THE Roman Empire, than which none was less in its beginning, yet Story men­tions none upon its in­crease greater in the whole World, was founded by Romulus, who was the Son of a Vestal Virgin, and as 'tis [Page 2] thought, of the God Mars, born a twin with his Brother Remus, He ha­ving lived like a Robber amongst the Shepherds being eighteen years old built a little City upon the Palatine-hill on the eleventh of the Kalends of May in the third year of the sixth O­lympiad, as they say who speak most probably, in the three hundred and ninety fourth year after the sacking of Troy.

Having built this City, which he called Rome from his own Name he performed these things, He made a great many of his Neighbours free of his City, choosing a hundred out of the old Men, whom he called Sena­tors from their age, by whose Coun­sel he would manage his Affairs. Then when Romulus and his people wanted Wives, he invited the neigh­bouring Nations to publick Sports and took away their young Women by force. He overcame the Caeninen­ses, the Antemnates the Crustumii, the Sabins, the Fidenates and the Vejen­tes in the War raised against him [Page 3] for the injury offered to their Wo­men. All these Cities lay about Rome. And when upon a sudden Tempest at an Assembly he was never seen after, in the thirty seventh year of his Reign he is consecrated, being believed to have gone to the Gods. Then the Government of Rome was in the power of Senators for the space of five days by turns, which Autho­rity lasted one year.

Afterwards Numa Pompilius was made King, who waged no War, yet he was no less serviceable to Rome than Romulus, for he founded the Laws and Customs of the Romans, who were now thought half Barba­rians and Robbers from their conti­nual Wars. He divided the year in­to ten Months, which before was confused without any account, he constituted very many holy Rites, and built many Temples at Rome, and died in the forty third year of his Reign.

[Page 4] Tullus Hostilius succeeded him, he renewed the War and overcame the Albani who dwelt twelve miles from Rome. He subdued the Vejen­tes and the Fidenates, some of these were six miles from Rome, others eighteen. He enlarged the City ha­ving added the Hill Caelius. When he had reigned thirty two years he was killed by Thunder, and his House burnt up with Lightning.

Ancus Marcius Reigned after him, he was the Grandchild of Numa by his Daughter, he warred against the Latins, and joyned the Aventine Hill and the Hill Janiculus to the City, built Ostia a Sea-Town sixteen miles from Rome. He died a natural death in the twenty fourth year of his Reign.

Then Priscus Tarquinius was made King. He doubled the number of the Senators and built the Circus Ma­ximus at Rome. He first instituted the Roman Sports, which are conti­nued to our time. He also overcame the Sabins: and having conquered [Page 5] much of their Country joyned it to the Roman Territory, and first of all en­tred the City in Triumph; he built the Walls and the Common Sewers, he began the Capitol; and was kil­led by the Sons of Ancus, whom he succeeded, in the thirty eighth year of his Reign.

Servius Tullius succeeded him, born of a Noble Woman being a Captive and a Handmaid. He also overcame the Sabins, and added the three Hills Quirinalis, Viminalis and Esquilinus to Rome. He digged Ditches about the City. And first of all numbered and taxed the people, which thing was unknown throughout the whole World. Upon the Assessment there were found eighty four thousand Roman Citizens with those who lived in the Country. He was murthered in the forty fifth year of his Reign by the treachery of his Son-in-law Tarqui­nius the Son of Priscus his Predeces­sor, and his Daughter Tullia, whom Tarquinius had married.

[Page 6] Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was the Seventh, and last of the Roman Kings. He overcame the Volsci, which peo­ple dwelt not far from Rome as we go to Campania; he took the City Gabii and Suessa Pometia, and made peace with the Thusci, and built the Temple of Jupiter in the Capitol. Afterwards besieging Ardea, a City situated eighteen miles from Rome, he lost his Kingdom. For when his Son Tarquinius the younger ravished Lucretia a Woman of great quality, and the most chast Wife of Collatinus, and she complaining of the injury to her Husband, her Father and her Friends, killed her self in the sight of them all. For which reason Brutus, her Father, and her Husband Tarquinius Collatinus stirred up the people, and depos'd Tarquinius: Soon after the Army, which besieged Ardea with Tarquinius, deserted him, and he re­turning to Rome, was shut out. When he had reigned five and twenty years, he fled away with his Wife and Chil­dren.

[Page 7] Thus Rome was governed by seven Kings for the space of two hundred forty three years, the Romans hitherto scarcely possessing fifteen miles about their City.

For this reason two Consuls were chosen for one King, that if one had ill Designs, the other having equal Power might restrain him. And 'twas enacted by the Roman people that they should rule no longer than one year, lest they should grow proud by a long continuance of their Power; but be always courteous, knowing they were to be private Men within one year. Therefore Lucius Junius Brutus, who had been very industri­ous in expelling King Tarquin, and Tarquinius Collatinus the Husband of Lucretia were Consuls the first year. But the Consulship was taken away soon from Tarquinius Collatinus, for the Romans were not willing that any should remain in the City who was called Tarquinius; therefore ha­ving gathered together his Estate he departed from Roome: Valerius Pub­licola [Page 8] was made Consul in his stead. But King Tarquinius Superbus who was driven out waged War against Rome, and by the assistance of seve­ral people fought with them that he might be restored to his Kingdom, Brutus the Consul and Aruns the Son of Tarquinius kill'd one another in the first Battel, yet the Romans came off Conquerors. The Roman Matrons mourned one year for Bru­tus, as the Defender of their Chasti­ty and their common Father; Vale­rius Publicola took Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus for his Collegue, who was the Father of Lucretia, upon whose Death he took Horatius Pulvillus into his place, so that there were five Consuls in this first year: Tarquinius Collatinus went out of the City by reason of his name, Brutus was kill'd in the Battel, Sp. Lucretius died a natural Death. Tarquinius again made War against Rome the second year that he might be restored, Porsena the King of Thuscia assisting him, and al­most took it, but was overcome at [Page 9] last. In the third year after the ba­nishing of th [...] King, Tarquinius, when he could [...] be received into his Kingdom, nor would Porsena who had made peace with the Romans aid him, retir'd to Tusculum, which City is not far from Rome: and there li­ved a private life with his Wife four­teen years. In the fourth year after the Kings were driven from Rome, the Sabins waging War against the Romans were overcome, upon which there was a Triumph. In the fifth year Lucius Valerius the Collegue of Bru­tus and now the fourth time Consul died; he was so poor, that he was buried at the expence of the publick, for whom the Matrons mourned one year as for Brutus.

In the ninth year after the banish­ing of the Tarquins, when the Son-in-law of King Tarquinius had ga­thered together a great Army to re­venge the injuries done to his Fa­ther-in-law, the Romans created a new Authority, which was called the Dictatorship being greater than [Page 10] the Consulship. In the same year also the General of the Horse, who was subordinate to the Dictator was made. Nor doth Roman Story re­late any thing more like the present Government of the Empire, which Your Majesty now enjoys, than the ancient Dictatorship, chiefly when Caius Caesar, and after him Augustus otherwise called Octavianus reigned with the name and honour of Dicta­ctor; of whom I shall speak hereaf­ter. But Largius was the first Ro­man Dictator, and Spurius Cassius the first General of the Horse.

The first Sedition of the Roman People was in the sixteenth year af­ter the expulsion, under pretence that the Commons were oppressed by the Senate and the Consuls. Then the Tribunes of the people were made as their proper Judges and De­fenders, by whom the people might be defended from the Senate and Consuls.

[Page 11] The next year the Volsci renew'd the War against the Romans and were overcome, losing their chief City Co­rioli.

In the eighteenth year Quintius Marcius a Roman General, who took the City Corioli from the Volsci, was banished; being angry, he goes to the same Volsci, and having an Army committed to him against the Ro­mans, evercame them in many Bat­tels: until he came within five miles of Rome, designing to ruin his Na­tive Country, having sent back those Embassadors, who desired peace, had not his Mother Veturia and Wife Vo­lumnia come to him from Rome. But he being overcome by their Tears and Entreaties, he drew off his Army: And was the second who led an Army against his own Country, after King Tarquin.

Coeso Fabius and Titus Virginius be­ing Consuls, three hundred Noble Men who were of the Fabian Fami­ly, undertook the War against the Vejentes without aid, promising the [Page 12] Senate and the People, that they would by themselves maintain it. According­ly all of them marched out of Rome, and every one of them was slain, each of them deserving to have been a Ge­neral. One only survived of this great Family, who being too young was left at home. Soon after a new Register is made at Rome, and the number of the Roman Citizens was found to be a hun­dred and nineteen thousand.

The year following when the Ro­man Army was blocked up in the Mount Algidus, almost twelve miles from Rome, Lucius Quintus Cincinna­tus was made Dictator, who mana­ging a Farm of four Acres, tilled it with his own hands. He, when he was found Plowing, having wiped off the sweat from his Face put on his Robe and relieved the Army, ha­ving overthrown his Enemies.

Three hundred and one year from the building of the City, the Con­sular Power which was Supreme end­ed, and ten Men were elected instead of two Consuls, called the Decemvi­ri: [Page 13] but when they had passed over the first year well, in the second year Appius Claudius one of the Decemvi­ri would have defloured a certain young Maid the Daughter of one Virginius, who at that time was in service against the Latins: whom her Father killed, lest she should be dis­honour'd by him, and returning to the Army raised a Mutiny. The Power of the Decemviri was taken away, and they condemned.

In the three hundred and fif­teenth year from the building of the City the Fidenates rebelled against the Romans: the Vejentes with their King Tolumnius aided them, both of which Cities were so near Rome, that Fidena was but seven, and Veii eighteen miles off: and also the Vol­sci joyned themselves to these. But they were conquered by Aemilius the Dictator and Lucius Quintius Cincin­natus General of the Horse; King Tolumnius being slain, the City Fi­dena was taken and razed. Twenty [Page 14] years after the Vejentes revolted and Furius Camillus the Dictator was sent against them, whom he overcame first of all in a pitch'd Battel, and took Veii one of the most ancient and the wealthiest Cities of Italy af­ter a long Siege. Then he took the noble City of the Falisci. But he was maliciously accused, as if he had not rightly divided the prey, for which reason he was condemned and banish'd. Not long after the Galli Senones came to Rome (in pursuit of the Romans, overcome at the River Allia twelve miles from Rome) and took it, nor could the Romans defend any thing but the Capitol, which when the Gauls had besieged a long while, and the Romans very much wanting provision, Camillus, who pass'd his banishment in a neighbouring City came upon them on a sudden and overthrew them. Afterwards they departed having re­ceived a Sum of Gold to raise their Siege before the Capitol: But Camil­lus chasing them, so overcame them, [Page 15] that he recovered the Gold which was given them, and all the Military Ensigns which they had taken. So the third time he entred Rome in triumph and was stil'd the Second Romulus, as if he also had been the founder of his Country.

IN the three hundred sixty fifth year after the build­ing of the City, and the first after it was taken by the Gauls, they changed their Officers, and instead of two Consuls set up Military Tribunes with a Consular [Page 18] Power. From this time the Roman Empire began to enlarge its Domi­nions: for Camillus in the same year took the City of the Volsci, which had waged War against the Romans for Seventy years, and the City of the Aequi, and the Sutrini, and ha­ving slain their Armies, seized all their Cities, for which actions he triumphed thrice. Also Titus Quin­tius Cincinnatus pursuing the Praene­stini, who had come armed even un­to the Gates of Rome, defeated them at the River Allia; and added their Cities to the Roman Empire, and ha­ving besieged the City Praeneste, made it surrender: he performed all these actions in twenty days, for which they decreed him a Triumph.

The Authority of the Military Tribunes lasted not long, being soon dissolved. For four years they were the Supream Officers in Rome; then the Military Tribunes resumed again their Dignity with a Consular Power, and kept it for three years; but afterwards the Consuls were re­stored. [Page 19] In the Consulship of Lucius Genucius, and Quintus Servilius, Ca­millus died, whom the Romans ho­nour'd above all their famous men, next to Romulus.

Titus Quintius the Dictator was sent against the Gauls, who had late­ly invaded Italy. They had pitched their Camps four miles from the City Rome on the other side of the River Anio. Titus Manlius a most noble Senator fighting with a Gaul, who challenged him, slew him in single Combat, and having taken off the golden Chain that was about his neck, put it upon his own, which procu­red a perpetual honour to his Fami­ly, that they should be called Tor­quati: the Gauls were put to flight; and a little while after, Caius Sulpicius the Dictator routed them. Not long after Caius Marcius over­came the Tusci, and seven thousand of them were led in Triumph.

[Page 20] The second time the People were taxed and muster'd, and when the Latins, whom the Romans had subdu­ed, would not send them Soldiers: they from themselves listed their young Soldiers, and made ten Legi­ons, which amounts to sixty thou­sand armed Men or more. Yet in these small Affairs the Romans disco­ver'd great valour in their Wars: for when they marched against the Gauls under their General Lucius Furius Ca­millus, one of the Gauls challenged the valiantest Man of the Romans to fight with him. Then Marcus Vale­rius a Tribune profer'd himself, and when he marched out armed, a Crow sat upon his right Arm, and a little while after when they were fighting, the same Crow struck at the eyes of the Gaul with his Wings and Claws that he could not see before him: wherefore the Gaul being slain, Vale­rius the Tribune gained not onely the Victory, but also a Name. For after­wards he was called Corvinus for this Deed, and made Consul in the [Page 21] three and twentieth year of his Age.

The Latins, who would not send the Romans Soldiers, began to exact this of them, that one of the Consuls should be chosen out of their People, and the other from the Romans, which being denied, they took up Arms against them; but being over­come with a great slaughter, the Ro­mans triumphed, and for this brave Action the Statues of the Consuls were placed upon the Pulpit, from whence they spoke their Orations.

Now the Romans begun to grow powerful: for they made War with the Samnites, living about a hun­dred and thirty miles from the City, who were situate between Picenum, Campania and Apulia. (L.) Papi­rius Cursor commanded in this War with the honour of Dictator. Who going to Rome, charged Q. Fabius Maximus General of the Horse, to whom he committed the care of the Army, not to fight in his absence. But he having found an opportuni­ty, fought very successfully, and rout­ed [Page 22] the Samnites. For which thing the Dictator commanded him to be be­headed, because he had fought against his Command, yet he was freed by the great favour of the Soldiers and the People: and there arose so great a mutiny against Papirius, that he had like to have been killed amongst them.

Afterwards in the Consulship of Ti­tus Veturius, and Spurius Posthumius, the Romans very dishonourably were overcome by the Samnites and made Slaves by them. But the Senate and the People broke the Peace, which had been made through meer neces­sity. Afterwards L. Papirius the Con­sul overcame the Samnites, and ma­king seven thousand of them Slaves, triumphed for the Victory obtained against them. At the same time Ap­pius Claudius Censor brought into the City Rome the Water called from his name Claudia, and paved the Appian way. The Samnites having renewed the War, overcame Q. Fabius Ma­ximus, and slew three thousand of [Page 23] his Men. Afterwards having his Fa­ther Fabius Maximus for his Lieute­nant, he subdued the Samnites and took most of their Towns. Then P. Cor­nelius Rufinus, and Manius Curius Dentatus being Consuls were both sent against the Samnites, and over­came them in several great Battels. Then they finished the War, which the Romans had waged with the Sam­nites for nine and forty years. Nei­ther was there now any Enemy in Italy, who would make trial of Roman Valour. A few years after, some Forces of the Gauls joined them­selves with the Tusci and the Sam­nites: but as they marched to Rome, Cn. Cornelius Dolabella defeated them.

At the same time the Romans pro­claimed War against the Tarentini, who lived in the farthermost part of Italy, because they had affronted their Embassadors: they desired Pyrrhus the King of Epirus, who was descen­ded from Achilles, to help them a­gainst the Romans, who came soon after into Italy. This was the first [Page 24] time the Romans fought with a forein Enemy. P. Valerius Laevinus the Con­sul was sent to fight them, who ha­ving taken Pyrrhus's Spies, commands them to be led about his Camp to view his Army, and then be sent back to tell Pyrrhus how the Romans managed their Actions. Upon the joyning of the Battel Pyrrhus fled; yet he overcame the Romans by the help of his Elephants, which they feared, having never seen them be­fore. But the Night putting an end to the fight Laevinus fled. Pyrrhus took eighteen hundred Romans, whom he used very honourably, and also bu­ried their dead, whom when he saw lying upon the ground, with their wounds in their Breast and Face, and with a stern countenance, he is re­ported to have held up his hands to Heaven uttering these words, That he might have conquered the whole World, if it had been his fortune to have had such valiant Soldiers.

