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delivered up to him, he would be contented with Armenia and Mesopotamia, which had been unjustly taken from his grandfather Narses; adding that, unless justice was done him, he would assert his right by arms. Constantius wrote in answer that as he had maintained the Roman dominions in their full extent when he was possessed only of the east, he could not suffer them to be curtailed now he was master of the whole empire. In a few days, however, he sent another message with presents; being desirous at least to put off the war till he had secured the northern provinces. This embassy proved unsuccessful, as did also another which was sent soon after.

In 359 Julian continued his endeavour for relieving Gaul; erected magazines in different places; visited the cities which had suffered most, and gave orders for repairing the fortifications. He then crossed the Rhine, and pursued the war in Germany with such success that the barbarians submitted to his own terms. In the mean time the emperor, having received intelligence that the Limigantes had quitted the country in which he had placed them, hastened to the banks of the Danube, in order to prevent their entering Pannonia, and nearly extirpated them. This year Constantius instituted a court of inquisition against all those who consulted heathen oracles. Paulus Catena, a cruel informer, was despatched into the east to prosecute them; and Modestus, equally remarkable for his cruelty, was appointed judge. His tribunal was erected at Scythopolis in Palestine, whither persons of both sexes, and of every rank and condition, were daily dragged in crowds from all parts, and torn in pieces by racks, or publicly executed. In 359 Sapor king of Persia began hostilities. During the campaign, however, he made little progress; having only taken two Roman forts, and destroyed the city of Amida, the siege of which is said to have cost him 30,000 men. On the first news of the invasion, Constantius had sent Ursicinus into the east; but his enemies prevented him from receiving the supplies necessary for carrying on the war. On his return, he was charged with the loss of Amida, and all the disasters that had happened during the campaign. Two judges were appointed to enquire into his conduct; but they left the matter doubtful. On this Ursicinus was so much exasperated that he appealed to the emperor, and, in the heat of passion, let fall some unguarded expressions, for which he was deprived of all his employments. Constantius resolved to march next year in persou against the Persians, and wrote to Julian to send him part of his forces, without considering that by so doing he would have left Gaul exposed. Julian resolved to comply with the emperor's orders, but to abdicate the dignity of Cæsar, that he might not be blamed for the consequences. Accordingly he suffered the best soldiers to be draughted: they were, however, unwilling to leave him, and at last proclaimed him emperor. Whether this was done absolutely against Julian's consent is uncertain; but he wrote to the emperor, and persuaded the whole army also to send a letter, in which they acquainted Constantius with what had happened,

and entreated him to acknowledge Julian as his partner. But this was positively refused by Constantius, who began to prepare for war. Julian, then, causing his troops to take an oath of allegiance to himself, with surprising expedition made himself master of the whole of Illyricum, and the important pass separating that country from Thrace. Constantius was thunder-struck with this news; but, hearing that the Persians had retired, he marched with all his forces against his competitor. On his arrival at Tarsus in Cilicia, however, he was seized with a feverish distemper, occasioned chiefly by perplexity of mind; and, at the foot of Mount Taurus, breathed his last, on the 13th of November, 361, in the forty-fifth year of his age.

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JULIAN. By the death of Constantius, Julian became master of the empire without a rival. He had been educated in the Christian religion; but, having secretly apostatized long before, as soon as he saw himself master of Illyricum, he openly caused the temples of the gods to be reopened. When the messengers arrived at Naissus in Illyricum, to acquaint him with Constantius's death, they found him consulting the entrails of victims concerning the event of his journey: and he immediately set out for Constantinople. At Heraclea he was met by almost all the inhabitants of this metropolis, into which he made his public entry on the 11th of December 361, attended by the senate, magistrates, and nobility. Here he was again declared emperor by the senate; and, as soon as that ceremony was over, caused the obsequies of Constantius to be performed with great pomp. His first care was to enquire into the conduct of the late emperor's ministers. Several of these, having been found guilty of enormous crimes, were condemned and executed; particularly a noted informer Catena, and another named Apodamus, were sentenced to be burnt alive. these, however, was put to death Ursula, a man of unexceptionable character, to whom Julian himself was highly indebted. He next set about reforming the court: reduced the officers called agentes in rebus, from 10,000 to seventeen; and discharged thousands of cooks, barbers, &c., who by their large salaries drained the exchequer. The curiosi, whose office it was to inform the emperor of what had passed in the different provinces, were all discharged. Thus he was enabled to ease the people of the heavy taxes with which they were loaded, by abating a fifth part of them throughout the empire. Julian next invited to court the philosophers, magicians, &c., from all parts; but did not raise any persecution against the Christians. On the contrary, he recalled from banishment the orthodox bishops who had been exiled during the former reign; with a design, however, as is ob served both by the Christian and Pagan writers, to sow dissensions in the church. As the Persians were now preparing to carry on the war with vigor, Julian resolved to march against them in person. But before he set out he formed at Constantinople a large harbour to shelter the ships from the south wind, built a magnificent porch leading to it, and erected a fine library, in which he lodged his books. In May 362 he de

