftory of the Greek empire is feldom interefting. It prefents a fad picture of diforder and weaknefs, attended with all the calamities which arife from luxury, fuperftition, fanaticifm, and cruelty. The imperial dignity was neither hereditary nor elective. It was ufually procured by guilt, and often led to an untimely death. The emperors, immerfed in pleasure, and taken up about theological controverfies, or the difputes of the circus, paid little attention to the affairs of government.

ZENO, who fent Theodoric into Italy, against Odoacer, is faid to have been buried alive, in a fit of intoxication, by the orders of the emprefs Ariadne, A. D. 491. by whofe influence ANASTASIUS, one of the loweft officers about court, fucceeded, and reigned twenty-feven years.

JUSTIN, his fucceffor, was the fon of a Thracian fhepherd, and could neither read nor write. He reigned nine years.

JUSTINIAN, 527, the nephew and fucceffor of Justin, recovered Africa from the Vandals, and most of Italy from the Goths, by means of his general Belifarius, whofe great abilities might have restored the empire; but he was treated with base. ingratitude by Juftinian. Still however his allegiance continued inviolable. Narfes, who completed the conqueft of Italy, met with the fame return from the fon of Juftinian; but he, in revenge, when recalled from his government, is faid to have invited the Lombards to take poffeffion of that country.

Juftinian reduced the Roman laws into a regular form, by the affiftance of Tribonian, and fome other lawyers. This code of laws, called the Corpus Juris, is divided into three parts, which were published at different times, the Inftitutions, Digefla or Pandects, and Novella...

Under this emperor the manufacture of filk was first introduced into Europe from Perfia by two monks.

The circumftance of Belifarius being deprived of his fight, and forced to beg by the highway, (DATE OBOLUM BELISARIO,) is thought to be fabricated. Ste Gibbons's Deline of the Roman Empire.