[Page 25] Afterwards Pyrrhus having joyn­ed the Samnites, the Lucani, and the Brutii to his Army marched to Rome, wasting all places with fire and sword: he destroyed Campania, and came to the City Praeneste eighteen miles from Rome. A little while after he retreated into Campania, being affraid of the Army, which followed him under the command of a Consul. The Romans sent Embassadors to Pyr­rhus, to desire him to restore them their Captives, whom he received very honourably, and sent back their Captives without ransom. He very much admired one of the Roman Em­bassadours, Fabricius by name, and when he knew him to be poor, he would have enticed him to leave the Romans, and come over to him, pro­mising the fourth part of his King­dom; Fabricius despised it. Where­fore Pyrrhus esteeming the Romans at a high rate; sent an Embassadour a great Man by name Cineas to make Peace with them on equal terms, which were, that he might reserve [Page 26] that part of Italy which he had Con­quer'd. The Romans liked not the Propositions. Therefore the Senate sent word to Pyrrhus, that he could have no peace with the Romans, if he stayed in Italy. Then the Romans commanded all those Captives, which Pyrrhus had restored, to be esteemed infamous, who should have defend­ed themselves with their Arms, nei­ther should they regain their former credit, till they had brought back the spoils of their Enemies. Pyrrhus his Embassadour returned with this answer; whom when Pyrrhus asked, what sort of place he found Rome? he reply'd, That he had seen a Coun­try of Kings, that they were all as brave Men there, as he was counted in Epirus, and Greece. P. Sulpicius, and Decius Mus the Consuls are sent Generals against him. Upon the join­ing of the Battel Pyrrhus was wound­ed, and his Elephants slain, he lost in the Fight twenty thousand: the Romans onely five thousand. Pyrrhus fled to Tarentum the second year af­ter [Page 27] Fabricius was sent to fight him, whom before he could not bribe, be­ing one of the Embassadours, having promised him the fourth part of his Kingdom. Then his Camp and the King's being nigh one another, Pyrrhus his Physician came to him by Night, promising to poyson the King, if he would reward him for it: whom he commanded to be carried bound to Pyrrhus, and to be told that he had undertaken to kill him. The King admiring at him, is reported to have said, This is that Fabricius, whom 'tis harder to dis­uade from honesty, than to alter the Sun's course, Then the King went into Sicily, Fabricius having defeated the Samnites, and the Lucani, tri­umphed. Then Manius Curius Den­tatus, and Cornelius Lentulus were sent against Pyrrhus; Curius fought him, and cut off his Army, and having dri­ven him to Tarentum, took his Camp in the same day with the loss of three and twenty thousand of the Enemy. Cu­rius [Page 28] Dentatus triumphed in his Con­sulship; he was the first Man that brought Elephants to Rome, being four in number. A little while after Pyrrhus departed from Tarentum, and was slain at Argos a City of Greece. In the Consulship of Caius Fabricius Luscinus, and C. Claudius Cinna, and in the four hundred sixty first year of the City, Ptolemy sent Embassadours from Alexandria to Rome, to make a friendship with the Romans, which they obtained.

Quintius Gulo and C. Fabius Pictor being Consuls, the Picentes raised a War, and the next Consuls Pub. Sem­pronius, and Appius Claudius over­came them, for which Conquest they triumphed. At this time the Romans built these Cities, Ariminum in Gaul, and Beneventum in Samnium.

In the Consulship of Marcus Atti­lius Regulus, and Lucius Junius Libo, the Roman people proclaimed War a­gainst the Salentini, a people living in Apulia, and vanquished the Brun­dusini [Page 29] with their City, for which there was another Triumph.

In the four hundred seventy seventh year of the City, the Roman Name was famous to all the World; yet they had not waged War out of Italy. Wherefore they made a Muster to know their Forces: there were found two hundred ninty two thousand, and three hundred thirty four, al­though they had always been fight­ing ever since the building of the City. The first forein War they made, was against the Africans, in the Con­sulship of Appius Claudins, and Quin­tus Fulvius. They fought them in Sicily, and Appius Claudius triumphed over the Africans and Hiero the King of Sicily. The next year Valerius Marcus, and Octacilius being Consuls, the Romans performed great Actions in Sicily; they received into their protection the Taurominitani, the Ca­tanenses, with fifty Cities. The third year they designed to make War with Hiero the King of Sicily; But he with all the Nobility of Sy­racuse [Page 30] desired to make Peace with the Romans, and gave them two hun­dred Talents; the Romans overcame the Africans in Sicily, for which they triumphed the second time. In the fifth year of the Punick War, which was carried on against the Africans, in the Consulship of Caius Duillius, and Cnaeus Cornelius Asina, the Ro­mans fought first by Sea, having pre­pared Ships headed with Iron, which they call Liburnae. Cornelius the Consul was killed by stratagem; Du­illius having joyned Battel defeated the Carthaginian Admiral, and having took one and thirty of his Ships, sunk fourteen, he took seven thou­sand Prisoners, and slew three. There was no Victory more acceptable to the Romans than this, because being a people invincible at Land, they ap­peared now very powerful by Sea. In the Consulship of Caius Aquilius Florus, and Lucius Scipio, Scipio took the Islands Corsica, and Sardinia, and having brought captive from thence se­veral thousand, obtained a Triumph. [Page 31] L. Manlius Volso and M. Attilius Regu­lus being Consuls, the Romans carried the War over into Africa, and fight­ing by Sea against Hamilcar the Car­thaginian General, defeated him; for he having lost sixty four Ships, made homewards, the Romans lost two and twenty; but being come into Africa, they first made the City Clypea sur­render it self. The Consuls went unto Carthage, and having wasted many of their Towns, Manlius after his Conquest returned to Rome, bringing with him seven and twenty thousand Captives; Attilius Regulus tarried in Africa; He drew up his Army, and fighting against three Carthaginian Captains, overcame them, and ha­ving slain eighteen thousand of their men, and taken five thousand with eight Elephants, received seventy Ci­ties into the Roman protection. Now the Carthaginians being routed desi­red to make peace with the Romans, which Regulus denying but upon very hard terms, they desired the Lacedaemonians to help them, and [Page 32] Xantippus the General, which they had sent, defeated Regulus the Roman Ge­ral with a total overthrow, for of all his Army there escap'd onely two thousand; fifteen thousand men were taken with their General, thirty thousand slain, and Regulus cast into Prison.

Marcus Aemilius Paulus, and Ser­vius Fulvius Nobilior being Consuls, sailing to Africa with a Fleet of three hundred Ships, overcame the Afri­cans first in a Sea-fight. Aemilius the Consul having sunk one hundred and four of their Ships, took thirty with the men in them, and having slain or taken fifteen thousand of the Enemy, enriched his Souldiers with costly Spoils. Now the Romans had sub­dued all Africa, if the scarcity of provisions had not been such, that their Army could not subsist there any longer. The Consuls, as they sailed homewards were Shipwrecked about Sicily: and the Tempest so great, that out of four hundred and sixty four Ships, they could scarce save [Page 33] eighty: neither was so great a storm ever heard of. But the Romans soon set out another Fleet of two hundred Sail; nor was there any one daun­ted with their former misfortune.

Cnaeus Servilius Cepio and C. Sem­pronius Blaesns the Consuls sailing to Africa with two hundred and sixty Ships, took some Cities, and return­ing home with rich Spoil were also Shipwracked. Wherefore the Romans being afflicted with these continual calamities, the Senate Decreed they should abstain from Sea-fights, and onely keep a Fleet of sixty Ships to guard Italy.

In the Consulship of Lucius Caeci­lius Metellus, and Caius Furius Pacilus, Metellus the Consul in Sicily over­came a General of the Africans, marching with thirty Elephants, and great Forces, and having slain twenty thousand of his men, took six and twenty Elephants, and gathered toge­ther divers others stragling up and down in the Country by the assistance of the Numidians, who helped him in [Page 34] that War, and brought them to Rome in great Pomp, filling all the Roads with an hundred and thirty Elephants. After these misfortunes the Cartha­ginians sent Regulus the Roman Gene­ral, whom they had taken Prisoner, to desire the Romans to make peace, and exchange their Captives: he be­ing come to Rome, and brought into the Senate, acted nothing as a Ro­man, saying, he was no Roman from that Day he had been taken by the Africans, hindering even his Wife from embracing him, he persuaded the Romans not to make peace with the Carthaginians: for they being weaken'd with so many misfortunes were now hopeless; he was not of so great value that they should re­store so many Captives for him be­ing an old Man, and for a few Ro­mans who had been taken. There­fore he obtained his request: For no body granted Peace to the Afri­cans desiring it. Upon his return to Carthage, the Romans would have had him to have stay'd at Rome, [Page 35] but he answered, he could not live there with the same honour as be­fore, having been a Slave to the Car­thaginians. Wherefore when he re­turned to Africa, they put him to a very cruel Death. P. Claudius Pul­cher, and C. Junius being Consuls, Claudius fighting with ill Omens a­gainst the Carthaginians, was defea­ted: for of two hundred and twenty Ships he fled with thirty, the Ene­my having taken ninety and sunk the rest, twenty thousand being made captive. Also the other Consuls Fleet was shipwracked, but he saved his Army, having landed it on the coast hard by. Caius Luctatius Ca­tulus and Aulus Posthumius Albinus being Consuls in the twenty third year of the Punick War, having the management of the War, sailed into Sicily with three hundred Ships, the Africans had a Fleet of four hun­dred against him. Luctatius Catulus went sick a Shipboard, for he had been wounded in the former Battel. [Page 36] The Romans fought very valiantly o­ver against Lilybaeum a City of Si­cily, they took seventy three Cartha­ginian Ships, and sunk an hundred and twenty five; they took thirty two thousand Prisoners, having slain thirteen thousand: with a great quan­tity of Gold and Silver. Of the Roman Fleet there were but twelve Ships sunk. This fight was on the sixth of the Ides of March. The Car­thaginians soon after desired to make Peace with the Romans, which they granted them. They restored the Romans their Captives; and the Car­thaginians having desired their own Captives might be ransomed, the Se­nate commanded those who were in publick Prisons to be sent to them gratis, expecting a Ransom onely for them in the possession of private men, and upon their return to Carthage, it should rather be paid out of the Treasury, than by the Carthagini­ans.

[Page 37] Quintus Luctatius, and Aulus Man­lius being Consuls, made War with the Falisci, whose City heretofore a­bounded with Riches, which War they finished within six days, having slain fifteen thousand of the Enemy, and granted Peace to the rest, taking away half of their Land.

THE first Punick War being ended, which continued for twenty two years, the Romans being grown fa­mous, sent Embassadours to Ptolomy the Aegyptian King, promising him aid, because Antiochus the King of [Page 40] Syria had made War upon him. He returned thanks to the Romans, but accepted not their help, for now the Battel was over. At the same time Hiero the most powerful King of Si­cily came to Rome to behold the Plays, and gave two hundred thou­sand bushels of Wheat as a gift to the People.

In the Consulship of Lucius Corne­lius Lentulus and Fulvius Flaccus, at which time Hiero came to Rome, the War also was carried on against the Ligurians in Italy, and in conquering them the Romans triumphed. The Carthaginians attempted now to re­new the War, inciting the Sardinians to rebel, who ought to have been sub­ject to the Romans according to their former Articles. Yet Embassadours from the Carthaginians coming to Rome, obtained Peace.

In the Consulship of Titus Manlius Torquatus, and Caius Attilius Balbus, the Roman people triumph'd over the Sardinians: there being no Wars in any place, the Romans enjoy'd peace, [Page 41] which onely hapned when Numa Pom­pilius reigned, from the building of Rome.

Lucius Posthumius Albinus, and Cnaeus Fulvius Centumalus being Con­suls waged War against the Illyrians, and having taken many Cities, the Kings of that Country submitted themselves; and then the Romans tri­umphed first over the Illyrians.

In the Consulship of Lucius Aemi­lius great Armies of the Gauls passed over the Alps: but all Italy assisted the Romans; and 'tis written by Fa­bius the Historian who was then a Soldier, that eight hundred thousand Men were in readiness for that War: but Affairs were manag'd so prospe­rously by the Consuls, that forty thousand of the Enemies were slain, and a Triumph Decreed for Aemi­lius.

Not many years after the Romans fought against the Gauls in Italy: the War was ended in the Consulship of M. Claudius Marcellus and Cnaeus Cor­nelius Scipio. Then Marcellus fight­ing [Page 42] with a small body of Horse, slew with his own hand the King of the Gauls, who was called Viridomarus. After that with his Collegue he de­stroyed the great Forces of the Gauls and took Mediolanum and brought great Spoil to Rome: and Marcellus triumphing, carried the spoils of a certain Gaul on a Truncheon upon his shoulder.

In the Consulship of M. Minutius, and P. Cornelius War was made with the Istri: because they had rob­bed the Roman Ships which carried provision, and they were all over­come. The same year the Carthagi­nians began the second Punick War by Hannibal their General: who be­sieged Saguntum a City of Spain in League with the Romans, being in the twentieth year of his age, his Army consisting of a hundred and fifty thou­sand Foot and twenty thousand Horse. The Romans sent to Hannibal to keep the peace: but he would not see the Embassadours. Then sending also to Carthage, that they should command [Page 43] Hannibal not to wage War against the Allies of the Roman people, they received no civil answer. In the mean while the Saguntines were over­come through Famine; and being taken by Hannibal were put cruelly to the Sword. Then Publius Corne­lius Scipio having march'd with an Army into Spain, and Tiberius Sem­pronius into Sicily: War was pro­claimed against the Carthaginians, Hannibal having left his Brother As­drubal in Spain, passed over the Py­renaean Mountains: and made his way through the Alps hitherto unpassable in that part. Hannibal is reported to have brought along with him eigh­ty thousand Foot, and twenty thou­sand Horse, and seven and thirty E­lephants. In the mean while many Ligurians and Gauls listed themselves under Hannibal: Sempronius Gracchus having notice of Hannibal's coming, ship'd his Army out of Sicily to Ari­minum. Publius Cornelius Scipio first fought Hannibal: the Battel being [Page 44] joyn'd, his Soldiers fled, and Scipio returned wounded into his Camp. Sempronius Gracchus, and Hannibal fought at the River Trebia. He also was overcome. Many in Ital sub­mitted themselves to Hannibal, he coming from thence into Tuscia, fought Flaminius and slew him with five and twenty thousand Romans, the rest be­ing put to flight. After that Quintus Fabius Maximus was sent against him; He by not fighting stop'd the career of the Conqueror: and after having found an opportunity, overcame him.

In the five hundred and fortieth year from the building of the City, Lucius Aemilius and P. Terentius Var­ro, are sent against Hannibal, succeed­ing Fabius in that War; who admo­nish'd both the Consuls that they could overcome the eager and impa­tient Hannibal no otherwise than by deferring the Battel. But through the rashness of Varro, the other Con­sul contradicting him, they fought at a Village in Apulia, called Cannae, both [Page 45] the Consuls were overcome by Han­nibal. In that Battel three thousand Africans were slain; and a great part of Hannibal's Army wounded: the Romans never suffer'd more in any Punick War; for in this Fight Aemi­lius Paulus the Consul was slain, and twenty, that had been Consuls or Praetors: thirty Senators were taken or kill'd: three hundred Noble Men: forty thousand Soldiers; three thou­sand and five hundred Horse. In which misfortunes the Romans dis­dain'd to mention Peace. They list­ed their Servants, having made them free, a thing never done before. Af­ter that Battel many Italian Cities which obeyed the Romans, yield­ed themselves to Hannibal. Who, profering the Romans to redeem their Captives: it was answered by the Se­nate, that they wanted no such Citi­zens, who when they were armed, could not defend themselves. After that he put them all to death with divers Torments; and sent three bushels of golden Rings to Carthage; [Page 46] which he pulled from the Fingers of the Roman Knights, Senators and Soldiers. In the mean while Asdrubal Hanni­bal's Brother remaining with a great Army in Spain, that he might bring that Nation under the power of the Africans, was overcome by the two Scipio's, and lost in that Battel thirty five thousand Men, ten thousand of these being taken, and twenty-five thousand slain; but twelve thousand Foot, four thousand Horse, with twenty Elephants were sent to him from Carthage to repair his Forces. The fourth year after Hannibal came into Italy, Marcus Claudius Marcellus the Consul fought successfully against him at Nola a City of Campania. Hannibal took many of the Roman Cities in Apulia, Calabria, and a­mongst the Brutii: at which time also Philip the Macedonian King sent Embassadours to Hannibal promising him aid against the Romans; upon this condition, that having destroy'd them, Hannibal would help him a­gainst the Greeks. Therefore the Em­bassadours [Page 47] of King Philip being inter­cepted and their Embassy known; the Romans commanded Marcus Vale­rius Laevinus to go into Macedonia, and Titus Manlius Torquatus the Pro­consul into Sardinia: for that Pro­vince also being underhand stirr'd up by Hannibal, had deserted the Roman interest. So at one time the Romans fought in four several Countries; in Italy, against Hannibal; in Spain, against Asdrubal; in Macedonia, a­gainst King Philip; in Sardinia, against another Asdrubal, a Carthaginian: this Asdrubal was taken by Titus Man­lius the Pro-consul, who had been sent into Sardinia; twelve thousand of his Soldiers were slain in that Battel, a thousand five hundred taken; and Sardinia being subdued by the Ro­mans, Manlius the Conqueror brought the Captives and Asdrubal to Rome. In the mean while King Philip was overcome by Laevinus in Macedonia, and Asdrubal and Mago the third Bro­ther of Hannibal, in Spain by the two Scipio's.

