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X.

"distance 4" In this morafs the Roman army, CHA P. after an ineffectual ftruggle, was irrecoverably loft; nor could the body of the Emperor ever be found 47. Such was the fate of Decius, in the fiftieth year of his age; an accomplished prince, active in war, and affable in peace 48; who, together with his fon, has deferved to be compared, both in life and death, with the brighteft examples of ancient virtue 49.

Gallus,

A. D. 251.

This fatal blow humbled, for a very little time, Election of the infolence of the legions. They appear to have patiently expected, and fubmiffively obeyed December, the decree of the fenate which regulated the fucceffion to the throne. From a juft regard for the memory of Decius, the Imperial title was conferred on Hoftilianus, his only furviving fon; but an equal rank, with more effectual power, was granted to Gallus, whofe experience and ability feemed equal to the great truft of guardian to the young prince and the diftreffed empire 5o. 50 The first care of the new Emperor was to deliver the Illyrian provinces

46 I have ventured to copy from Tacitus (Annal. i. 64.) the pic ture of a fimilar engagement between a Roman army and a German tribe.

47 Jornandes, c. 18, Zofimus, 1. i. p. 22. Aurelius Victor.

Zonaras, l. xii. p. 627.

48 The Decii were killed before the end of the year two hundred and fifty-one, fince the new princes took poffeffion of the confulship on the enfuing calends of January.

49 Hift. Auguft. p. 223. gives them a very honourable place among the small number of good emperors who reigned between Auguftus and Dioclefian.

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CHA P. from the intolerable weight of the victorious X. Goths. He confented to leave in their hands A.D. 252. the rich fruits of their invafion, an immenfe

booty, and, what was ftill more disgraceful, a

great number of prifoners of the highest merit Retreat of and quality. He plentifully fupplied their camp the Goths. with every conveniency that could affuage their angry fpirits, or facilitate their fo much wifhedfor departure; and he even promised to pay them annually a large fum of gold, on condition they fhould never afterwards infeft the Roman territories by their incurfions".

Gallus purchafes peace by

the pay

ment of an

annual tribute.

In the age of the Scipios, the most opulent kings of the earth, who courted the protection of the victorious commonwealth, were gratified with fuch trifling prefents as could only derive a value from the hand that bestowed them; an ivory chair, a coarse garment of purple, an inconfiderable piece of plate, or a quantity of copper coin 2. After the wealth of nations had centred in Rome, the emperors difplayed their greatnefs, and even their policy, by the regular exercife of a steady and moderate liberality towards the allies of the ftate. They relieved the poverty of the barbarians, honoured their merit, and recompenfed their fidelity. These voluntary marks of bounty were understood to flow, not from the fears, but merely from the generosity

51 Zonaras, 1. xii. p. 628.

52 A Sella, a Toga, and a golden Patera of five pounds weight, were accepted with joy and gratitude by the wealthy King of Egypt (Livy, xxvii. 4.). Quina millia Eris, a weight of copper, in value about eighteen pounds fterling, was the ufual prefent made to foreign ambaffadors (Livy, xxxi. 9.).

or

X.

or the gratitude of the Romans; and whilft CHA P. prefents and fubfidies were liberally distributed among friends and fuppliants, they were fternly refused to fuch as claimed them as a debt 53.

But this ftipulation, of an annual payment to a Popular victorious enemy, appeared without difguife in difcontent. the light of an ignominious tribute; the minds of the Romans were not yet accustomed to accept fuch unequal laws from a tribe of barbarians and the prince, who by a neceffary conceffion had probably saved his country, became the object of the general contempt and averfion. The death of Hoftilianus, though it happened in the midft of a raging peftilence, was interpreted as the perfonal crime. of Gallus 54; and even the defeat of the late Emperor was afcribed by the voice of fufpicion to the perfidious counfels of his hated fucceffor 55. The tranquillity which the empire enjoyed during the first year of his administrations, ferved rather to inflame than to appease the public difcontent; and, as foon as the apprehenfions of war were removed, the infamy of the peace was more deeply and more fenfibly felt.

53 See the firmness of a Roman general fo late as the time of Alexander Severus, in the Excerpta Legationum, p. 25. Edit. Louvre.

5+ For the plague, fee Jornandes, c. 19. and Victor in Cæfaribus.

55 Thefe improbable accufations are alleged by Zofimus, 1. i. P. 23, 24.

56 Jornandes, c. 19. The Gothic writer at least observed the peace which his victorious countrymen had fworn to Gallus.

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CHAP.

X.

revolt of Emilia

nus,

But the Romans were irritated to a ftill higher degree, when they discovered that they had not Victoryand even fecured their repofe, though at the expence of their honour. The dangerous fecret of the wealth and weakness of the empire had been 4. D. 253. revealed to the world. New fwarms of barbarians, encouraged by the fuccefs, and not conceiving themselves bound by the obligation, of their brethren, spread devastation through the Illyrian provinces, and terror as far as the gates of Rome. The defence of the monarchy, which feemed abandoned by the pufillanimous Emperor, was affumed by Æmilianus, governor of Pannonia and Mæfia; who rallied the scattered forces, and revived the fainting fpirits of the troops. The barbarians were unexpectedly attacked, routed, chased, and pursued beyond the Danube. The victorious leader diftributed as a donative the money collected for the tribute, and the acclamations of the foldiers proclaimed him Emperor on the field of battle "7. Gallus, who, careless of the general welfare, indulged himself in the pleasures of Italy, was almost in the fame inftant informed of the fuccefs, of the revolt, and of the rapid approach of his afpiring lieutenant. He advanced to meet him as far as the plains of Spoleto. When the armies came in fight of each other, the foldiers of Gallus compared the ignominious conduct of their fovereign with the glory of his rival. They admired the valour of Emilianus; they were attracted by his liberality,

57 Zofimus, l.i. p. 25, 26.

for

409

pay to CHA P.

for he offered a confiderable increase of
The murder of Gallus, and of

X.

and flain.

all deferters 58. his fon Volufianus, put an end to the civil war; Gallus and the fenate gave a legal fanction to the abandoned rights of conqueft. The letters of Emilianus A. D. 253. to that affembly difplayed a mixture of mode- May. ration and vanity. He affured them, that he fhould refign to their wifdom the civil adminif tration; and, contenting himself with the quality of their general, would in a fhort time affert the glory of Rome, and deliver the empire from all the barbarians both of the North and of the Eaft". His pride was flattered by the applaufe of the fenate; and medals are ftill extant, representing him with the name and attributes of Hercules the Victor, and of Mars the Avenger".

He had

van

the death

and is ac

knowledg

If the new monarch poffeffed the abilities, he Valerian wanted the time, neceffary to fulfil these fplendid revenges promifes. Lefs than four months intervened of Gallus, between his victory and his fall "1. quifhed Gallus: he funk under the weight of a ed Emcompetitor more formidable than Gallus. That peror. unfortunate prince had sent Valerian, already distinguished by the honourable title of cenfor, to bring the legions of Gaul and Germany 62 to his aid. Valerian executed that commiffion with zeal and fidelity; and as he arrived too late to

58 Victor in Cæfaribus.

to Banduri Numifmata, p. 94.

59 Zonaras, 1. xii. p. 628.

61 Eutropius, 1. ix. c. 6. fays tertio menfe. Eufebius omits this Emperor.

62

Zofimus, l. i. p. 28. Eutropius and Victor station Valerian's army in Rhætia.

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