parted for Antioch; and on the 1st of January, 363, renewed in that city the sacrifices of Jupiter for the safety of the empire. During his stay he continued his preparations for the Persian war, consulting the oracles, aruspices, magicians, &c. Those of Delphi, Delos, and Dodona, assured him of victory. The aruspices, indeed, and most of his courtiers and officers, did all that lay in their power to divert him from his expedition; but the flattering answers of the oracles, and the desire of adding the Persian monarch to the many kings he had already seen humbled at his feet, prevailed. Many nations sent deputies offering their assistance; whose offers he rejected, telling them that the Romans were to assist their allies, but stood in no need of any assistance from them. He likewise rejected, and in a very stern manner, the offers of the Saracens; answering, when they complained of his stopping the pension paid them by other emperors, that a warlike prince had steel, but no gold. However, he wrote to Arsaces, king of Armenia, enjoining him to keep his troops in readiness to execute the orders he should transmit to him. Julian now sent orders to his troops to cross the Euphrates, designing to enter the enemy's country before they had notice of his march; and proceeded himself to Litarba. Thence he went to Berea, where he halted a day, and exhorted the council to restore the worship of the gods; as he did also at Batnæ; and was well pleased with the inhabitants for having before his arrival restored that worship. He now pursued his journey to Hierapolis, the capital of Euphratesiana, which he reached on the 9th of March. As he entered this city, fifty of his soldiers were killed by the fall of a porch. He left Hierapolis on the 13th of March; and, having passed to Euphrates on a bridge of boats, came to Batna a city of Osrhoene, about ten leagues from Hierapolis. From Batnæ he proceeded to Carrhæ; where, in the famous temple of the moon, it is said he sacrificed a woman. While he continued in this city, he received advice that a party of the enemy's horse had broken into the Roman territories: on which he resolved to leave an army in Mesopotamia, while he advanced on the other side of the country into the Persian dominions. This army consisted, according to some, of 20,000, others say of 30,000, chosen troops. It was commanded by Procopius, and Sebastian, a famous Manichean who had been governor of Egypt. These two were to join Arsaces king of Armenia, to lay waste the plains of Media, and meet the emperor in Assyria. To Arsaces Julian himself wrote, threatening to treat him as a rebel if he did not execute the orders given him; and telling him that the God he adored would not be able to screen him from his indignation. There were two roads leading from Carrhæ to Persia; the one to the left by Nisibis; the other to the right through Assyria, along the banks of the Euphrates. Julian chose the latter, but caused magazines to be erected on both roads; and, after having viewed his army, set out on the 25th of March. He passed the Abora, which separated the Roman and Persian dominions, near its conflux with the Euphrates; after which he broke down