[Page 48] The tenth year after Hannibal came into Italy in the Consulship of P. Sulpicius, and Cnaeus Fulvius, He came within four miles of Rome, his Horse came up to the Gates: Not long after, for fear of the Consuls coming with an Army, Hannibal with­drew into Campania; both the Scipios were slain by Asdrubal his Brother in Spain, who had been Conquerors for many years: yet the Army re­mained intire: for they were over­come more by accident than by As­drubal's valour. At which time also a great part of Sicily was taken by Marcellus the Consul, which the A­fricans had seized: and great plun­der was carried to Rome from the famous City Syracuse. Laevinus made a League in Macedonia with King Philip and many people of Greece, and with Attalus King of Asia: and pas­sing into Sicily he took Hanno an African Captain at the City Agri­gentum, together with the Town, and sent him to Rome with the principal Captives; forty Cities having sub­mitted, [Page 49] he took twenty six. Thus having subdued all Sicily and Mace­donia he returned to Rome with great glory. Hannibal having set upon Cnae­us Fulvius the Consul unawares, slew him with eight thousand Soldiers. In the mean time both the Scipio's being slain, and no Roman General in Spain, Publius Cornelius Scipio, was sent, being four and twenty years old; the Son of Publius Scipio, who had been General there, a Man far surpas­sing almost all the Romans of his time and those that came after him. He took Carthage in Spain; in which the Africans kept all their Gold, Silver, and provisions for War: also the best Hostages which Hannibal had recei­ved from the Spaniards: he took Mago Hannibal's Brother in that City; whom he sent with others to Rome. There was great joy at Rome for this news: Scipio restored the Spanish Hostages to their Parents: for which kindness almost all the Spaniards u­nanimously surrendered themselves to him. After which things he put to [Page 50] flight Asdrubal Hannibal's Brother, and took very great Spoil.

In the mean while Q. Fabius Ma­ximus re-took Tarentum in Italy, where Hannibal had great Forces: he slew there Carthalo one of Hannibal's Cap­tains, and sold twenty five thousand Captives: and having distributed the plunder among his Soldiers, sent the price of those that were sold to the Treasury. Then many Cities of the Romans which sided with Han­nibal, yielded themselves to Fabius Maximus. The year following Scipio performed famous actions in Spain, and recovered several Towns by him­self and his Brother Lucius Scipio. Yet they fought unsuccessfully in Italy; for Claudius Marcellus the Consul was slain by Hannibal.

The third year after Scipio came into Spain, he continued his noble Deeds: he receiving into protection the King of Spain overcome in a great Battel, and was the first that asked no Hostage of the Conquer'd.

[Page 51] Hannibal despairing that Spain could be kept against Scipio any longer, sent for his Brother Asdrubal to Italy with all his Forces; who coming the same way his Brother Hannibal had come, fell into the Ambush laid by Appius Claudius Nero, and Marcus Livius Sa­linator at Sena a City in Picenum: yet he was slain fighting valiantly; his great Forces were either taken or kill'd, and a great Sum of Gold and Silver sent to Rome.

After this Hannibal began to doubt of the event of the War, and the Ro­mans being mightily encouraged, sent for Publius Cornelius Scipio out of Spain, who came to Rome with great glory.

In the Consulship of Quintus Caeci­lius, and Lucius Valerius, all the Cities which were under the Power of Han­nibal among the Brutii, deliver'd themselves up to the Romans.

In the fourteenth year after Han­nibal came into Italy, Scipio who had acted in Spain successfully, was made Consul and sent to Africa: something [Page 52] Divine was thought to have been in that Man; insomuch that he was be­lieved to have conference with the Gods. He fought in Africa against Hanno the Carthaginian General, and routed his Army. In the second Battel he took his Camp with four thousand and five hundred Soldiers, with the slaughter of eleven thousand. He took Syphax King of Numidia, who had assisted the Africans, and seized his Camp, who was sent by Scipio to Rome with the most considerable Nu­midians, and infinite Spoils; which thing being known almost all Italy de­serted Hannibal, who was commanded by the Carthaginians to return into Africa, now laid waste by Scipio. Thus the seventeenth year Italy was freed from Hannibal, who was report­ed to have left it with tears.

Embassadours from Carthage desi­ring Peace of Scipio, were sent by him to the Roman Senate: a Truce for forty five days was granted them, till they could return from Rome, where they made a Present of thir­ty [Page 53] thousand pound in Silver. The Senate commanded a Peace should be made with the Carthaginians ac­cording to the will of Scipio, who granted it upon these Conditions: That they should keep a Fleet but of thirty Ships, that they should pay five hundred thousand pound in Sil­ver, and restore the Captives and Fu­gitives. In the mean time Hannibal arriving in Africa, the Peace was broken, and many Hostilities com­mitted by the Africans; yet their Em­bassadours coming out of the City, and seiz'd by the Romans, were dis­missed by Scipio's command. Hanni­bal being overcome by Scipio in ma­ny Battels, also desired Peace. When it came to a Treaty, Peace was granted upon the same Conditions as before: Scipio having added to the old Sum of five hundred thousand pound a thousand pound more for their late Rupture. The Propositions dis­pleased the Carthaginians, and they commanded Hannibal to fight; The [Page 54] War was carried on against Carthage by Scipio and Masinissa, another King of the Numidians, who had made a League with Scipio. Hannibal sent three Scouts to the Roman Camp: whom being taken, Scipio command­ed to be led through the Camp, that the whole Army should be view'd by them, that a Dinner should be given them presently, and after that to be dismissed that they might tell Hannibal what they had seen in the Roman Camp. In the mean time the Armies are drawn up in Batalia by both these Captains, the like ne­ver was seen in the memory of Man: the Armies being drawn up by the most skilful of all Generals. Scipio was Conqueror, Hannibal himself be­ing almost taken: who first escaped with many Horse, then with twen­ty, last of all with four. Twenty thousand pound in Silver was found in his Camp, and eight hundred in Gold with other rich furniture. Af­ter that Battel Peace was made with [Page 55] the Carthaginians. Scipio returning to Rome triumphed with great honour, and hence was stil'd Africanus. Thus ended this second Punick War, after it had lasted nineteen years.

THE second Punick War be­ing ended, the Macedonian followed against King Philip.

In the five hundred fifty first year from the building of the City, Titus [Page 58] Quintius Flaminius was sent against King Philip, fought with good suc­cess: Peace was granted to him upon these Conditions, That he should not make War upon the Grecian Cities which the Roman protected a­gainst him; that he restore the Cap­tives and Deserters, and keep but a Fleet of fifty Ships, paying yearly four thousand pound in Silver for ten years, with his Son Demetrius for a Hostage; also Titus Quintius making War with the Lacedaemonians; over­came Nabides their General, who sub­mitted himself upon the Consuls con­ditions, who upon his return led De­metrius the Son of Philip, and Ar­menes the Son of Nabides, two noble Hostages before his triumphal Cha­riot in great glory.

After the Macedonian War the Sy­rian begun against King Antiochus, in the Consulship of Publius Cornelius Scipio, and Marcus Acilius Glabrio. Hannibal took part with this King, having left Carthage his native Coun­try for fear they should deliver him [Page 59] up to the Romans. Marcus Acilius Glabrio fought fortunately in Achaia, and having taken King Antiochus's Camp in a Battel by Night, put him to flight and restored Demetrius to his Father Philip, because he helped the Romans against Antiochus.

In the Consulship of Lucius Corne­lius Scipio and Caius Laelius, Scipio Africanus went Lieutenant General under his Brother Lucius Cornelius Sci­pio the Consul against Antiochus, Han­nibal who was his Admiral was over­come in a Sea-fight. Afterwards Antio­chus himself was overthrown in a great Battel at Sipylum and Magnesia Cities of Asia by Lucius Cornelius Scipio the Consul. Eumenes the Brother of King Attalus who built Eumenia in Phrygia, assisted by the Romans in that fight, fifty thousand Foot and four thousand Horse of the King's side being slain; then Antiochus sought Peace, which was granted to him though overcome, by the Senate, upon the same Con­ditions as before; that he should de­part out of Europe and Asia, that he [Page 60] should bound himself with the Moun­tain Taurus, pay ten thousand Ta­lents, give twenty Hostages, with Hannibal the cause of the War. All the Cities of Asia, which Antiochus lost in this War, were given to King Eumenes by the Senate; likewise ma­ny Cities were given to the Rhodians who assisted the Romans against him. Scipio return'd to Rome, and trium­phed with great honour, taking the name of Asiaticus by imitation from conquering Asia, as his Brother was called Africanus from overcoming A­frica.

In the Consulship of Spurius Post­humius Albinus, and Quintus Marcius Philippus, Marcus Fulvius triumphed for his Victory over the Aetolians. Hannibal after the Victory over An­tiochus, lest he should be delivered to the Romans, fled to Prusias the King of Bithynia; being also demanded of him, by Titus Quintius Flaminius, when he was to have been given up to the Romans, he drank Poison and was buried at Libyssa in the borders of Nicomedia.

[Page 61] Philip the King of Macedonia be­ing dead, who had both fought with the Romans, and afterwards help'd them against King Antiochus, his Son Perseus rebelled in Macedonia, having rais'd a great Army to carry on the War; Cotys the King of Thrace, and the King of Illyricum called Gentius aided him; Eumenes the King of Asia, Ariarathes King of Cappadocia, Antio­chus King of Syria, Ptolemaeus King of Aegypt, with Masinissa the King of Numidia help'd the Romans, but Pru­sias King of Numidia, although he mar­ried Perseus's Sister, stood neuter be­ing civil to both Parties. Publius Li­cinius the Consul and General of the Romans, was beaten by the King in a fierce Battel, neither would the Romans grant Peace to the King desi­ring it, though they were overcome, but upon these Conditions, That he should surrender up himself and his Cavalry to the Senate and Roman people. A little after Lucius Aemilius Paulus the Consul was sent against [Page 62] him, and Caius Anicius the Praetor in­to Illyricum, against Gentius, but he be­ing easily overcome in one Battel, soon after yielded up himself, as his Mother also did, with his Wife, two Sons and Brother, to the Romans; Thus the War was ended in thirty days, the overthrow of Gentius being sooner known, than that the War was begun.

But Aemilius Paulus the Consul fought the third of the Nones of Sep­tember with Perseus, and overcame him with the slaughter of twenty thou­sand of his Foot, all the Horse being fled with the King; the Romans onely with the loss of an hundred, gain'd this Victory, with the surrendry of all the Cities in Macedonia, which the King possess'd. He being forsaken of his Friends, submitted himself to Pau­lus, but Aemilius did not esteem him as a conquered Man, for he would not suffer him though he desired it, to lie at his feet, but placed him next to him: these Conditions were grant­ed [Page 63] to the Macedonians and Illyrians; that they should live free, paying but half the Tribute they paid to their Kings: that it might appear, the Ro­man People fought more for Justice than for Riches. Paulus delivered these things in a very great Assembly of the People, and treated the Embas­sadours that came from many parts at a most costly Banquet, saying, that it became the same General to overcome in War, and to appear great in his Entertainment. A little after having taken seventy Cities of Epirus, which had rebelled against him; he distributed the Spoils to the Soldiers, and return'd to Rome, with great pomp in Perseus's Ship, reported to have been of an unusual bigness, with six­teen ranks of Oars, and triumphed most magnificiently in his golden Cha­riot with his two Sons standing on each side of him, and Perseus in the forty fifth year of his age with his two Sons going before him. Caius Anicius also triumphed over the Illy­rians, and Gentius is led before his [Page 64] Chariot with his Brother and Chil­dren: The Kings of many Nations came to Rome to this great Sight; A­mongst the rest Attalus and Eumenes Kings in Asia, with Prusias King of Bithynia were entertained with much honour, and, they laid up the Pre­sents which they brought in the Ca­pitol, with the consent of the Se­nate. Also Prusias recommended his Son Nicomedes to them.

The following year Lucius Mem­mius fought successfully in Spain, and afterwards Marcellus the Consul for­tunately managed his Affairs there.

Then the third Carthaginian War begun, in the six hundredth year from the building of the City, in the Con­sulship of Lucius Manlius Censorinus, and Marcus Manilius, fifty one years after the second Punick War. These carried the War to Carthage, against whom Asdrubal fought as General, and Famea commanded the Horse; then Scipio the Nephew of Scipio A­fricanus was a Tribune of the Sol­diers, him all the Romans feared and [Page 65] respected, for he was esteemed very serviceable both in their Battels and at their Councils, therefore many things were managed fortunately through him by these Consuls; neither did Asdrubal or Famea shun any thing more, than to fight against that Squa­dron of the Romans, where Scipio fought. About the same time Masi­nissa, the King of Numidia, who for sixty years was in League with the Romans, in the ninety seventh year of his age, died, leaving fortry four Sons behind him, and ordered Scipio to divide his Empire amongst them.

Now Scipio being grown famous though but a young Man, was made Consul, and sent against Carthage; he took it, and sack'd it; and find­ing there the Spoils, which Carthage had gathered together from the de­struction of many Cities, he restor'd back upon proof to several Cities of Si­cily, Italy and Africa, their Ornaments. Thus Carthage was destroyed, about seven hundred years after it was built, and Scipio by his merit obtain­ed the Name, which his Grandfa­ther [Page 66] had, being stil'd for his Valour AFRICANƲS the YOƲNGER.

In the mean time one called Pseu­dophilippus, took up Arms in Mace­donia and utterly defeated Publius Juvencius the Roman Praetor, sent a­gainst him. After him Quintus Caeci­lius Metellus was sent thither by the Romans, and twenty thousand of the Enemy being slain, he recovered Ma­cedonia and reduced Pseudophilippus under his Power.

War was also proclaimed against the Corinthians the Inhabitants of a most famous City in Greece, for an affront done to the Roman Embassa­dours. This City Mummius the Con­sul took and destroy'd; then there were three noble Triumphs at Rome at the same time of Africanus out of Africa, before whose Chariot Asdrubal was led, of Metellus from Macedonia, before whom Andriscus went, otherwise called Pseudophilip­pus, of Mummius from Corinth, before him were carry'd brazen Statues, Pi­ctures, and other Ornaments of that famous City.

[Page 67] One Pseudoperseus also rebelled in Macedonia, having gathered together several Slaves, pretending himself to be Perseus's Son, but was overcome with seventeen thousand of his Men by Tremellius the Quaestor. At this time an Hermaphrodite being seen at Rome, was drowned in the Sea by the ap­pointment of the Southsayers.

At the same time Metellus per­form'd noble Acts in Celtiberia a­mongst the Spaniards. Quintus Pom­peius succeeded him, a little after Quintus Caepio was sent Commander to the same War; which indeed Vi­riatus waged against the Romans in Lusitania, upon which through fear Viriatus was slain by his Soldiers, after having made the Spaniards re­bel against the Romans for fourteen years. He was a Shepherd at first, afterwards chief amongst the Thieves, at last he stir'd up so many people to this War, that he was thought the assertor of the Spaniards liberty against the Romans, and, when his Murtherers sought their rewards from [Page 68] Caepio the Consul; he answered, 'twas never acceptable to the Romans, to have a General murther'd by his own Men.

Then Quintius Pompeius the Consul being overcome by the people of Nu­mantia, a rich City of Spain, made a dishonourable Peace. After him Cai­us Hostilius Mancinus made another League with the Numantians, which the Senate and People commanded to be broken; and Mancinus the Au­thor of it, to be given up to his E­nemies: that they might revenge the injury of this Rupture upon the cause of it; wherefore after so great an igno­miny, the Roman Army being twice o­vercome by the Numantians, Publius Scipio Africanus was made Consul the second time, and sent to Numantia, he first corrected the vicious Soldiers without any cruelty, more by labour than punishment. Then he took ma­ny Cities in Spain, partly by force and partly by surrendry; after a long Siege he took the City Numantia by Famine and ras'd it; taking the [Page 69] rest of the Province into his prote­ction.

About that time Attalus a King in Asia the less, the Brother of Eumenes died, and by making the Roman peo­ple his Heir, added Asia to their Em­pire by his Will.

A little after Decimus Junius Bru­tus triumphed with great glory for his Victory over the Callaeci, and the Lusitan, and Publius Scipio Africanus triumphed the second time over the Numantians the fourteenth year after his first Triumph in Africa.

In the mean time War was rais'd in Asia by Aristonicus, the Son of Eume­nes, whom he had by an Harlot; this Eumenes was the Brother of King At­talus, Publius Licinius Crassus was sent against him with the assistance of many Kings. For Nicomedes King of Bithynia help'd the Romans, and Mi­thridates King of Pontus, with whom afterwards the Romans had a severe War, and Ariarathes King of Cappa­docia, Pylaemenes King of Paphlagonia, yet Crassus was overcome and slain [Page 70] in Battel; his head brought to Aristo­nicus, and his body buried at Smyrna. Afterwards Perpenna the Roman Con­sul, who succeeded Crassus, hearing of the event of the War hastened into Asia, and having overcome Aristoni­cus in Battel, compelled him through want of Provision to a surrendry at the City Stratonice whither he had fled; Aristonicus was strangled in Pri­son at Rome, by the command of the Senate; but Perpenna could not enjoy his triumph, dying in his return home at Pergamum.

In the Consulship of Lucius Caecili­us Metellus, and Titus Quintius Fla­minius, Carthage in Africa by the com­mand of the Senate was rebuilt; as it is in my time, two and twenty years after Scipio destroy'd it, the Romans planting a Colony there.

