X. nia by the IV. The new fovereigns of Perfia, Artaxerxes c H A P. and his fon Sapor, had triumphed (as we have already feen) over the house of Arfaces. Of the Conquest many princes of that ancient race, Chofroes, of ArmeKing of Armenia, had alone preferved both his Perfians. life and his independence. He defended himfelf by the natural ftrengh of his country; by the perpetual resort of fugitives and malecontents; by the alliance of the Romans, and, above all, by his own courage. Invincible in arms, during a thirty years war, he was at length affaffinated by the emiffaries of Sapor King of Perfia. The patriotic fatraps of Armenia, who afferted the freedom and dignity of the crown, implored the protection of Rome in favour of Tiridates the lawful heir. But the fon of Chofroes was an infant, the allies were at a distance, and the Perfian monarch advanced towards the frontier at the head of an irrefiftible force. Young Tiridates, the future hope of his country, was faved by the fidelity of a fervant, and Armenia continued above twenty-seven years a reluctant province of the great monarchy of Perfia13. Elated with this eafy conqueft, and prefuming on the dif treffes or the degeneracy of the Romans, Sapor obliged the ftrong garrifons of Carrhæ and Nifibis to furrender, and fpread devaftation and terror on either fide of the Euphrates. 134 134 Mofes Chorenenfis, l. ii. c. 71. 73, 74. Zonaras, 1. xii. p. 628. The authentic relation of the Armenian hiftorian ferves to rectify the confused account of the Greek. The latter talks of the children of Tiridates, who at that time was himself an infant. CHAP. X. Valerian marches into the Eaft. The lofs of an important frontier, the ruin of a faithful and natural ally, and the rapid fuccefs of Sapor's ambition, affected Rome with a deep fenfe of the infult as well as of the danger. Valerian flattered himself, that the vigilance of his lieutenants would fufficiently provide for the fafety of the Rhine and of the Danube; but he refolved, notwithstanding his advanced age, to march in perfon to the defence of the Euphrates. During his progrefs through Afia Minor, the naval enterprises of the Goths were suspended, and the afflicted province enjoyed a tranfient and fallacious calm. He paffed the Euphrates, encountered the Perfian monarch near the walls of Is defeated Edeffa, was vanquifhed, and taken prisoner by Sapor. The particulars of this great event are Sapor King darkly and imperfectly reprefented; yet, by the of Perfia. glimmering light which is afforded us, we may difcover a long feries of imprudence, of error, and of deferved misfortune on the fide of the Roman Emperor. He repofed an implicit confidence in Macrianus, his Prætorian præfect. That worthlefs minifter rendered his mafter formidable only to the oppreffed fubjects, and contemptible to the enemies of Rome 136. By his weak or wicked counfels, the Imperial army was betrayed into a fituation, where valour and military skill were equally unavailing 137. The vigorous attempt of the Romans to cut their way through the Perfian hoft, was repulsed with great and taken prifoner by A.D. 260. 135 Hift. Auguft. p. 191. As Macrianus was an enemy to the Christians, they charged him with being a magician. 135 Zofimus, l. i. p. 33. 157 Hift. Auguft. p. 174. X. flaughter 13; and Sapor, who encompaffed the CHA P. camp with fuperior numbers, patiently waited till the increasing rage of famine and peftilence had enfured his victory. The licentious murmurs of the legions foon accufed Valerian as the cause of their calamities; their feditious clamours demanded an inftant capitulation. An immenfe fum of gold was offered to purchase the permiffion of a disgraceful retreat. But the Perfian, confcious of his fuperiority, refused the money with difdain; and detaining the deputies, advanced in order of battle to the foot of the Roman rampart, and infifted on a perfonal conference with the Emperor. Valerian was reduced to the neceffity of intrusting his life and dignity to the faith of an enemy. The interview ended as it was natural to expect. The Emperor was made a prifoner, and his aftonished troops laid down their arms 39. In fuch a moment of triumph, the pride and policy of Sapor prompted him to fill the vacant throne with a fucceffor entirely dependent on his pleasure. Cyriades, an obfcure fugitive of Antioch, stained with every vice, was chofen to dishonour the Roman purple; and the will of the Perfian victor could not fail of being ratified by the acclamations, however reluctant, of the captive army 140 138 Victor in Cæfar. Eutropius, ix. 7. 139 Zofimus, l. i. p. 33. Zonaras, 1. xii. p. 630. Peter Patricius,. in the Excerpta Legat. p. 29. 140 Hift. Auguft. p. 185. The reign of Cyriades appears in that collection prior to the death of Valerian; but I have preferred a probable series of events to the doubtful chronology of a most inaccurate writer. СНАР. X. Cilicia, and Cappadocia. The Imperial flave was eager to fecure the favour of his mafter by an act of treason to his Sapor over- native country. He conducted Sapor over the runs Syria, Euphrates, and, by the way of Chalcis, to the metropolis of the Eaft. So rapid were the motions of the Perfian cavalry, that, if we may credit a very judicious hiftorian, the city of Antioch was surprised when the idle multitude was fondly gazing on the amufements of the theatre. The fplendid buildings of Antioch, private as well as public, were either pillaged or deftroyed; and the numerous inhabitants were put to the fword, or led away into captivity. The tide of devaftation was ftopped for a mo. ment by the refolution of the high prieft of Emefa. Arrayed in his facerdotal robes, he appeared at the head of a great body of fanatic peafants, armed only with flings, and defended his god and his property from the facrilegious hands of the followers of Zoroafter 43. But the ruin of Tarfus, and of many other cities, fur nishes a melancholy proof, that, except in this fingular inftance, the conqueft of Syria and Cilicia fcarcely interrupted the progrefs of the Perfian arms. The advantages of the narrow paffes of mount Taurus were abandoned, in which an invader, whofe principal force confifted in his cavalry, would have been engaged 141 The fack of Antioch, anticipated by some hiftorians, is affigned, by the decifive teftimony of Ammianus Marcellinus, to the reign of Gallienus, xxiii. 5. 142 Zofimus, l.i. p. 35, 143 John Malala, tom i. p. 391. He corrupts this probable event by fome fabulous circumstances, X. 439 in a very unequal combat: and Sapor was per- CHA P. mitted to form the fiege of Cæfarea, the capital of Cappadocia; a city, though of the fecond rank, which was fuppofed to contain four hundred thousand inhabitants. Demofthenes commanded in the place, not fo much by the commiffion of the Emperor, as in the voluntary defence of his country. For a long time he deferred its fate; and, when at last Cæfarea was betrayed by the perfidy of a phyfician, he cut his way through the Perfians, who had been ordered to exert their utmost diligence to take him alive. This heroic chief efcaped the power of a foe, who might either have honoured or punished his obftinate valour; but many thoufands of his fellow-citizens were involved in a general maffacre, and Sapor is accused of treating his prifoners with wanton and unrelenting cruelty 144. Much fhould undoubtedly be allowed for national animofity, much for humbled pride and impotent revenge; yet, upon the whole, it is certain that the fame prince, who in Armenia had displayed the mild aspect of a legislator, fhewed himself to the Romans under the ftern features of a conqueror. He defpaired of making any permanent establishment in the empire, and fought only to leave behind him a wafted defert, whilft he tranfported into Perfia the people and the treasures of the provinces 145. 144 Zonaras, 1. xü. p. 630. Deep vallies were filled up with the flain. Crowds of prifoners were driven to water like beafts, and many perished for want of food. 145 Zofimus, l.i. p. 25. afferts, that Sapor, had he not preferred fpoil to conqueft, might have remained master of Afia. FF 4 At |