the bridge, that his troops might not desert. As he proceeded on his march, a soldier and two horses were struck dead by lightning; and a lion of an extraordinary size was despatched by the soldiers. These omens occasioned great disputes among the aruspices. Having passed the Abora, Julian entered Assyria, which he laid waste; a step which was judged very impolitic. As he met with no army to oppose him, he advanced to the walls of Ctesiphon, the metropolis of the Parthian empire; and here, having caused the canal to be cleared, formerly dug by Trajan, he conveyed his fleet to the banks of the Tigris, passed that river, and drove the enemy into the city with the loss of a great number of men: he himself, in the mean time, losing only seventyfive. Julian had now advanced so far into the enemy's country that he found it necessary to think of a retreat, as it was impossible for him to winter there. For this reason he made no attempt on Ctesiphon, but began to march back along the banks of the Tigris. In the mean time the king of Persia was assembling a formidable army; but, desirous of putting an end to so destructive a war, sent very advantageous proposals of peace to Julian. These he imprudently rejected; and soon after, deceived by treacherous guides, quitted the river, and entered into an unknown country totally laid waste by the enemy. A still worse step he was persuaded to take by these guides, viz. to burn his fleet, lest it should fall into the hands of the enemy. As soon as it was set on fire, the whole army cried out that the emperor was betrayed, and that the guides were traitors. Julian ordered them immediately to be put on the rack, upon which they confessed the treason; but it was too late. The fleet was in flames, and no part was saved except twelve vessels designed to be made use of in the building of bridges. The emperor thus finding himself in a strange country, and his army greatly dispirited, called a council, in which it was resolved to proceed for Corduene south of Armenia. But they had not proceeded far when they were met by the king of Persia, at the head of a very numerous army. Several sharp encounters took place; and, though the Persians were always defeated, the Romans reaped no advantages, being reduced to the last extremity for want of provisions. In one of these attacks, when the Romans were suddenly assailed, the emperor, eager to repulse the enemy, hastened to the field without his army, when he received a mortal wound by a dart, which pierced through his side to his liver. Of this wound he died the same night, 26th of June, 363, in the thirty-second year of his age, after having reigned scarcely twenty months.

JOVIAN. As Julian had declined naming any successor, the army unanimously chose Jovian, a very able commander, whose father had lately resigned the post of comes domesticorum. The valor and experience of Jovian, however, were not sufficient to extricate the Roman army from the difficulties in which they had been plunged. Famine raged in the camp to such a degree that not a single man would have been left had not the Persians unexpectedly sent proposals_of peace, which were received with great joy. The

terms were, that Jovian should restore to the Persians the five provinces which had heen taken from them in the reign of Dioclesian, with several castles, and the cities of Nisibis and Singara. After the conclusion of the treaty, Jovian pursued his march homeward. When he arrived at Antioch he revoked all the laws made by Julian against Christianity; espoused the cause of the orthodox Christians against the Arians; and recalled all those who had been formerly banished, particularly Athanasius. But he did not live to make any great alterations, or even to visit his capital as emperor; for in his way to Constantinople he was found dead in his bed, on the 17th of February, 364, in his thirty-third year, when he had reigned only seven months and forty days.

VALENTINIAN AND VALENS.Valentinian was now chosen emperor. Immediately on his accession, the soldiers with great clamor required him to choose a colleague. In a few days he named his brother Valens; and, as the empire was threatened on all sides with an invasion of the barbarous nations, he thought proper to divide it. This famous partition was made at Mediana in Dacia: when Valens had for his share the whole of Asia, Egypt, and Thrace; and Valentinian all the west; that is, Illyricum, Italy, Gaul, Spain, Britain and Africa. After this Valens returned to Constantinople, where the beginning of his reign was disturbed by the revolt of Procopius, a relation of Julian. On the death of that emperor, he had fled into Taurica Chersonesus for fear of Jovian; but returned in disguise, where, having gained over Eugenius, a eunuch of great wealth, disgraced by Valens, and some officers who commanded the troops sent against the Goths, he got himself proclaimed emperor. At first he was joined only by the lowest of the people, but at length he was acknowledged by the city of Constantinople. On the news of this revolt, Valens despatched some troops against the usurper; but these were gained over, and Procopius continued for some time to gain ground. It is probable he would finally have succeeded, had he not become so much elated with his good fortune that he grew tyrannical. In consequence of this he was first abandoned by some of his principal officers; and soon after defeated in battle, taken prisoner, and put to death. This revolt produced a war betwixt Valens and the Goths. The latter, having been solicited by Procopius, had sent 3000 men to his assistance. On hearing the news of the usurper's death, they marched back but Valens detached against them a body of troops, who took them all prisoners. Athanaric, king of the Goths, expostulated with Valens; but that emperor proving obstinate, both parties prepared for war. 367 and 369 Valens gained great advantages over his enemies and obliged them to sue for peace. The rest of this reign contains nothing remarkable, except the cruelty with which Valens persecuted the orthodox clergy. The latter sent eighty of their number to lay their complaints before him; but he, instead of giving them any relief, determined to put them all to death. A persecution was also commenced against the magicians, which occasioned the de