In the six hundred twenty seventh year from the building of the City, Caius Cassius Longinus, and Sextus Do­mitius Calvinus being Consuls, waged War with the Gauls on the other side of the Alps, and the Arverni, with Bi­tuitus [Page 71] their King, killing a great mul­titude of them at the River Rhoda­nus, the spoil was great, from the very Chains taken from them, Bituitus surrender'd himself to Domitius, and was led captive by him to Rome, where both the Consuls triumphed with great Glory.

In the Consulship of Marcus Porcius Cato, and Quintus Marcius Rex, in the six hundred thirty third year from the building of the City, the Colony of Narbona was planted in Gaul, after­wards the Consuls Lucius Metellus, and Quintus Mucius Scaevola, triumph­ed for their conquest in Dalmatia.

In the six hundred thirty fifth year from the building of the City, Caius Cato the Consul fought disho­nourably with the Scordisci.

In the Consulship of Caius Caecilius Metellus, and Cnaeus Carbo, the two Brothers of Metellus, triumphed the same day, one for Thrace, and the other for Sardinia; and 'twas then reported at Rome that the Cimbri were come out of Gaul into Italy.

[Page 72] In the Consulship of P. Scipio Na­sica, and L. Calpurnius Bestia, the War began against Jugurtha King of Numidia, for killing the two Kings Adherbal, and Hiempsal, Sons of Mi­cipsa, his Brothers and Confederates with the Romans. Calpurnius Bestia the Consul is sent against him, but be­ing bribed with the King's Money, he made a disgraceful Peace with him, which was disliked by the Senate; Spurius Posthumius Albinus went the next year to fight Jugurtha. He fought by his Brothers ill conduct in­gloriously against the Numidians. Quin­tus Caecilius Metellus the Consul was the third that was sent, he reduced his Army to Roman Discipline with great severity and order, though without capital punishment; he over­came Jugurtha in many Battels, ei­ther taking or hilling his Elephants, and when he was making an end of the War, Caius Marius succeeded him; he overcame both Jugurtha and Boc­chus the King of Mauritania who as­sisted Jugurtha against the Romans, [Page 73] having taken some Cities in Numidia, he finish'd the War, Jugurtha being taken by that great Man Cornelius Sylla his Quaestor, whom Bocchus had delivered up, though before he had fought for him.

The Cimbri were overcome in Gaul by Marcus Junius Silanus the Collegue of Quintus Metellus, the Scordisci and Triballi in Macedonia, by Minucius Ru­fus, and the Lusitani in Spain by Servi­lius Caepio. There were two triumphs for Jugurtha; first Metellus, then Ma­rius; before Marius's Chariot Jugur­tha was led in chains with his two Sons, and not long after strangled in Prison by the command of the Con­sul.

WHILST War was made in Numidia against Jugur­tha, the Roman Consuls Marcus Manilius and Quin­tus Caepio, were overcome at the River Rhodanus by the Cimbri, Teutones, Tigurini, and Ambrones, Nations of [Page 76] Germany and Gaul, and the Romans were almost all slain, having lost their Tents with a great part of their Army. The fear at Rome was scarce so great in Hannibal's time in the Carthaginian Wars, lest the Gauls should come again to Rome. Where­fore Marius after the Jugurthine Vi­ctory the second time was made Consul, and the management of the War was Deceed him against the Cimbri, and Teutones. Also the third and fourth Consulship was conferr'd upon him: because the Cimbrian War continued; in his fourth Consulship he had Quintus Luctatius Catulus for his Collegue. Then fighting with the Cimbri, he slew two hundred thou­sand in two Battels, and took eighty thousand, and their General Teutobo­dus, for which good service in his absence he was created Consul.

In the mean time the Cimbri, and Teutones, whose Forces were yet very great, passed over into Italy, Caius Marius, and Quintus Catulus again fought with them: but Catulus the [Page 77] more successfully. For in that Battel which both of them fought one hun­dred and forty thousand were slain either in the fight or in the pursuit; sixty thousand taken, and but three hundred Roman Soldiers lost in both Armies; three and thirty Ensigns were taken from the Cimbri, of which Marius his Army got two, Catulus his Army thirty one. Thus the War was ended, and a Triumph Decreed for each of them.

Sextus Julius Caesar, and Lucius Marcius Philippus being Consuls in the six hundred and fifty ninth year from the building of the City, when almost all other Wars were now ended, the Picentes, Marsi, and Peligni made a grievous War in Italy, who when they had obeyed the Roman people for many years, then began to assert their Liberty. This War was very dangerous, P. Rutilius the Consul was slain in it, Caepio a Noble Young Man, and Portius Cato the other Con­sul. But the Picentes, and the Marsi [Page 78] had these Captains against the Romans, Titus Vietius, Hierus Asinius, Titus Herennius, and Aulus Cluentius; the Romans fought fortunately against them under Caius Marius, now the sixth time a Consul, and Cnaeus Pompeius; yet under Lucius Cornelius Sylla most successfully, who amongst other ex­traordinary actions so overcame Clu­entius Captain of the Enemies with great Forces, without losing one of his Men. This War was prolong­ed for the space of four years, yet with great misfortune in the fifth year, at last Lucius Cornelius Sylla being Consul ended it, when before as Praetor he had valiantly performed many things in that War.

In the year of the City six hun­dred sixty two the first civil War began at Rome, with the Mithridatick War. C. Marius who had been six times Consul, was the cause of it; for when Sylla the Consul was sent to make War against Mithridates, who had seiz'd upon Asia and Achaia: being [Page 79] forced for some time to keep his Army in Campania, that he might make an end of the War in Italy with the Con­federates (which we have mentioned) Marius desired that he might be sent against Mithridates. Whereupon Syl­la in great anger came with his Army to Rome, where he fought against Marius, and Sulpicius, and upon his first entrance slew Sulpicius and put Marius to flight, Cnaeus Octavius, and Lucius Cornelius Cinna being appoint­ed Consuls for the year to come, he marched into Asia. For Mithridates King of Pontus and of Armenia the less, with the Pontick Sea all about the Thracian Bosphorus, at first would have drove Nicomedes the Ally of the Roman people out of Bithynia, inform­ing the Senate, that he was bringing War upon him for the injuries which he had suffered; the Senate sent word to Mithridates, if he did so, he should suffer a War from the Romans. Where­fore in a rage he forthwith took Cap­padocia, expelling King Ariobarzenes a friend of the Romans: and present­ly [Page 80] invaded Bithynia, and Paphlagonia, having driven out the Kings Pylaeme­nes and Nicomedes, Confederates of the Roman People. Then he march­ed unto Ephesus, and sent Letters through all Asia, that wheresoever the Roman Citizens were found, they should be kill'd in one Day. In the mean time Athens a City of Achaia was delivered to Mithridates by Ari­stones an Athenian. For Mithridates had sent Archelaus his Captain into Achaia, with one hundred and twenty thousand Horse and Foot: by whom he won the rest of Greece; Sylla be­sieged Archelaus at Piraeeus not far from Athens, and took the City: after­wards a Battel being fought with Ar­chelaus, he so overthrew him, that out of his hundred and twenty thousand there scarce remain'd ten, and of Sylla's Army onely fourteen were slain. Mithridates upon the news of this Battel recruited Arche­laus with eighty thousand chosen Men out of Asia, with whom Sylla fought again. In the first Battel twen­ty [Page 81] thousand of the Enemy were slain with Diogenes the Son of Archelaus: In the second, all the Forces of Mi­thridates were cut off, Archelaus him­self three days lying hid in the Mar­shes. Mithridates upon hearing of this began to treat with Sylla.

At that time also Sylla overcame the greatest part of the Dardani, Scor­disci, Dalmatians and Moesians, and received the rest into his protection. When Embassadours came from King Mithridates, desiring a Peace, Sylla answered that he would not grant it, unless the King deserting those places which he was possessed of, returned into his own Kingdom. Yet after­wards in a personal Treaty, Peace was made between them; That Sylla hasting to the civil War might be in no danger in his absence. For whilst Sylla overcame Mithridates in Achaia and Asia, Marius, who was fled, and Cornelius Cinna, one of the Consuls, renewed the War in Italy, and ha­ving entred the City Rome, slew the most Noble and consular Men of the [Page 82] Senate, and proscribed many, having pulled down the House of Sylla, they compelled his Sons and Wife to se­cure themselves by flight; every one of the Senate that remain'd, flying out of the City came to Sylla in Greece, intreating him that he would succour his native Country. He pas­sed over into Italy to fight against Norbanus, and Scipio the Consuls; he fought the first Battel against Norba­nus not far from Capua; where he slew seven thousand of the Enemy, and took six thousand, with the loss of one hundred twenty four of his own, Then he marched against Sci­pio, but before the Battel, Scipio sur­rendred his Army without blood­shed. But upon the new Election of Consuls at Rome, Marius the Son of Marius, and Papirius Carbo being chose, Sylla fought Marius the younger, and fifteen thousand of the Ene­my being slain, lost four hundred Men. Afterwards entring the City, and pursuing Marius the younger to Praeneste, he besieged him there, and [Page 83] forced him to kill himself. Then he had a fierce Battel with Lamponius, and Carinates Captains of Marius's Party at the Gate Collina. Eighty thousand Men were reported to have been in the Army against Sylla, twelve thousand yielded themselves, the rest were either slain in Battel, in the Camp, or in flight, so unsa­tiable was the revenge of the Con­querors. Cnaeus Carbo the other Con­sul fled from Ariminum into Sicily and there was slain by Cnaeus Pom­peius, whom but a young Man twenty one years of age, Sylla up­on the observation of his industry, had made Commander of his Armies, with the esteem of being next to himself. Upon the death of Carbo Pompey recovered Sicily, and passing into Africa, slew Domitius one of Marius's Faction, and Hiarbas King of Mauritania, who aided Domitius. After these things Sylla triumph­ed for conquering Mithridates with great Glory. And Cnaeus Pompeius in the twenty fourth year of his [Page 84] age (which never had been granted to any of the Romans) triumphed for his Victory in Africa. Thus these two cruel Wars ended, the Italian which is called the Social, and the Civil War, both which carried on for the space of ten years, destroyed a­bove a hundred and fifty thousand, twenty four Consular Men, eight Praetors, sixty Aediles, and almost three hundred Senators.

IN the Consulship of Mar­cus Aemilius, and Quintus Catulus, when Sylla had setled the Commonwealth, new Wars arose, one in Spain, ano­ther [Page 86] in Pamphylia and Cilicia, the third in Macedonia, the fourth in Dal­matia. For Sertorius who was of Marius's Party against Sylla, fearing the fate of those who were slain, stirr'd up the Spaniards to the War, Quintus Caecilius Metellus (his Son who overcame King Jugurtha) and Lu­cius Domitius the Praetor, were sent Generals against him; Domitius was slain by Hirtulejus one of Sertorius's Captains. But Metellus fought Ser­torius with various success. After­wards when he was thought unfit by himself to manage the War, Cnaeus Pompeius was sent into Spain. Serto­rius fought with variety of fortune against these two Generals, till at last killed in the eighth year of the War by his own Soldiers. Thus the War was ended by Cnaeus Pompeius a young Man, and Quintus Metellus Pius, and almost all Spain subdu'd by the Romans. Appius Claudius after his Consulship being sent into Mace­donia, Skirmish'd with several people of the Province Rhodopa, and there [Page 87] falling sick, died. Cnaeus Scribonius after the expiration of his Consul­ship was sent to succeed him, he over­coming the Dardani, marched a Con­queror even to the Danube, and ob­tain'd a Triumph, having ended the War in three years.

Publius Servilius a valiant Man was sent Proconsul into Cilicia and Pam­phylia. After the Conquest of Cilicia he besieged and took the best Cities of Lycia; amongst these he took Pha­selis, Olympus with Corycus of Cilicia, then going against the Isauri, and they submitting, he ended the War in three years. The first of all the Romans that marched to the Moun­tain Taurus returning home, he re­ceived a Triumph according to his merits and had the name of Isauricus.

Cnaeus Cosconius being Proconsul was sent into Illyricum, he subdued the greatest part of Dalmatia, took Salonae, and ending the War, returned to Rome in three year.

[Page 88] At the same time Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, Catulus's fellow Consul, would have raised a civil War, but his insurrection was suppress'd in one Summer. Then many received their triumphs together; Metellus and Pom­pey from Spain, Curio from Macedo­nia, and Servilius from Isauria.

In the year of the City six hun­dred seventy six, in the Consulship of L. Licinius Lucullus and Marcus Aure­lius Cotta, Nicomedes King of Bithynia died, and made the Romans his Heir. Mithridates having broken the Peace, would have again invaded Asia and Bithynia. Both the Consuls sent a­gainst him, had various success; for Cotta was overcome by Mithridates in a Battel at Chalcedon, and being driven into the City was besieged there. But when Mithridates march­ed from thence to Cyzicus, that ta­king it he might invade all Asia: Lu­cullus the other Consul encountred him, and whilst Mithridates was busie in the Siege of Cyzicus, he blocked him up in the Rear, and overcame [Page 89] him in many Battels. At last driving him to Byzantium (now call'd Con­stantinople) Lucullus also overcame his Captains in a Sea-fight. Thus in one Summer and Winter Lucullus de­stroy'd almost an hundred thousand of Mithridates Soldiers.

In the year of the City six hun­dred seventy eight, M. Licinius Lucul­lus govern'd the Province of Macedo­nia, the Cousin of that Lucullus who managed the War against Mithridates. In Italy on a sudden arose a new War; for seventy four Gladiators un­der the command of Spartacus, Chry­sus, and Oenomaus, having broken out of their fencing School at Capua, fled away: and wandering through Italy, commenc'd as great a War as Hanni­bal did; for overcoming many of the Roman Captains, and two of their Con­suls, they gathered together an Army of almost sixty thousand Men; at last they were conquered by M. Licinius Crassus the Proconsul in Apulia, and after many calamities in Italy, the War was ended the third year by him.

[Page 90] In the year of the City six hun­dred and eighty, in the Consulship of P. Cornelius Lentulus, and Cnaeus Aufi­dius Orestes; onely the Mithridatick and Macedonian Wars disturb'd the Roman Empire. Lucius Lucullus and M. Lucullus managed them. For L. Lucullus after his Victory over Mi­thridates at Cyzicus, and his Captains in a Sea fight, pursued him, and ha­ving recovered Paphlagonia and Bithy­nia, he marched into his Kingdom, and took Sinope and Amisus two fa­mous Cities in Pontus. The second Battel was fought at the City Cabira, where Mithridates had gathered to­gether great Forces from all his Coun­tries thereabouts, when five thou­sand Romans putting to flight Mithri­dates with thirty thousand of his best Soldiers, plunder'd his Camp. Lucul­lus also subdu'd Armenia the less, which Mithridates governed. But he was received after his flight by Ti­granes King of the greater Armenia, who then reigned with great Fame, and oftentimes beating the Persians, [Page 91] had seiz'd upon Mesopotamia, Syria, and part of Phaenicia; but Lucullus de­manding Mithridates that fled, entred Armenia, Tigranes his Kingdom, took there the famous City Tigranocerta, and with eighteen thousand so overthrew Tigranes coming against him with six hundred thousand Cuirassiers, one hun­dred thousand Archers, and armed Men, that he cut off a great part of his Armenians. From thence he mar­ched to the City Nisibis, which he took, with the King's Brother. But those whom Lucullus had left in Pon­tus with part of the Army to defend the Romans with their conquest in the adjacent Countries, behaving them­selves carelesly and covetously, gave an opportunity to Mithridates of break­ing into Pontus, and so the War was renewed, and one sent to succeed Lu­cullus, having taken Nisibis, and pre­paring the War against the Persians: the other Lucullus who governed Ma­cedonia, was the first of all the Ro­mans that waged War against the Bessi, [Page 92] and overcame them in a great Battel on the Mountain Aemus, and having taken the City Ʋscudama which the Bessi inhabited, in one Day, and Ci­byle, he marched Conquerer even to the Danube. From thence he went a­gainst many Cities bordering on Pon­tus, where he sacked Apollonia, and took Cala [...]s, Parthenopolis, Tomi, Hi­strum, and all Buzia. After the War was ended he returned to Rome, and both of them triumph'd; but Lucul­lus who managed the War against Mithridates, triumphed with greater glory, being Conquerour of so consi­derable Kingdoms.

The Macedonian War being ended, and by reason of Lucullus his re­turn to Rome, the Mithridatic War continuing, which Mithridates with new Forces prosecuted, there arose a War in Crete. Caecilius Metellus was sent thither, and in three year having subdued all the Provinces, and being stil'd Creticus, he triumphed from the conquest of that Island. A­bout the same time Libya was added [Page 93] to the Roman Empire by a grant in King Apion's will, in which Province there were these famous Cities, Be­renice, Ptolemais, and Cyrene.

Whilst these things were perform'd, the Pirats so infested the Seas, that the Romans though the Conquerers of all the World, could not safely sail. Wherefore this War was De­creed to be managed by Cnaeus Pom­peius, who with great fortune and ce­lerity ended it in few months, After­wards the War against Mithridates and Tigranes was committed to him, which having undertook, he over­came Mithridates in Armenia the less in a Battel by Night, and plunder'd his Camp, cutting off forty thousand of the Enemy with the loss onely of twenty of his Soldiers and two Cen­turions. Mithridates fled with his Wife and two Attendants. After­wards when he tyranniz'd over his people, in a mutiny of his Soldiers raised by his own Son Pharnaces, he was forc'd to poison himself. Thus Mithridates died at Bosphorus, a Man [Page 94] of great industry and conduct, he lived seventy, reigned sixty, and made War with the Romans forty years.

Then Pompey made War against Ti­granes, who surrender'd himself, and coming to him in his Camp, sixteen miles from Artaxata, fell at his feet, and delivered up his Crown, which Pompey restored again, and recei­ved him honourably, but took away Syria, Phaenicia, Sophone; besides fining him in six thousand Talents of Silver, to be paid to the Romans for raising War against them without a cause.

Afterwards Pompey brought War on the Albani, and thrice overcame Orodes their King, who at last obtain'd a Peace by his Letters and Presents to Pompey. He also overcame in a Battel Anthaces the King of Iberia, who submitted to him. He gave Armenia the less to Dejotarus the King of Gala­tia for assisting him in the Mithridatic War. And restoring Paphlagonia to Attalus and Pylemenes; he made Ari­starchus [Page 95] the King of the Colchi. Then he subdued the Ituraei and the Ara­bians, and coming into Syria made Seleucia near Antioch a free City, be­cause it had not aided King Tigranes. He restor'd the people of Antioch their Hostages, and added some grounds to the Daphnenses to enlarge their Groves, being delighted with the pleasantness of the place, and its many Springs. From thence he marched into Judaea, and in the third month took Jerusa­lem the chief City, and having slain twelve thousand Jews he receiv'd the rest into his protection. Having per­formed these things, he returned into Asia, and so ended this long War.

In the Consulship of Marcus Tullius Cicero (the Orator) and C. Antonius, in the year of the City six hundred eigh­ty nine, Lucius Sergius Catilina, a Man of high birth, but of a very vi­tious Disposition, plotted with some audacious Noble Men against his Country; but he was driven out of the City by Cicero, and his Associates up­on apprehension strangled in Prison; [Page 96] Catiline also overcome in a Battel, was slain by Antonius the other Consul.

In the year of the City six hundred and ninety, in the Consulship of D. Ju­nius Silanus, and L. Murena. Metel­lus triumphed for conquering Crete, and Pompey for the Piratic and Mi­thridatic Wars: no pomp of a Tri­umph was ever like to Pompey's; for Mithridates his, and Tigranes's Sons, also Aristobulus the King of the Jews, with a great Sum of Money were car­ried before his Chariot. At that time there was no considerable War in all the World with the Romans.

In the year of the City six hun­dred ninety three, Caius Julius Caesar (who was afterwards Emperour) and L. Bibulus were made Consuls: Caesar having obtain'd by Order of Senate the Government of Gaul and Illyricum with ten Legions, first overcame the Helvetii (who are now called the Se­quani.) Then after his Victories in ve­ry great Battels, he marched a Con­querour even to the British Ocean. He was almost nine years in subduing all [Page 97] Gaul, which lies between the Alps the River Rhone, the Rhine and the Ocean, in compass three thousand and two hundred miles. Then he brought War upon the Britans, who never before heard of the Roman Name, and having overcome them, he took their Hosta­ges and made them tributary to the Roman Empire, and ordered Gaul to pay an annual tribute of above three hundred thousand pounds. And then passing the Rhine overcame the Ger­mans in very great Battels: he was so fortunate, that he fought but thrice unsuccessfully: once in Person against the Arverni, twice in his absence in Germany, where his two Lieutenants Titurius and Arunculeius were slain in an Ambush.

About the same time in the year of the City six hundred ninety se­ven, Marcus Licinius Crassus Pompey's Collegue, made the second time Con­sul, was sent against the Parthians, and when he fought at Carrae both contrary to the Omens, and Praedi­ctions of the Southsayers, he was o­vercome [Page 98] by Surena one of Orodes his Captains, and at last was slain, with his Son a famous and valiant young Man. The residue of his Army was saved by Cnaeus Cassius his Questor, who with great resolution and cou­rage so repair'd the calamity, that re­passing the Euphrates he overcame the Persians in many Battels.

Now that lamentable and horrible civil War came on, which, besides the calamities that happen'd in Bat­tel changed the condition of the Ro­man Name. For Caesar returning Con­querour from Gaul, required another Consulship, and it being without di­spute carried on his side, he was op­pos'd by Marcellus the Consul, Bi­bulus, Pompey, and Cato, and com­manded, having dismissed his Army to return to Rome; for which Af­front, from Ariminum, where he mu­stered his Soldiers, he march'd a­gainst his native Country. The Con­sul with Pompey, the whole Senate, and all the Nobility fled out of the City into Greece. Pompey being Ge­neral [Page 99] rais'd War against Caesar in E­pirus, Macedonia, and Achaia.

Caesar having entered the City for­saken, made himself Dictator. Thence marching into Spain he routed Pom­pey's brave and stout Armies, under the three Generals, L. Afranius, M. Petreius, and M. Varro. Then re­turning he marched into Greece; where fighting against Pompey, he was in the first Battel overthrown, and put to flight; but the Night drawing on, he escaped, and upon Pompey's not pursuing him, he said, Pompey knew not how to conquer, he being only that Day in his Power to have been overcome. Afterwards they fought in Thessaly at Palaeo­pharsalus with great Armies on both sides. Pompey's Army consisted of forty thousand Foot and seven thou­sand Horse in the left Wing, with five hundred in the right, besides the Auxiliary Forces of all the East, all the Nobility, with a great number of Senators, Praetors, and such as had been Consuls, and the Conquerors of [Page 100] ny Nations. Caesar's Army amount­ed to thirty thousand Foot, with a thousand Horse.

The Roman Forces were never greater at one time, nor never com­manded by more valiant Generals, they might have overcome the whole World, if they had fought against their Enemies. But after a sharp fight, Pompey being overcome, and his Camp plunder'd, fled to Ale­xandria, that he might receive aids from the King of Aegypt, whose Guar­dian he had been by order of Senate in his minority; but he following Pompeys fortune more than true friend­ship slew him, and sent his Head and Ring to Caesar; which he looking on, is reported to have wept, beholding the Head of so worthy a Man, and once his Son-in-law.

Afterwards Caesar coming to Alex­andria, Ptolemy had Designs upon his life, for which reason Caesar made War with him, and he being over­come, was drowned in the Nile, but his body was afterwards found cover­ed [Page 101] with a Gold Coat of Mail. Caesar having won Alexandria, gave that Kingdom to Cleopatra Ptolemy's Sister, with whom he had been dishonoura­bly acquainted. Caesar returning from thence overcame in a Battel Pharna­ces great Mithridates's Son, who aided Pompey in Thessaly, and also rebelling in Pontus, had seiz'd upon many of the Roman Cities, upon which misfor­tune he kill'd himself. Then Caesar upon his return to Rome, made him­self the third time Consul, with M. Aemilius Lepidus, who was the year before in his Dictatorship General of the Horse. From thence he went in­to Africa, to the War, which very ma­ny of the Nobility, with Juba King of Mauritania had raised against him. The Roman Generals were P. Corne­lius Scipio (of the ancient Family of Scipio Africanus, he was Father-in-law to Pompey the Great) M. Petreius, Q. Varius, and M. Porcius Cato, L. Cornelius Faustus (the Son of Sylla the Dictator and Pompey's Son-in-law.) Caesar in a pitch'd Battel, after many [Page 102] Skirmishes overcame them. Cato, Sci­pio, Petreius, and Juba slew themselves; but Faustus was put to death.

After a year Caesar coming back to Rome made himself Consul the fourth time, but soon went into Spain, where Cnaeus and Sextus Pompey's Sons had levy'd a great War, they fought many Battels, the last was at the City Munda, in which Caesar was so near overcome, that seeing his Soldiers sly, he would have slain himself, lest after so great Military Glory, and fifty six years old, he should fall into the power of these young Men; at last, having rallied his Forces, he o­vercame them, and slew Pompey's eldest Son, and put to flight the youn­ger. Now Caesar having ended the Civil Wars through all the World, returned to Rome, and began to go­vern too insolently, and against the customs of the Roman Liberties. He would bestow Honours at his own pleasure, which were before given by the people: neither would he rise up to the Senate coming to salute [Page 103] him; he performed other things after a regal tyrannick manner. Where­upon above sixty Senators and Roman Knights conspired against him. The chief of the Conspirators were the two Bruti (of Brutus's Family who was the first that was made a Roman Consul, and had expell'd the Kings) with Cnaeus Cassius and Servilius Cas­ca, who stab'd Caesar on a certain day with twenty three Wounds when he came to the Senate.

CAESAR being kill'd about the seven hundred and ninth year of the City, the Civil Wars were re­newed. The Senate favouring the murtherers of Caesar, Antony the Con­sul, one of Caesars party, endeavoured to overthrow them in a Civil War. Ha­ving [Page 106] therefore disturbed the Com­monwealth, and done many ill things, he was judged an enemy by the Se­nate. The two Consuls, Pansa and Hirtius were sent to pursue him, with Octavianus, Caesar's Nephew, a young man, eighteen years old, whom he made his Heir, and commanded to bear his name. This is he who after­wards was call'd Augustus, and obtain­ed the Empire. Wherefore these three Generals marching against Antony, overcame him: but it happened out that these two Consuls being Con­querors were slain; upon which the three Armies obeyed Caesar. Antony being put to slight, having lost his Army, went for succor to Lepidus, who was General to Caesar's Horse, and then commanded great Forces, by whom he was received; and soon af­ter Lepidus endeavouring it, Caesar made peace with Antony; and as if he would vindicate the death of his Fa­ther, by whom he was adopted in his Will, he marched to Rome with his Army, and by force procured the [Page 107] Consulship in the twentieth year of his age. Having proscribed the Se­nate, he began with Antony and Lepi­dus, to govern the Commonwealth by an Army. Cicero the Orator was kill'd by them, with many other No­blemen.

In the mean while Brutus and Cas­sius the murtherers of Caesar rais'd a great War, for there were many Ar­mies in Macedonia and the East, which they seiz'd upon: wherefore Caesar Octavianus Augustus, and Mark Antony went against them, (Lepidus staid be­hind to defend Italy) they fought against 'em at Philippi, a City of Ma­cedonia: Caesar and Antony were over­come in the first Battel, but the most noble Cassius was slain. In the second Brutus and very many Noblemen of his side were slain, and then the Commonwealth was thus divided a­mongst them, That Augustus should govern Spain, France, and Italy: An­tony, Asia, Pontus, and the East, But Lucius Antonius the Consul raised a Civil War in Italy, his Brother who [Page 108] had fought with Caesar against Brutus and Cassius, he was overcome and taken at Perusium a City of Tuscia, but his life spar'd.

In the mean time Sextus Pompeius, the Son of Cn. Pompeius made a War in Sicily, those of Brutus and Cassius's party who remain'd joyning with him; yet after a War brought upon him by Caesar Augustus, and M. Antony, at last a Peace was ratified.

At that time M. Agrippa acted pro­sperously in Aquitania, and L. Venti­dius Bassus overcame the Persians, ma­king incursions into Syria, in three Bat­tels. He kill'd Pacorus the Son of King Orodes, the same day that here­tofore Orodes King of the Persians had kill'd Crassus by Surena his General. He first triumph'd truly over the Per­sians [at Rome.]

In the mean time Pompey broke the Peace: and being beat in a Sea-fight, fled to Asia, and was there slain. An­tony, who govern'd Asia and the East, being divorced from Augustus's Sister, married Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt. [Page 109] He also in person fought against the Persians, and overcame them in the first Battel; but in his return he suf­fered much by Famine and Pestilence, and the Parthians falling upon him in his flight, he lost his Victory. He also raised a great Civil War by the instigation of his Wife Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, whilst she through a womans ambition long'd to rule at Rome. He was overcome by Augustus in a famous Sea-fight, at Actium in Epirus, from whence he fled to Egypt; and in despair, when all his Soldiers had revolted to Augustus, he killed himself. Cleopatra died with the poi­son of Asps, which she had put to her Breasts. Octavianus Augustus ad­ded Aegypt to the Roman Empire, and Cn. Cornelius Gallus was the first that governed it. Thus having finished all his Wars every where, Augustus in the twelfth year after he had been made Consul returned to Rome. From that time he governed the Commonwealth alone for four and forty years, having rul'd it twelve years before with Le­pidus [Page 110] and Antony; and so from the beginning to the end his Reign lasted six and fifty years. He died a na­tural death in the seventy sixth year of his age, in Atella, a City of Campania. He was buried in the Cam­pus Martius at Rome; a man not un­deservedly for the most part, reckon'd a God. Nor was any one more happy than him in his Wars, or more mode­rate in Peace. He lived with the greatest civility all the four and forty years he ruled alone, being most libe­ral towards all men, and very faithful to his friends, who he had advanced to so great honors, that they were al­most equal to himself. The Roman affairs never flourished more (before his time) for besides the Civil Wars in which he was always conqueror, he added Aegypt to the Roman Empire, with Cantabria, and Dalmatia, often­times overcome before, but entirely subdued by him: also Pannonia, Aqui­tania, Illyricum, Rhaetia, the Vindelici, and the Salassi, living upon the Alps; with all the Maritime Cities of Pontus: [Page 111] and amongst these the famous Cities Bosphorus and Panticapaeon. He over­came the Daci in several Battels. He cut off the great Forces of the Ger­mans, and drove them beyond the Ri­ver Allis, which is up the Country far from the Rhine: but this War was managed by his Son-in-law Drusus, as the Pannonian War was by his other Son-in-law Tiberius; in which War he brought four hundred thousand Ca­ptives out of Germany, and planted 'em upon the Banks of the Rhine in Gaul. He retook Armenia from the Parthians, and the Persians gave Ho­stages to him, (which they never did before to any other.) Also they resto­red the Roman Ensigns, which were taken away from Crassus, when he was beaten. The Scythians, and the Indians sent presents and Em­bassadors to him, who before had never heard of the Roman name. Ga­latia in his time was made a Province, being before a Kingdom; and M. Lol­lius the Propraetor was the first that governed it. The barbarous Nations [Page 112] so loved him, that Kings who were Al­lies of the Roman People, built Cities to his honor which they would call Caesarea; as that built by King Juba in Mauritania, and that in Palestine, which now is a very famous City. Ma­ny Kings left their Kingdoms, to do him service, and being dressed in a Roman Habit, ran by him in his Cha­riot, or on Horseback, and dying he was stiled a God: He left the Com­monwealth to Tiberius in a most flou­rishing condition; who being his Wives Son, was afterwards his Son-in-law by the marriage of his Daughter, and at last his Son by adoption.

Tiberius governed very lazily with great cruelty, wicked avarice, and fil­thy lust. He never fought in person, but carried on his Wars by his Lieute­nants. Some Kings whom he had en­ticed to him by his flatteries, he never let return to their own Country; a­mongst whom Archelaus King of Cap­padocia, whose Kingdom also he made a Province, and commanded the chief City to be called after his [Page 113] name, which now is called Caesarea, and before Mazaca. He reigned three and twenty years, and died in Cam­pania in the eighty third year of his age, to the great joy of all men.

After him rul'd Caius Caesar, surna­med Caligula, Drusus the Son-in-law of Augustus was his Grandfather, and Ti­berius his great Uncle: he was very wicked and horrible, one who might excuse the Vices of Tiberius. He un­dertook a War against the Germans; and entering into Suevia, performed no valiant action. He committed In­cest with his Sisters, and had a Daugh­ter by one of 'em, when he had been outragious towards all men in Cruel­ty, Avarice, and Lust, he was kill'd in his Palace in the nine and thirtieth year of his age, and of his Reign the third year, tenth month, and eighth day.

After him Reigned Claudius, Cali­gula's Uncle, the Son of Drusus, who has a Monument at Moguntiacum; whose Nephew Caligula was: He go­verned indifferently well, managing [Page 114] many things calmly and moderately, some cruelly and foolishly. He brought War upon Britany, where none of the Romans durst arrive since Julius Caesar: and after the Conquest of it by the two renowned Captains Cn. Sentius and Aulus Plautius. He made a fa­mous triumph: He added also to the Roman Empire some Islands scituated beyond Britany, in the Ocean call'd Orcades: He stil'd his Son Britannicus, and appeared so civil to some of his Friends, that he accompanied Plautius a Nobleman, who in the British expe­dition performed many brave actions, in his triumph going to the Capitol, and walked on his left hand: He li­ved sixty four years; and reign'd four­teen: He was Consecrated after his death, and stiled a God.