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struction of many innocent persons; for books and persons of all ranks were seized with such terror at his severity on this point, that many burnt their libraries, lest books of magic should have been secretly conveyed into them. In 373 the Goths, whom Valens had admitted into Thrace, advanced from that province to Macedon and Thessaly. They afterwards blocked up Constantinople, plundered the suburbs, and at last totally defeated and killed the emperor. The day after the battle, hearing that an immense treasure was lodged in Adrianople, the barbarians laid siege to that place: but were repulsed with great slaughter. Great numbers of them after this were cut in pieces by the Saracens, whom Maria their queen had sent to the assistance a the Romans; so that they were obliged to abandon this design likewise, and retire from the neighbourhood of the capital. In the beginning of the reign of Valentinian the province of Libya Tripolitana was grievously oppressed by the barbarians of the desert, and almost equally so by Romanus its own governor. His conduct was so exceedingly oppressive that the inhabitants sent a deputation to Valentinian, complaining of their unhappy situation, and desiring redress. Palladius was accordingly sent to inquire into the state of the province; but he made a false report to the emperor, and thus the unhappy province was left a prey to the merciless invaders and rapacious governor. During the rest of this reign the barbarians continued their inroads into the empire. Valentinian expired in the year 375, the fifty-fifth of his age, and twelfth of his reign.

GRATIAN AND THEODOSIUS.-At the death of Valens the eastern and western empires again fell into the hands of a single person. This was Gratian, who had held the empire of the west after the death of Valentinian. He repulsed many barbarous nations who threatened the empire with dissolution; but, finding himself pressed on all sides, he, on the 19th of January 379, declared Theodosius his partner in the empire, and committed to his care all the provinces which had been governed by Valens. Theodosius is greatly extolled by historians for his extraordinary valor and piety; and has even been honored with the surname of the Great. From the many persecuting laws, however, made in his time, it would seem that his piety was misguided; and that, if he was naturally humane and compassionate, superstition often obscured these virtues. He certainly was a man of great military talent, and the state of the empire called for all his abilities. The provinces of Dacia, Thrace, and Illyricum, were already lost; the Goths, Taisali, Alans, and Hunns, were masters of the greatest part of these provinces, and had ravaged and laid waste the rest. The Iberians, Armenians, and Persians, were in arms, and ever ready to take advantage of the distracted state of the empire. The few soldiers who had survived the late defeat kept within the strong holds of Thrace. In the year 379 many victories are said to have been obtained by Theodosius; but the accounts of these are so contradictory that no stress can be laid upon them. In February 380 he was seized with a dangerous malady, so that Gratian was obliged to carry on the war

alone. Apprehending that the neighbouring barbarians might break into some of the provinces, he concluded a peace with the Goths, which was confirmed by Theodosius on his recovery. But they had no sooner heard that Gratian had left Illyricum, than they passed the Danube, and, breaking into Thrace and Pannonia, advanced as far as Macedon, destroying all with fire and sword. Theodosius, drawing together his forces, marched against them, and gained a complete victory. In 381 Athanaric, the most powerful of all the Gothic princes, being driven out by a faction at home, recurred to Theodosius, by whom he was received with great tokens of friendship. He went out to meet him, and attended him with a numerous retinue into the city. The Gothic prince died the same year; and Theodosius caused him to be buried after the Roman manner, with such pomp and solemnity that the Goths, who attended him in his flight, returned home with a resolution never more to molest the Romans. Nay, out of gratitude to the emperor, they took upon them to guard the banks of the Danube, and prevent the empire from being invaded. In 383 Maximus revolted against Gratian in Britain; and in the end murdered him, and assumed the empire of the West himself. Gratian had now divided his dominions with his brother Valentinian II., whom he allowed to reign in Italy and West Illyricum, reserving the rest to himself. Maximus therefore, immediately after his usurpation, sent deputies to Theodosius, assuring him that he had no designs on the dominions of Valentinian. As Theodosius at that time found himself in danger from the barbarians, he not only therefore forebore to attack Maximus, but even acknowledged him for his partner in the empire. It was not long, however, before the ambition of the usurper prompted him to break his promise. In 387 he passed the Alps on a sudden; and, meeting with no opposition, marched to Milan, where Valentinian usually resided. The young prince fled to Aquileia; and thence to Thessalonica, to implore the protection of Theodosius; who, in answer, informed him that he was not surprised at the usurper's progress, as he had protected, and Valentinian had persecuted, the orthodox Christians. At last he prevailed on the young prince to renounce Arianism, and promised to assist him with all the forces of the east. He first, however, sent messengers to Maximus, desiring him to restore the provinces he had taken from Valentinian, and content himself with Gaul, Spain, and Britain. But the usurper would hearken to no terms. This year he besieged and tok Aquileia, Quaderna, Bononia, Mutina, Rhegium, Placentia, and many other cities in Italy. In 388 he was acknowledged in Rome, and in all the provinces of Africa. Theodosius, therefore, finding a war inevitable, made preparations for it. His army consisted chiefly of Goths, Hunns, Alans, and other barbarians, whom he was glad to take into the service, to prevent their raising disturbances on the frontiers. He defeated Maximus in two battles, took him prisoner, and put him to death; and, the usurper having left his son Victor in Gaul, the emperor despatched against him Arbogastes, who took