After him came Nero, very like to his Uncle Caligula: who both disgra­ced and diminished the Roman Em­pire; one of unusual luxury and ex­pence: he followed the example of Caius Caligula, and washed himself in hot and cold Oyntments: he fished [Page 115] with golden Nets and purple strings: he kill'd a great many of the Senate, and was an enemy to all good men: at last he prostituted himself so basely, that he danced and sung upon a Stage in a Fidlers habit: he committed ma­ny parricides in the murther of his Brother's Wife and Mother: he burnt Rome, that it might represent to him, how heretofore Troy was taken and burnt: he performed no warlike acti­on, and almost lost Britanny; for there in his time two noble Cities were took and destroyed. The Parthians took away Armenia, and made slaves of the Roman Legions. Yet two Provinces were gained in his time, Pontus, call'd Polemoniacus, from the gift of King Po­lemon; the Alps, call'd Cotiae, from the death of King Cocius. Hence he be­came detestable to Rome, deserted by all men, and adjudged an enemy by the Senate; When he was searched for to be punished, which was thus, that he should be lead along in publick na­ked, with a Fork upon his neck, and beaten with Rods to death, should be [Page 116] flung head-long from off the Carpeian Rock; he fled out of the Palace; near the City in a Farm of one of his Free­men, kill'd himself, between the Sala­rian and Numentane way, four miles from Rome: he built the hot Baths call'd Neronianae, and now Alexan­drinae: he died in the one and thirtieth year of his age, and the fourteenth year of his Reign. With him all Augu­stus's Family was extinct.

After him came Ser. Galba, a Sena­tor of a very ancient Family, being se­venty three years, he was chose Empe­ror by the Spaniards and Gauls, and soon after was willingly received by all the Armies: when he lived a pri­vate life, he was eminent in Military and Civil Affairs, often Consul, often Proconsul, and General in the greatest Wars: in his short Reign he began well, but at last seemed more inclined to severity: he was kill'd by the trea­chery of Otho in the seventh month of his Reign, and had his throat cut in the Forum at Rome, and buried in his Gardens, in the Aurelian way, not far from the City.

[Page 117] Otho having kill'd Galba, got the Empire; of a more noble race by his Mother, than by his Father; but nei­ther was mean: he was effeminate in his private life, and could not shew any experiment of himself in his Reign; for at that time when Otho kill'd Gal­ba, Vitellius was made Emperor by the German Armies, and rais'd War against him, when he was beat in a Skir­mish at Bebriacum in Italy, tho he had great forces remaining: He kill'd him­self of his own accord, and answered his Soldiers, desiring him not so soon to despair of the success of the war, that he was not of so great value, to be the occasion of a Civil War: he died a voluntary death, in the 38th. year of his age, and the 95th. day of his reign.

Then Vitellius obtained the Em­pire, of a Family more advanced by preferment, than noble: his Father was not very honorably born, yet bore three regular Consulships; he ru­led very scandalously, notorious for great cruelty, especially for Gluttony; [Page 118] oftentimes keeping a Feast every 4th. or 5th. day: one Supper was very remarkable, which his Brother Vitel­lius gave him; in which entertain­ment, besides other expences, there were laid upon the Table two thou­sand Fish, and seven thousand Birds: he affected to be like Nero, and so far pretended it, that he honored him with Funeral Rites who had been so meanly buried: he was killed by the Generals of Vespatian, having first slain Sabinus the Emperor, Vespatian's Brother, whom he burnt with the Capitol: he was drawn naked pub­lickly and ignominiously through Rome, having a Sword under his chin, and Dung flung at his face and body by all that met him; at last with his throat cut, he was flung into the Ty­ber, and wanted common Burial: he died in the 57th. year of his age, and in the eighth month, and first day of his Reign.

After him reigned Vespatian, made Emperor at Palestine, a Prince of ob­scure Parentage, but to be compared [Page 119] with the best; so illustrious before he was Emperor, that being sent into Germany by Claudius, and then into Britanny: he encountered two and thirty times with the Enemy. He con­quered two valiant Nations, took twenty Towns, and added the Island Vecta, lying just by Britanny to the Roman Empire. He carried himself at Rome very moderate in his Reign, tho somewhat too covetous of mony; yet he took it from none wrongfully, and gave with great care that especially to the Poor which he had gathered with all frugality. Scarce any Prince before him was more liberal ot just: he was of so good a nature, that he hardly punished any one guilty of Treason otherwise than by Banishment. In his time he added Judaea to the Roman Empire, with Hierosoluma, the most eminent City of Palaestine, and made Provinces of Achaia, Lycia, Rhodes, Byzantium, Samos, which enjoyed their freedom before his time; also Thrace, Cilicia, Trachea, Commagene governed by Confederate Kings; he [Page 120] remembred neither offences nor quar­rels, and patiently bore the reproa­ches that Lawyers and Philosophers spoke against him; yet a diligent ex­actor of Military Discipline: he tri­umphed for the conquest of Jerusalem with his Son Titus. For these things when he was beloved and dear to the Senate, the People, and to all, he died of the Flux in one of his own Mannors near the Country of the Sabines, in the sixty ninth year of his age, the ninth year, and seventh day of his Reign, and was numbred amongst the Gods: He knew the Nativities of his Sons so well, that when many Plots were made against him, which being discovered, he despised with dissimula­tion, saying to the Senate, that his Sons should succced him or none.

After him came Titus, who was al­so called Vespatian; a Man adorned with all sorts of Virtue, stiled the love and the delight of mankind, very elo­quent, warlike, and temperate: he pleaded Causes in Latin, and made Greek Poems and Tragedies: At the [Page 121] Siege of Jerusalem fighting under his Father, he kill'd twelve men upon the Walls, with twelve strokes of his Darts: he was so civil in his govern­ment at Rome, that none ever was pu­nished: he pardoned those to that de­gree convicted of Conspiracies against him, that he treated them with the same freedom as before: he was one of so great easiness and liberality, that he could deny nothing to any man; and when he was reprehended by his friends, he answered, that no man ought to depart with a sad counte­nance from the Emperor: wherefore once at Supper remembring he had given nothing that day to any one, he said, O my friends, I have lost this day: he built the Amphitheater at Rome, and kill'd five thonsand Wild Beasts at its dedication. Hence being beloved with unusual kindness, he died in the same house his Father did, after he had reigned two years, eight months, and twenty days, in the one and fortieth year of his age. When he was dead the publick mourning was so great, [Page 122] that all grieved as if they had been fatherless. The Senate having heard of his death in the evening, assembled with all hast in the Senate-House the same night, and render'd him being dead so many thanks and praises, as never to any Emperor in his presence, or in his life time, consecrating him a­mongst the Gods.

Then Domitian reigned, his youn­ger Brother, more like Nero, Caligula, or Tiberius than his Father, or Brother; yet he governed soberly for his first years: soon after falling into the great vices of Lust, Anger, Cruelty, and Covetousness, he made himself so ha­ted, that he abolished the merits of his Father, and Brother: he killed the no­blest of the Senate, and commanded himself to be stiled Lord and God: he would suffer no Statue to be erected in the Capitol for him, but of Silver and Gold: he kill'd his Kinsmen, and his pride was execrable: he made four Ex­peditions, one in Sarmatia, another a­gainst the Catti, and two against the Daci: he triumphed twice over the [Page 123] Daci, and the Catti, and wore a Lau­rel for the Sarmatians: he suffered many losses in these Wars, for his Legi­ons were kill'd in Sarmatia, with their General, and the Daci cut off Appius Sabinus a Consular man, and C. Fuscus Captain of the Guards with their great Armies: he built many places at Rome, as the Capitol, the Forum, cal­led Transitorium, the Musick Room, the Portico's of Isis and Serapis, and the Stadium: but when he began to be hated by all for his wickedness, he was slain in the Palace, by a conspiracy of his Servants, in the five and fortieth year of his age, and fifteenth of his Reign. His Corps were carried out by the Bearers with great disgrace, and buried scandalously.

IN the eight hundred and fif­tieth year from the build­ing of Rome in the Consul ship of Vetus and Valens the Commonwealth was re-stated in a most prosperous condition, by be­ing [Page 126] happily committed to the govern­ment of good Emperors. Nerva suc­ceeded Domitian, that cruel Tyrant; a Man moderate in his private life, valiant, and of the middle rank of Nobility, who, when he was very old by the help of Petronius Secundus the Captain of the Guards: and Par­thenius, who slew Domitian, being made Emperour, carry'd himself most justly and civily: and consulted the good of the Commonwealth with a Divine foresight, in adopting Trajan. He died at Rome, having reign'd six­teen months and eight days, in the seventy first year of his age, and was consecrated a God. After him came Ʋlpius Trajanus Crinitus, born at Ita­lica a City of Spain, of a Family more ancient than noble: for his Father was the first Consul. Trajan being made Emperour at Agrippina, a City of Gaul, govern'd the Commonwealth so well that he was deservedly pro­fer'd before all other Princes; he was of extraordinary civility and va­lour, and extended the bounds of the [Page 127] Roman Empire both far and wide, which after the time of Augustus was rather defended than honourably in­creas'd: he repair'd many Cities in Germany on the other side of the Rhine, and having overcome Decibalus con­quer'd Dacia, making that part a Pro­vince beyond the Danube, which now belongs to the Taiphali, Victophali, and the Thervingi, about one thousand miles in compass: he also retook Ar­menia,, which the Parthians had seiz'd, having kill'd Pharnaces the Syrian, who govern'd it. He gave a King to the Albani, and took under his pro­tection the Kings of the Iberi, the Sauromatae, the Bosphorani, the Ara­bians, the Osroeni, and the Colchi, and seiz'd upon the Adiabeni, and Marcho­medi, with a great Country of Persia, call'd Anthemisius; he took the City Seleucia, Ctesiphon, Babylon and Edessa, and conquer'd even unto India; at last he came up to the Red Sea, and there made three Provinces, Armenia, Assyria, and Mesopotamia, with the Nations bordering upon Macedena, [Page 128] reducing Arabia to the same form of government; he setled a Fleet in the Red Sea to wast the coasts of India. Yet he surpass'd his Military Fame with civility and moderation, equa­lizing himself to all at Rome and through the Provinces. He often­times went to visit his Friends, either when they were sick or upon festival Days; and without any distinction kept mutual Feasts among them, go­ing abroad with them in their Litters: he never injur'd any of the Senators, nor did any unjust thing to encrease his Exchequer; he was liberal to all Men, and both publickly and private­ly enrich'd with Money and Honours, even them, with whom he was but in­differently acquainted: he built many places all over the World, and grant­ed great priviledges to Cities: he act­ed all things so peaceably and quiet­ly, that all the time he reign'd, but one Senator was condemn'd, and he by an Order of the Senate, unknown to Trajan. For this reason most re­sembling a God both alive and dead, [Page 129] he deserv'd to be worship'd all over the World. Among other sayings of his, this is much esteem'd, when his friends blam'd him, that he was too kind to all Men; he answered, he did to them, as he should wish Emperours to do to him, if he himself was a Subject. After he had obtain'd great honour both at home and abroad, as he was returning from Persia he dy'd of the Flux at Seleucia, a City of Isauria, in the sixty second year, ninth month, and fourth day of his age, and of his Reign, the nineteenth year, sixth month and fif­teenth day: he was made a God, and of all other Emperours was buried within the City, his bones were put in a gol­den Urn, and placed under a Pillar in the Forum, which he himself had made, which Pillar was one hundred forty four feet high. So great respect is paid to this Princes memory, that even unto my time the Senators with no other phrase honour'd their Em­perours, than be thou happier than Augustus, and better than Trajan. So much hath the glory of goodness ob­tain'd [Page 130] from him, that it gives an oc­casion of a great Example either to Flatterers, or true Praisers.

After the decease of Trajan, Aelius Adrianus was made Emperour, indeed not with Trajan's Will, but by the help of his Wife Plotina, for he, as long as he liv'd, although he was his kinsman, would not adopt him; he was born at Italica in Spain, who en­vying the glory of his Predecessour, presently forsook those three Provinces which Trajan had added to the Ro­man Empire; and recall'd his Forces out of Assyria, Mesopotamia, and Ar­menia, and made Euphrates the Ea­stern bound of the Empire; his Friends deter'd him endeavouring to do the same thing in Dacia, lest many of the Roman Citizens should be expos'd to the Barbarians: for when Trajan had conquer'd that Countrey, he brought a great Colony out of the whole Ro­man Empire to plant and build Cities there, Dacia being depopulated in the long War with Decibalus: Aelius A­drianus enjoy'd peace all the time of [Page 131] his Reign, having made only one War, and that by the Governour of the Province, he travel'd all over the Ro­man Empire and built in many places. He was a very good Scholar both in Latin and Greek; not esteem'd very merciful, yet he took great care of his Revenue, and the Discipline of his Soldiers. He died in Campania, above sixty years old, and in the twenty first year, tenth month, and twenty ninth day of his Reign. The Senate would not have made him a God, onely Titus Aurelius Ful­vius Antoninus, that succeeded him, by long intreaty, when all the Sena­tors resisted him openly, at length obtain'd it.

Then Titus Antoninus Fulvius Bojo­nius was made Emperour after Adria­nus, he was also call'd Pius, his Fa­mily was Noble, but not very ancient▪ yet he himself was so famous a Man, that he might as deservedly be com­par'd to Numa Pompilius, as Trajan to Romulus. When he was a private Man he was very honest, but when [Page 132] Emperour, much more. He was rough to none, but kind to all: indifferent­ly honour'd for his Military Actions, affecting more to defend the Pro­vinces, than to increase them, he made it his business to seek for men that were able to govern the Common-wealth, always conferring great ho­nour upon good Men, and detesting the bad without severity; he was no less venerable to his Confederate Kings than awful; insomuch that ma­ny Nations of the Barbarians laid down their Arms, and submitted themselves to his Opinion in their Controversies and Quarrels: he was very rich before he was Emperour, but wasted it in his Soldiers pay, and gifts bestowed upon his Friends; yet he left a rich Treasury behind him. He was call'd Pius for his cle­mency, and dy'd at Lorium, his Country Palace about twelve miles from Rome, in the seventy third year of his age, and twenty third of his Reign, and was deservedly made a God.

[Page 133] After him reign'd M. Antoninus Ve­rus, who was without doubt a most no­ble Prince: for his Father descended from Numa Pompilius, and his Mother from King Salentinus; with him reign'd L. Annius Antoninus Verus, for then the Roman Commonwealth first submit­ted to the equal authority of two Princes, being govern'd before but by one Emperour. These were ally'd by Kindred and Marriage: for Verus An­nius Antoninus married the Daughter of M. Antoninus, but M. Antoninus was Son-in-law to Antoninus Pius, by his Wife Galeria Faustina the younger, who was his Cousin-german. They made War with the Parthians, who after the Victory of Trajan, then made their first Rebellion. V. Antoninus march'd to this War, and living at Antioch near Armenia, did great actions by the con­duct of his Captains; he took Se­leucia a very famous City in Assyria with five hundred thousand Men: and conquering the Parthians, made a Triumph with his Brother and Fa­ther-in-law. He dy'd in Venetia of [Page 134] the Disease, which the Grecians call the Apoplexy, being kill'd by a sud­den eruption of blood in his brain, in his Litter with his Brother, as he was coming from Concordia to Alti­num. He was a rough Man, yet ne­ver did any ill thing in reverence to his Brother; he dy'd in the eleventh year of his Reign, and was made a God.

After him only M. Antoninus go­vern'd the Commonwealth; a man more to be admir'd than prais'd: he was very peaceable from the begin­ning of his life; insomuch that neither joy nor grief could alter his counte­nance; he mightily lov'd the Stoick Philosophy, and was Master of it as well by Learning, as by the morali­ty of his life. Even when he was a youth he merited so great admira­tion, that Adrianus design'd to make him his Caesar, but having adopted Antoninus Pius, he made him therefore his Son-in-law, that he might come that way to the Government; he learn'd Philosophy of Apollonius, the Chal­cedonian, [Page 135] and Greek of Sextus Chaero­nensis, Plutarch's Nephew, and Fron­to that most excellent Orator taught him Latin; he carry'd himself very justly to all the Romans, and was no way puff'd up according to the haughtiness of Emperours: he was very liberal, and govern'd the Pro­vinces with great moderation. Af­fairs while he reign'd were carry'd on successfully against the Germans, in his own Person, he made one War with the Marcomanni, as considerable as any in Story, even to be compar'd with the Carthaginian Wars, and from the loss of whole Armies to be esteem'd worse. In his time there happen'd so great a Pestilence, that after his Victory over the Persians, a great number of Men and almost all his Soldiers dy'd through Italy and the Provinces. Wherefore after he had persever'd with great la­bour and patience full three years at Carnuntum, he ended that War with the Marcomanni, which had been car­ry'd on by the confederacy of the [Page 136] Quadi, the Vandali, the Sarmatae, the Suevi and all the neighbouring Barbarians; he slew a great many thousand of them, and having freed the Pannonii from their servitude, he made another Triumph at Rome with his Son Com. Antoninus, whom he had made his Caesar. When his Ex­chequer was all exhausted in this War, and he had no assistance by Pre­sents, being unwilling to lay any thing upon the Provinces or the Senate, he made an Inventory of the furniture of his Palace, and in Trajan's Forum for two months expos'd to sale his golden Vessels, his Chrystal and Am­ber Cups, his Wifes and his own Wardrobe, and a great many Jewels, from which he rais'd a good Sum of God, and after the Victory bought his Houshold-stuff again of them that were willing to sell, being offended with none that refus'd it. He also granted that Noblemen might make Feasts with the same Grandeur and Retinue as himself. After this Victo­ry he was so noble in his Sports and [Page 137] publick Shews, that he is reported to have expos'd in the Amphitheater an hundred Lions at once. Thus after he had restor'd the Commonwealth to a prosperous condition, he dy'd in the six­ty first year of his age, having Reign'd about eighteen years, and was made a God according to the earnest desires of all Men.

Lucius Antoninus Commodus succeeded him, a Man not at all like his Father, yet considerable for a War, he ma­nag'd successfully against the Germans; he endeavour'd to have the month September call'd Commodus from his own name; being deprav'd by his luxury and lusts, he oftentimes fought as a Gladiator in their Fencing Schools, and in the Amphitheater with such sort of Men. He dy'd sudden­ly, and 'twas thought he was strangl'd or poison'd, when he had Reign'd twelve years and eight months from the death of his Father, so detested by every body, that he was reflected up­on as an Enemy to mankind, even af­ter he was dead.

[Page 138] Pertinax succeeded him, an old Man, who being above seventy years old, and Governour of Rome, was made Emperour by an Order of the Senate; he was slain in the eighti­eth day of his Reign, by a mutiny of the Praetorian Soldiers, and the trea­chery of Julian.

After him Salvius Julianus took the government, he was a noble Man and skilful in the Laws, Nephew to Salvius Julianus, who in the time of Adrianus drew up the perpetual Sta­tute. He was conquered by Severus at the Milvian Bridg, and was slain in the Palace, having reigned seven months.

Septimius Severus succeeded him, he was born in Africa, at Leptis, a Town of the Province of Tripolis. He was the first and last Emperour in the memory of Man that ever came out of Africa, he was first an Advo­cate in the Treasury, afterwards a Tribune of the Soldiers, and so by various employments he came to the government of the Common­wealth. [Page 139] He call'd himself Pertinax in honour of that Pertinax slain by Julian; he was very parsimonious, and by nature cruel. He fought ma­ny Wars, and came off successfully: he slew Pescennius Niger at the City Cyzicus, who had made a Rebellion in Aegypt and Syria: he overcame the Parthians and the Arabians to such a degree, that if he pleas'd he might have made their Countrey a Province; wherefore he was call'd Parthicus and Arabicus: he built many Cities all o­ver the Roman Empire. In his Reign Clodius Albinus, that conspir'd with Julian to kill Pertinax, made himself Caesar in Gaul, but was overcome and slain at Lugdunum. Severus, besides the honor he obtained in Military Actions, was much renowned for Politicks, be­ing a very good Scholar, and an excel­lent Philosopher: his last War was in Britanny, where he fortified the Pro­vinces, he had recover'd, with a great wall two & thirty miles long, from the German Ocean to the Irish Sea: he died at Eboracum when he was a very old [Page 140] man, in the eighteenth year, and fourth month of his Reign, and was consecra­ted a God: he left his two Sons Bassi­anus and Geta to succeed him, and by order of Senate would have Bassianus, call'd Antoninus; wherefore he as­sum'd the name of M. Aurelius Antoni­nus Bassianus, and succeeded his Father; for his Brother Geta being look'd upon as a publick enemy, was forthwith slain. M. Aurelius Antoninus Bassianus, call'd also Caracalla, was much of his Fa­thers disposition, yet somewhat more rough and ill natur'd: he made a fa­mous Bath at Rome, call'd Antonini­anae; the only remarkable thing of his life: he was one so ungovernable in his Lust, that he married his Mother-in-law Julia: he ended his days at Os­roenes, a City not far from Edessa, in his design against the Parthians, in the sixth year of his Reign, and second month, scarce three and forty years old, and was buried at the publick cost of the people.

Then Opilius Macrinus the Captain of the Guards was made Emperor [Page 141] with his Son Diadumenus, they did nothing worth memory, for they reign'd but fourteen months, and were both slain by a tumult of the Soldiers. After these two Marcus Au­relius Antoninus was made Emperor; he was thought to be the Son of Anto­ninus Caracalla, but indeed he was a Priest of the Temple of Heliogabalus: he, when he came to Rome, with the great expectation both of Soldiers and Senators, disgrac'd himself with all sorts of Scandal, and liv'd most shame­fully and lewdly; so after two years and eight months his Soldiers slew him and his Mother Semia, the Sy­rian.

Next to him reign'd Aurelius Alex­ander, he was stil'd by his Army Caesar, and by the Senate Augustus; he was a very young Man, and making War with the Persians, most gloriously o­vercame Xerxes their King. He strictly kept up the Discipline of his Soldiers, and disbanded some whole Legions, that were tumultuous. Ʋl­pian the famous Civilian was the [Page 142] Master of his Rolls. He was very favourable to Rome, but slain in Gaul, in an uproar of the Soldiers, having reigned thirteen years and eight days, extreamly dutiful to his Mother Mammaea.

AFTER Aurelius Alexan­der, Maximinus was the first of any in the Army, that obtained the govern­ment of the Empire, chose only by the Soldiers, without the Authority of the Senate, himself being no Sena­tor, [Page 144] having manag'd the War success­fully against the Germans: when he war saluted Imperator by his Soldiers: upon their revolt, Pupienus kill'd him and his young Son at Aquileia, with whom he had reigned three years and a few days.

Afterwards there were three Empe­rors at once, Pupienus, Balbinus, and Gordianus: the two first were of a very mean Family; Gordianus was a Noble­man: for his Father being Pro-consul of Africa, was chosen Emperor by the consent of the Soldiers, when Maxi­minus reigned; but when they came to Rome, Balbinus and Pupienus were kill'd in the Palace, and Gordianus was Emperor alone; who being but a young man, having married Tranquil­lina at Rome, set open the Temple of double-fac'd Janus: and marching to the East, made War with the Parthians, who now endeavoured to invade the Empire; which War he managed ve­ry well, and beat the Persians in great Battels. Returning home, he was kill'd by the treachery of Philip, who suc­ceeded [Page 145] him. His Soldiers built for him a Monument near the River Euphrates, twenty miles from Circessus a Castle of the Romans, and carrying his Body to Rome, stiled him a God.

The two Philips, the Father, and the Son, when Gordianus was dead, got the Empire; and having brought back the Army safe, they march'd from Syria to Italy. When they go­vern'd, in the thousandth year of the City, there was a great Festival cele­brated with all manner of sports. They afterwards were both kill'd by their Soldiers, the eldest at Verona, the younger at Rome; having reign'd five years. Nevertheless they were num­ber'd amongst the Gods.

After these, Decius who came from the lower Pannonia, born at Bubalia, took upon him the Empire: he ended the Civil War that was in Gaul, and made his Son his Caesar: he built a Bath at Rome. When he and his Son had rul'd two years, they were slain fighting far from Rome with the Bar­barians, and consecrated amongst the Roman Gods.

[Page 146] Then Gallus Hostilianus, and Volu­sianus his Son were made Emperors; under their Government Aemilianus endeavoured an Insurrection in Maesia: to suppress whom, in their march, they were killed at Interamna before two years end: they did no great action all their Reign, it being only remarkable for the Plague, and other diseases.

Aemilianus born of very obscure Pa­rents, govern'd more obscurely, and died in the third month of his Reign.

Then Licinius Valerianus being Ge­neral in Rhaetia and Noricum, was saluted first Imperator by his Army, af­terwards Augustus. Gallienus likewise was made Emperor by the Senate: Their Government was pernicious, and almost destructive to the Roman name, either by the ill fortune, or idleness of these Princes. The Germans came up to Ravenna. Valerianus waging War in Me­sopotamia, was overcome by Sapores King of the Persians; and being made captive, linger'd out a dishonorable old age in slavery amongst the Par­thians.

[Page 147] Gallienus when he was a young man, was made Emperor; at first he man­naged the Empire happily, then indif­ferently, at last very ill; for in his youth he acted valiantly in Gaul, and Illyricum, having kill'd Ingenuus at Mursia who usurp'd the Empire, and Trebellianus: a long while he was quiet and peaceable; afterward falling into all vice: he neglected the Common­wealth, through idleness and despair; the Almans having wasted all Gaul, broke into Italy: he lost Dacia, which lying beyond the Danube, was brought under subjection by Trajan: Greece, Macedonia, Pontus, and Asia were over­run by the Goths: Pannonia was spoil­ed by the Sarmatians, and the Quadi: the Germans came even to Spain, and besieged the noble City Tarraco: the Parthians having overcome Mesopota­mia, began to claim a title to Syria. Now things being in despair, and the Roman Empire almost overthrown, Posthumus born of a very mean Race, made himself Emperor in Gaul, and manag'd his affairs so for ten years [Page 148] space, that he almost won all the Pro­vinces that were lost) with great va­lour and moderation: he was kill'd in a tumult of his Soldiers, because he would not deliver up the City Mogun­tiacum, which had rebelled against him in an Insurrection of Lollianus, to be plundered by his Soldiers. After him Marius a most useful man made himself Emperor, and was kill'd the second day of his Reign. Victorinus a very valiant man took upon him the Government of Gaul, but being very lascivious, and a defiler of other mens Beds, he was killed at Agrippina, by the Plot of one Acturius in the second year of his Reign. Tetricus a Senator succeeded him, who was Governor of Aquitania, and was chosen Emperor by his Soldiers in his absence; he took up­on him the Government at Burdegala, and patiently bore many Mutinies in the Army. But whilst these things were done in Gaul, in the East the Persians were overcome by Odenatus, who de­sending Syria, and regaining Mesopota­mia, went as far as Ctesiphon. Thus [Page 149] Gallienus not minding the Common­wealth, the Roman Empire was kept up in the West by Posthumus, in the East by Odenatus; in the mean time Gallienus, and his Brother Valerianus were kill'd at Mediolanum in the ninth year of their Reign: and Claudius suc­ceeded him, chosen by his Soldiers, and declar'd Emperor by the Senate. In a great Battel he overcame the Goths spoiling and depopulating Illyri­cum, and Macedonia: he was a frugal modest man, a lover of Justice, and fit to govern the Commonwealth; who nevertheless died of a natural death, before he had reigned two years, and was stiled a God. The Senate honor­ed him mightily, that he should have a Golden Shield set up for him in the Senate-house, with a Golden Statue in the Capitol.

After him Quintilius the Brother of Claudius was chosen Emperor by the consent of his Soldiers; a man from his extraordinary moderation, and ci­vility either to be equall'd or prefer'd before his Brother: the Senate agreed [Page 150] that he should be call'd Augustus. He was kill'd when he had been Emperor sixteen days.

After him Aurelian took upon him the Empire, born in Dacia Ripensis; he was a man powerful in War, but of an unruly nature, and prone to cruelty: he very valiantly beat the Goths, and restored the Roman Empire by various successes of War to its ancient bounds: he overcame Tetricus in Gaul amongst the Catalauni: Tetricus delivering up his Army whose continual Seditions he could not bear; for by secret Let­ters he so press'd Aurelian, that among other arguments he us'd this Verse of Virgil, Eripe me his invicte malis, that is, Deliver me thou great Conqueror, from these misfortunes. He also in a ve­ry great Battel took Zenobia, not far from Antioch, when her Husband Odenatus who commanded those parts of the East was kill'd, and entering Rome, he triumphed very nobly, as if he had been Conqueror of the East, and West; Tetricus and Zenobia going before his Chariot. Tetricus afterward [Page 151] was Governor of Lucania, but Zeno­bia left her posterity at Rome, which remain there to these days. In his Reign those that belonged to the Mint having coined false mony, and kill'd Felicissimus, the Master of the Mint, made a Rebellion in Rome, whom he subdued and quelled with ex­treme cruelty: he put to death many Noblemen, being severe and bloody, and in some things rather necessary than to be beloved: he was harsh all his life time, and killed his Sisters Son; yet a great keeper up of Military Di­scipline, and a strict corrector of his Soldiers dissolute manners: he re­pair'd and fortifi'd the Walls about Rome, and erected a Temple to the Sun, inriching it with much Gold and Jewels: he deserted the Province of Dacia, which Trajan had extended be­yond the Danube: he wasted all Illy­ricum and [Maesia; despairing that it could be kept, having drawn the Ro­mans out of the Cities of the Coun­try of Dacia:] he placed them in the middle of Maesia, lying on the right [Page 152] side of the Danube, as it flows into the Euxine Sea, when before it was on the left side. He was kill'd by the treachery of a Servant, who brought some names remark'd upon to some Soldiers, his Friends, forging the Em­perors Hand as if he had intended to kill them; so that he might be preven­ted, he was killed upon a Journey in the middle of the old way, between Constantinople and Heraclea: the place is called Caenophrurium; but his death was reveng'd, and he was made a God, having reign'd five years and six months.

Then Tacitus took upon him the Empire; a man well bred and fit to govern the Commonwealth; but he could not do any famous action, dy­ing before he had been Emperor six months. Florianus, who succeeded Tacitus reign'd but two months, and twenty days; neither did he any act worth memory.

After him Probus, a man famous in Military affairs, got the Rule of the Commonwealth; he restor'd Gaul with [Page 153] great success, which the Barbarians possessed: he happily suppressed some endeavouring to usurp the Empire, viz. Saturninus in the East, Proculus, and Bonosus at Agrippina: he suffer'd the Gauls, and Pannonians to have Vine­yards; and his Soldiers having planted Vines on the Mountain Almus near Sirmium, and on the Mountain Au­reus in the upper Maesia, he charg'd the Inhabitants to look after them; he, when he had waged a great ma­ny Wars having obtain'd peace, said, that within a little time there would be no need of Soldiers: he was a va­liant and just man, equalling Aure­lian in Military glory, but excelling him in civility: and was kill'd in the Iron Tower at Sirmium, in a Mutiny of his Soldiers, having reign'd six months and four days.