him prisoner, dispersed his troops, and put him also to death. This victory was used by Theodosius with great moderation. In 389 he took a journey to Rome, and abolished idolatry. The next year was remarkable for the destruction of the celebrated temple of Serapis in Alexandria; which, according to the description of Ammianus Marcellinus, surpassed all others in the world, that of Jupiter Capitolinus excepted. Not satisfied with the destruction of the Alexandrian temples, the zealous Theophilus, bishop of Alexandria, encouraged the people to pull down all the other temples, chapels, &c., set apart for the pagan worship, and the statues of the gods to be either burnt or melted. Of the innumerable statues which at that time were in Egypt, he spared but one, viz. that of an ape, to expose the Pagan religion to ridicule. On his return to Constantinople, Theodosius ordered such temples as were yet standing to be thrown down, and the Arians to be every where driven out of the cities.

In 392 Valentinian II. was treacherously murdered by Arbogastes his general; who, instead of seizing on the sovereignty himself, chose to confer it upon Eugenius. This new usurper, though a Christian, was greatly favored by the Pagans, who were all apprized that he only bore the title of emperor, while the whole power lodged in Arbogastes who pretended to be greatly attached to their religion. The aruspices informed him that he was destined to the empire of the whole world; that he would soon gain a complete victory over Theodosius, who was as much hated as Eugenius was beloved by the gods, &c. But, though Eugenius seemed to favor the Pagans, yet he wrote to St. Ambrose. The holy man did not answer his letter till he was pressed by some friends to recommend them to the new prince; and then he wrote to this infamous usurper with all the respect due to an emperor. Soon after his accession, Eugenius sent deputies to Theodosius; and they are said to have been received by him in a very gracious manner. He did not, however, enter into any alliance with him, but immediately began his military preparations. In 394 he set out from Constantinople, and was at Adrianople on the 15th of June that year. He bent his march through Dacia, and the other provinces between Thrace and the Julian Alps, with a design to force the passages of these mountains, and break into Italy before the army of Eugenius was in a condition to oppose him. On his arrival at the Alps, he found these passes guarded by Flavianus, prefect of Italy, at the head of a considerable body of Roman troops. These were utterly defeated by Theodosius, who thereupon crossed the Alps and advanced into Italy. He was soon met by Eugenius; and a bloody battle ensued, without any decisive advantage on either side. The next day the emperor led his troops in person against the enemy, utterly defeated them, and took their camp. Eugenius was taken prisoner by his own men, and brought to Theodosius, who reproached him with the murder of Valentinian, with the calamities he had brought on the empire by his unjust usurpation, and with the putting his confidence in Hercules, and

not in the true God; for on his chief standard he had displayed the image of that fabulous hero. Eugenius begged easnestly for his life; but, while he lay prostrate at his feet, his own soldiers cut off his head, and, carrying it about on the point of a spear, showed it to those in the camp who had not yet submitted. At this they were thunderstruck; but being informed that Theodosius was ready to receive them into favor they threw down their arms. Arbogastes, after this, despairing of pardon, fled to the mountains; but being informed that diligent search was made for him killed himself. His children, and those of Eugenius, took sanctuary in churches; but the emperor restored to them their paternal estates, and raised them to considerable employments. Soon after this, Theodosius appointed his son Honorius emperor of the west, assigning him for his share, Italy, Gaul, Spain, Africa, and West Illyricum. The next year he was seized with a dropsy, and made his will; by which he bequeathed the empire of the East to Arcadius, and confirmed Honorius in the possession of the West. He likewise confirmed the pardon he had granted to all those who had borne arms against him, and remitted a tribute which had proved very burdensome to the people. He died at Milan on the 17th January 395, in the sixteenth year of his reign and fiftieth of his age.