After him Carus being Emperor, born at Narbona in Gaul, made Carinus and Numerianus his Sons, his Caesars; with whom he rul'd two years; but whilst he waged War with the Sarma­tians, [Page 154] having heard of the Insurre­ction in Persia, marching to the East he performed noble actions a­gainst them, and overthrew them in a Battel: he took Seleucia and Ctesi­phon very eminent Cities, and when he had pitch'd his Camp by the Ti­gris, was kill'd by a Thunder-bolt. Numerianus his Son, whom he had brought along with him into Persia, a young man of very great hopes, being carried by reason of a pain in his eyes in his Litter, was treacherously kill'd through the incitement of Aper his Fa­ther-in-law, and when he had cunning­ly hid him [till he could get the Em­pire for himself] his murder was found out by the stench of his body; the Sol­diers of his Guard being disturb'd with the smell, having taken off the cloaths of the Bed, after a few days discover'd his death. In the mean time Carinus, whom Carus, when he made his ex­pedition against the Parthians, had left in Illyricum, Gaul, and Italy, defil'd himself in all manner of Vice: he put many to death with the accusation of [Page 155] forg'd crimes: he abus'd many Noble­women, and was also mischievous to his fellow Students, who had been somewhat smart upon him in their Schools; for which being hated by all men, he a little after was punish'd. The Army returning home after the conquest of Persia, when Carus and Numerianus their Emperors were kil­led, one by a Thunder-bolt, the other by treachery, made Dioclesian Empe­ror born in Dalmatia of obscure Pa­rents, being generally reported to be the Son of a Scrivener, but by some the Son of a Freeman to Anulinus a Senator: he in the first Assembly of the Soldiers swore that he had no hand in killing Numerianus, and when Aper who murder'd Numerianus, stood next to him, he run him through with his own hand in the sight of all the Ar­my: afterward he overcame Carinus in a great Battel at Murgum, who liv'd hated and detested of all men: he was deliver'd up by his own Army, be­ing stronger than the Enemy, and de­serted between the Mountain Vimina­tius [Page 156] and Aureus. Thus Dioclesian ob­tain'd the Roman Empire, and the Country people in Gaul making an In­surrection, and calling their Rebellion by the name of the Bagaude, under their Captains Amandus, and Aelia­nus: he sent Maximianus Herculius his Caesar to suppress them, who in small Skirmishes overcame them, and settled that part of Gaul. Then also Carausius, who born of a very mean Family, had got great honor by his good service in the War; when at Dononia all along the Coast of Belgick Gaul, and Armo­rica, he had undertook to secure the Seas which the Franks, and the Saxons infested; having often taken many Barbarians, and not restoring the en­tire spoil, neither to the Inhabitants of the Province, nor presenting it to the Emperors; when there began to be a suspicion, that he had let in the Bar­barians on purpose, that he might meet them in their passage, and so enrich himself with the spoils: being com­manded by Maximianus to be kill'd, made himself Emperor, and seiz'd up­on [Page 157] on Britanny. So when all over the world things were in confusion, Carau­sius rebell'd in Britanny, Achilleus in Aegypt, the Quinquegentiani mole­sted Africa, Narseus made War in the East, Diocletian advanc'd Maximianus Herculius from Caesar to Augustus, and made Constantius, and Maximianus Caesars; of whom Constantius was Claudius's Grand-Son by his Daugh­ter, Maximianus Galerius was born in Dacia, not far from Sardica, and that he might also ally them by affini­ty, Constantius married Theodora, the Daughter-in-law of Herculius, of whom he had six Children, the Bro­thers of Constantine. Galerius married Valeria the Daughter of Dioclesian, both of them being forc'd to divorce their former Wives. At last he made peace with Carausius, when he had en­deavoured a War in vain against him, being very skilful in Military Disci­pline. Allectus his Colleague kill'd him seven years after, and kept Bri­tanny three years after his death, who also was kill'd by Asclepiodotus Ca­ptain [Page 158] of the Guards, so Britanny in the tenth year was reduced to the the Roman Power. About the same time a Battel was fought by Constan­tius in Gaul near the Lingones; in one day he had experience of good and bad fortune; for on a suddain the Bar­barians rushing upon him, he was forc'd to retreat into the City, they were in such disorder, that having shut up the Gates, they drew him up the Walls by Ropes. Within less than five hours after, a fresh Army coming up, he destroy'd almost sixty thousand Almans; also Maximianus the Empe­ror finish'd the War in Africa, having overcome the Quinquegentiani, and forc'd them to make a Peace. Diocle­sian within the space of eight months overcame Achilleus besieg'd in Alex­andria, and kill'd him; he exercis'd his Victory with cruelty, and defil'd all Aegypt with severe proscriptions, and slaughters; but on that occasion he manag'd and did many things wise­ly, which remain to this time. Galeri­us Maximianus fought between Calli­nicum [Page 159] and Carrae at first unhappily, but at last successfully; yet rather through indiscretion than cowardise, joyning Battel with a very few men against a very powerful Enemy; wherefore be­ing beat, he went to Dioclesian, who meeting him in the way, was repor­ted to have received him with such great pride, that Galerius ran by his Litter some miles together; after­wards having raised Forces in Illyri­cum, and Maesia, he fought again ve­ry successfully with equal conduct, and valour, in Armenia the Great, against Narseus the Grand-father of Ormisda, and Sapores; having been himself a Scout, with one or two Horsemen. Narseus being overthrown, he plun­der'd his Camp, took his Wives, Si­sters, and Children, a great many Per­sian Noblemen, with a very rich Trea­sure, and forc'd him to fly to the far­thermost recesses of the Kingdom. Wherefore upon his return this Con­queror was received with great honor by Dioclesian, staying in Mesopotamia with a reserve. Then they wag'd War [Page 160] sometimes together, sometimes sepa­rate, having overcome the Carpi, the Basternae, and the Sarmatians. They plac'd a great many Captives of these Nations upon the Roman Frontiers. Dioclesian was cunning, witty, and sub­til, so managing himself in his severity, that other men might bear the hatred. Nevertheless he was a very careful and prudent Prince, and was the first that rather observ'd the form of Regal Cu­stoms than of Roman Liberty: and when before his time Emperors were only saluted, he commanded the peo­ple to worship him as a God: he wore Jewels upon his Cloaths and Shooes; whereas before the Badg of Royalty consisted in a Purple Coat, the other dress was in common: but Herculius in outward appearance fierce, and of a rude disposition, discover'd his rough­ness in the horror of his countenance; but smoothing his own nature, he o­bey'd Dioclesian in his more severe de­signs. Dioclesian, when he grew old, finding himself unfit to govern the Empire, mov'd Herculius to live a [Page 161] private life, and give up the Common­wealth to brisker and younger men; to which his Collegue unwillingly con­sented; yet both of them upon a cer­tain day chang'd the Royal Robe for a Private Habit; Dioclesian at Nicome­dia, Herculius at Mediolanum, after they had gloriously triumph'd at Rome over a great many Nations, with a magnificent shew of Pageants, in which the Wives, Sisters, and Children of Narseus went before their Chariot; one of them retir'd to Salonae, the other to Lucania. Dioclesian as a private man spun out an honorable old age at a place near Salonae, exercising himself in Virtue unusual to him before. He was the only man after the foundation of the Roman Empire, that of his own accord descended from so high a pitch to a private condition; for which rea­son this hapned to him which never did to any other, that tho dying a private man, he should be consecrated a God..

THerefore Dioclesian and Herculius retiring, Constan­tius and Galerius were created Emperours to go­vern the Commonwealth, and the Roman Empire was divided between them: Constantius had Gaul, Italy and Africa, Galerius possessed himself of [Page 164] Illyricum, Asia, and the Eastern parts having chosen two Caesars. But Con­stantius satisfied with the honour of being Emperour refused the trouble of governing Italy and Africa, he was an excellent Man, and of most extra­ordinary civility, extreamly gracious to his Allies and private Persons, he cared not for the fulness of his Ex­chequer, and was better pleased to have the publick wealth in the hands of private Men, than shut up in one fund. He affected Pomp so little▪ that on festival Days, if he were to feast with many of his Friends, he borrowed furniture and Plate from private persons to entertain them. The Gauls not onely loved this Man, but even reverenced him, chiesly be­cause under his power they had esca­ped the suspected policy of Diocle­sian and the bloody rashness of Maxi­mianus, he died in Britanny at York in the thirteenth year of his Reign, and was consecrated amongst the God.

[Page 165] Galerius was a Man well bred and famous in warlike matters, when he found that the government of Italy fell under his Command by the con­sent of Constantius, he ordained two Caesars. But Constantius being dead, Constantine his Son by a Wife of mean quality was made Emperour in Brit­tany, and as one most desireable suc­ceeded his Father. In the mean while the Praetorian Band at Rome having raised a mutiny, proclaimed Maxen­tius the Son of Herculius Emperour, who lived publickly not far from Rome, at which news Maximianus Herculius hoping to reassume the power, he had unwillingly forsaken, came soon to Rome from Lucania, where as a private man he had chosen to dwell, growing old in that most pleasant Country. He persuaded Dio­clesian also by Letters (but in vain) to re-take the Power he had laid down. But Severus Caesar being sent to Rome by Galerius against the insur­rection of the Praetorian Soldiers, ar­rived there with his Army, but be­sieging [Page 166] the City his Soldiers basely deserted him: thus Maxentius his power was encreased, and the Empire confirm'd to him. Severus in his flight was slain at Ravenna: but Her­culius Maximianus after these things endeavouring to depose his Son Ma­xentius in an Assembly of the Army, made the Soldiers mutiny and revile him. Upon this he went to Gaul with a treacherous Design, to asso­ciate himself with his Son-in-law Con­stantine, as if his own Son had ex­pelled him, but endeavouring when­ever he had an opportunity to kill Constantine, who reigned in Gaul much beloved both by his Soldiers and the Natives, having beaten the Franci and the Alamanni, he exposed their Captive Kings to wild Beasts at his publick and noble Show. Wherefore his treachery being detected by his Daughter Fausta, who discovered the Villany to her Husband, Herculius fled to Massilia, and there slain (intend­ing to sail from thence to his Son) was punish'd with a just Death. He was [Page 167] a Man prone to all kind of roughness and cruelty, unfaithful, injurious, and very barbarous.

Now Galerius made Licinius Em­perour being a Dacian, having been formerly acquainted with him, and acceptable to him for his great en­deavours and services in the War he made against Narseus: Galerius soon after died: then the Commonwealth was governed by these four Empe­rours, Constantine and Maxentius Sons of Emperours, Licinius and Maximi­nus being Upstarts. But Constantine in the fifth year of his Reign rais­ed a Civil War against Maxentius, and routed his Forces in a great ma­ny Battels, at last at the Milvian Bridg he conquer'd him (who had raged with all kind of cruelty against the Nobility at Rome) and so gained Italy. Not long after Maximinus at­tempting an insurrection in the East against Licinius, his own accidental death at Tarsus, prevented his intend­ed destruction. But Constantine was a great Man, and endeavouring to per­form [Page 168] all that he had designed in his mind; also affecting the Government of all the World; he brought War upon Licinius, although he was fa­miliarly acquainted with him and nearly related to him, his Sister Con­stantia being married to Licinius: on a sudden he set upon him first in Pannonia, and then as he was gather­ing together great Forces at the City Cibalae, and having gained all Darda­nia, Moesia and Macedonia, he posses­sed himself of a great many Provinces. Afterwards there arose several Wars between them, and the Peace which was made, broken in the end, Li­cinius conquer'd in a Sea-fight, and at Land at Nicomedia, yielded up him­self, and was killed a private Man at the City Thessalonica contrary to the sincerity of a solemn Oath. Then the Roman Empire was under one Em­perour and three Caesars (never so be­fore) Constantine's Sons governing Gaul, the Eastern parts and Italy: but this wonderful success somewhat alter'd Constantine from his tractable and gen­tle [Page 169] temper. So that first persecuting his nearest Friends, he killed his Sisters Son an excellent young Man, and of a very good disposition; and after the slaughter of very many of his Friends he put his Wife to death: He was a Man in the beginning of his Reign to be compared with the best of Princes, but at last to be ranked with the in­different, adorned with a great many Virtues both of Mind and Body, very ambitious of Military honour, Fortune was successful to him in War, but his industry was as great as his Fortune. For after the Civil War he often beat the Goths: and at last having granted them peace, he left even amongst those Barbarians a great remembrance of his favour. He was addicted to civil Arts and generous Exercises, an affector of true Friendship, which he altogether sought to procure by his liberality and easiness; as he was severe to some of his Friends, so he was extra­ordinary kind to the rest, letting no opportunity slip to make them rich [Page 170] and eminent. He made a great ma­ny Laws, some good and just, very many superfluous, and some severe. He first attempted to advance the City Constantinople called after his own name to so great a pitch as to make it equal with Rome: in his Design to make War against the Parthians, who had harassed Mesopotamia, he died in a publick Vill of the City Nicomedia, in the one and thirtieth year of his Reign, and the sixty sixth of his age. His Death was foretold by a blazing Star, (called by the Greeks [...]) which of an unusual bigness appeared for some time; and he was deserved­ly made a God.

He left three of his own Sons and one of his Brothers to succeed him: but Dalmatius Caesar a most hopeful Man not unlike his Uncle was slain a while after by a Military Faction with the consent rather than by the command of his Cousin Constantius. Moreover Constans his Captains slew Constantine making War against his [Page 171] Brother and unadvisedly fighting at the City Aquileia. Thus the Com­monwealth was reduced to two Em­perours. Constans his Reign for some time was great and just, afterwards through sickness and the persuasions of some of his worst Friends, being grown vicious and intolerable to the Subjects of the Provinces, and unac­ceptable to his Soldiers, he was slain by the Faction of Maxentius, not far from Spain in a Castle called Helena in the eighteenth year of his Reign, and the thirteenth of his age. He performed a great many valiant actions in War, and was terrible to his Army all his life-time without much cruelty. Constantius his for­tune was various, for he suffer'd ve­ry many injuries from the Persians, who had oftentimes sacked his Towns, besieged his Cities, and beaten his Armies: never had he any success in Battel against King Sapores unless at Singara, where the eagerness of his Soldiers, lost in probability a certain [Page 172] Victory, who tumultuously and fool­ishly against the reason of War de­manded to fight, the day being far spent. After the death of Constans Magnentius having got Italy, Afri­ca and Gaul, there arose an insurre­ction in Illyricum. Veteranio being made Emperour by the consent of the Soldiers, and now a very old Man and beloved by all by reason of his long continuance and success in War, was chosen Prince and Gover­nour of Illyricum. He was a virtu­ous Man observing the ancient Ro­man manners and of obliging civili­ty, but ignorant of all liberal Sci­ences; so that he did not learn even the rudiments of Learning, till he was old and made Emperour; but Constantius, who to revenge his Bro­thers Death had raised a Civil War, put an end to the Reign of Vetera­nio, who after a new and unusual manner by the agreement of the Sol­diers was forced to lay down the Im­perial Power. There arose also a mu­tiny [Page 173] at Rome by the means of Nepotia­nus Constantine's Sisters Son, who sei­zing upon the Empire with a party of Gladiators, met with a Death wor­thy of his cruel beginnings, being slain on the eight and twentieth day by Magnentius his Captains, and his head carried all about the City upon a Ja­velin. There were great Proscriptions and much slaughter of the Nobility at that time.

Not long after Magnentius was put to flight, and very near taken in the Battel at Mursa: the great strength of the Romans in that fight was much weaken'd, even Soldiers that were fit to manage any forein Wars, and might have procured security and many Tri­umphs to the Commonwealth. Soon after Constantius sent Gallus his Uncles Son as Caesar to the East: and Mag­nentius beaten in several Battels in the third year and the seventh month of his Reign, killed himself at Lugdunum: as his Brother Decentius, whom he had sent with an Imperial Authority to govern Gaul, did also among the Se­nones.

[Page 174] At this time Constantius also having committed a great many out-rages, killed Gallus Caesar, a man fierce by nature, and prone to tyranny if he had been absolute. Sylvanus also attempt­ing an Insurrection in Gaul, died be­fore the thirtieth day: (then Constan­tius was the only Prince and Augustus of the Roman Empire.) Soon after he sent Julian Caesar to Gaul, who was his Cousin, and the Brother of Gallus, having given him his Sister in marri­age. At that time the Barbarians sacked a great many Towns, besieged others, and had horribly wasted all places. The Roman Empire by these misfortunes was in a tottering conditi­on, by whom with indifferent Forces the great Army of the Alamanni was suppressed at Argentoratum, a City of Gaul, their most considerable King was taken, and Gaul was regained to the Empire. This Julian afterwards per­formed a great many valiant actions against the Barbarians, and drove the Germans beyond the River Rhine, and restored the Roman Empire to its for­mer [Page 175] Confines. Not long after when the German Army was removed from their Garrison in Gaul, Julian was cho­sen Emperor by the Soldiers, and af­ter a years space he marched to gain Illyricum, whilst Constantius was busie in managing the Parthian Wars, who died in his march between Cilicia and Cappadocia, in the eight and thirtieth year of his Reign, and the five and fortieth of his age, and deserved to be numbred amongst the Gods: he was a man of an exceeding calm temper, easie, and giving too much credit to his friends and familiars: he was also too uxorious, but in the first years of his Reign he behaved himself with great modesty: he also enriched his friends, nor did let any of them want honor, whose industrious services he had made use of: yet inclinable to se­severity, if he grew jealous of any de­sign upon his Empire, but otherwise mild, whose success was greater in the Civil, than in Forein Wars.

After this Julian gained the Empire, and with great preparation made War [Page 176] with the Parthiuns, in which Expedi­tion I my self was present: he made some Towns and Castles of the Persi­ans to surrender, or else took them by force; and having depopulated Assy­ria, he encamp'd for some time at the Town Ctesiphon, and returning Con­queror was slain by the Enemy, whilst he too rashly pressed on in the Battel, on the sixth of the Kalends of July, in the seventh year of his Reign, and the one and thirtieth of his age, and was translated amongst the Gods; an ex­traordinary man, designing admira­rably to govern the Commonwealth, if he had lived: he was very skilful in Liberal Sciences, and much more learned in Greek than in Latin: he was very eloquent, and had a me­mory most ready and tenacious, and in some things more resembling a Phi­losopher: he was liberal towards his friends, but not so careful as it be­came so great a Prince; for there were some who would wound his honor: he was very just to the Natives of the Provinces, and eased them from Taxes [Page 177] as much as could be: he was courte­ous to all men, but took little care of his Exchequer, very ambitious of glo­ry, which oftentimes transported his mind: he was too great a Persecutor of the Christians; yet so as he abstain­ed from putting any to death: he was not unlike M. Antoninus, whom he endeavoured to imitate. After Julian, Jovian, who at that time was one of the Guard, was elected Emperor by the Soldiers, more eminent by his Fa­thers commendation than by his own; who through the disorder of his af­fairs, and the want of provision in the Army, when he was overcome in seve­ral Battels by the Persians, made a ne­cessary, tho an ignoble peace with King Sapores, being forced to diminish the Confines, and to part with some of the Roman Empire, which in eleven hundred and eighteen years from the building of Rome, never hapned till his time. I confess our Legions were made slaves at the Town Caudium by Pontius Telesinus, in Spain also at Nu­mantia and in Numidia; yet no part [Page 140] of the Empire was surrendred. This condition of Peace ought not altoge­ther to have been blamed, if Jovian would have broke the necessity of his League, when it was fresh and in force, as the Romans have done in all these Wars, that I have given an account of; for War was forthwith brought upon the Samnites, the Numantians, and the Numidians; neither was there any Peace ratified. But he staying in the East, and fearing one that would rival him in his Empire, little consulted his own honor: wherefore in his march to Illyricum he suddenly died in the Con­fines of Galatia: he was a man nei­ther unactive nor imprudent. Many snppose he died of a Surfeit, for he lo­ved to indulge Feasting at Supper, others of the small of his Bed-chamber, which coming from the fresh plaister­ing of the Wall, was dangerous to such that lie there: some think he died by the fume of too many coals, which he commanded to be burnt, it being very cold. He died in the seventh month of his Reign, on the fourteenth [Page 133] of the Kalends of March; and as they who speak most probably in the three and thirtieth year of his age, and by the kindness of his Successors was dei­fied; for he was inclined to civility, and very liberal in his nature. This was the state of the Roman Empire, when this Jovian and Varronianus were Consuls in the eleven hundred and 19th. year, after the building of Rome. But since I am come to famous and ve­nerable Princes, I will put an end to my work; for I must speak of what remains in a more lofty stile, which I do not at this time so much omit, as reserve to be written more accu­rately.