PART IV.

THE WESTERN EMPIRE.

We now trace, distinctly, the regular and rapid decline of the Western Empire. The death of Theodosius gave the finishing stroke to its prosperity; his son Honorius, to whom he left this part of the empire, being possessed of no abilities. The barbarians appear to have been abundantly sensible of this.. Theodosius died in January; and before spring the Goths were in arms. They were now headed by an experienced commander, their celebrated king ALARIC (see that article), who would have proved formidable even in better times of the empire. He first overran Greece: Athens, Corinth, Argos, and Sparta, yielding without resistance; and the pass of Thermopyla being betrayed to him. At last, in 397, he was opposed by Stilicho, the general of Honorius, a man of great experience in war, who defeated him with great loss. Alaric, however, found means to conclude a treaty with the ministers. of Constantinople. In a subsequent conflict in Italy the wife of Alaric was taken, with all the wealth which had been amassed in plundering Greece. The victory, however, was not so decisive but that Alaric continued still formidable; and Stilicho chose rather to conclude a treaty with him. Alaric, who was not very scrupulous in his observance of this treaty, attempted in his retreat to make himself master of Verona; but Stilicho, again coming up with him near that place, gave him a third terrible defeat: after which he effected a retreat out of Italy, but not without the greatest difficulty and danger.

Italy being thus delivered, Honorius entered Rome in triumph, having Stilicho along with him in the triumphal chariot. Soon after, however, the emperor was obliged to leave the me

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tropolis and retire to Ravenna, to secure himself from the barbarians, who now broke in upon the empire on all sides. Gibbon accounts for it from a supposed revolution in the north-east parts of China. About four years,' he says 'after the victorious Toulon had assumed the title of khan of the Gougen, another barbarian, the haughty Rhodogast, or Radagaisus, marched from the northern extremities of Germany almost to the gates of Rome, and left the remains of his army to achieve the destruction of the west. The Vandals, the Suevi, and the Burgundians, formed the strength of this mighty host: but the Alani, who had found an hospitable reception in their new seats, added their active cavalry to the heavy infantry of the Germans; and the Gothic adventurers crowded so eagerly to the standard of Radagaisus, that by some historians he has been styled the king of the Goths: 12,000 warriors, distinguished above the vulgar by their noble birth or their valiant deeds, glittering in the van; and the whole multitude, which was not less than 200,000 fighting men might be increased by the accession of women, of children, and of slaves to the amount of 400,000 persons. This formidable emigration issued from the same coast of the Baltic which had poured forth the myriads of the Cimbri and Teutones to assault Rome and Italy in the vigour of the republic. After the departure of those barbarians, their native country, which was marked by the vestiges of their greatness, long ramparts, and gigantic moles, remained during some ages a vast and dreary solitude; till the human species was renewed by the powers of generation; and the vacancy was filled up by the influx of new inhabitants. The safety of Rome was intrusted to the counsels and the sword of Stilicho; but such was the feeble and exhausted state of the empire that it was impossible to restore the fortifications of the Danube, or to prevent, by a vigorous effort, the invasion of the Germans. The hopes of the vigilant minister of Honorius were confined to the defence of Italy. He once more abandoned the provinces; recalled the troops; pressed the new levies, which were rigorously exacted, and pusillanimously eluded; employed the most efficacious means to arrest or allure the deserters; and offered the gift of freedom, and of two pieces of gold, to all the slaves who would enlist. By these efforts he painfully collected from the subjects of a great empire an army of 30,000 or 40,000 men; which, in the days of Scipio and Camillus, would have been instantly furnished by the free citizens of the territory of Rome. The thirty legions of Stilicho were reinforced by a large body of barbarian auxiliaries; the faithful Alani were personally attached to his service; and the troops of Huns and of Goths, who marched under the banners of their native princes, Hulden and Sarus, were animated by interest and resentment to oppose the ambition of Radagaisus. The king of the confederate Germans passed, without resistance, the Alps, the Po, and the Appenines: leaving on one hand the inaccessible palace of Honorius, securely buried among the marshes of Ravenna; and, on the other, the camp of Stilicho, who had fixed his head-quar

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