CHAP. I. Of the first Coin amongst the Romans.

1. IT is agreed by all Authors, that before the use of Money all buying and sel­ling was Commutation of one Com­modity for another. But this manner being found inconvenient; because, First, It was almost impossible exactly to adjust the values of things; neither, Secondly, Could Commodities be so easily transported from place to place; many times also, Thirdly, The Ow­ner of what another stood in need of, did not value what that other had to spare; they de­vised and agreed upon one Commodity, which might be a common measure for the just esti­mating of all others. And this at first amongst the Romans (for the Eastern Nations had the use of Silver and Gold-Money long before, as [Page] appears by the Story of Abraham, Gen. 23. 16.) was Copper.

2. Now they made choice of a Metal ra­ther than any other Material, because it was frameable easily into any weight or figure; it would also endure longer, and not be so easily broken as Wood and many other things; and was in sufficient quantity, which Jewels were not, and yet not so plentiful as other Stones.

3. And amongst Metals they made choice of Copper, I suppose, because there was great­er plenty and greater use of it than of other Metals; most of their Utensils, and Arms, de­fensive especially, being made of it.

So that it being of universal use, every one was ready to exchange for it what he had su­perfluous. And at first it was exchanged by weight in equality to the value of the thing re­ceiv'd for it: Whence it comes, that in pay­ing, spending, &c. the words of Weight, impen­dere, expendere, appendere, &c. are still used. Hence also (i. e. from Copper, being the only money at first) comes aes, aes alienum, obaerati, aerarium, &c. to signifie not for Brass, but Mo­ney in general.

4. But because they found it very inconve­nient still to be weighing, Posterity devised to set a publick Stamp on certain pieces, which should declare their weight; and this in Rome was begun (as some say) by Numa Pompilius, from whose Name they will have it call'd Nummus: But as Pliny, l. 18. c. 3. by Servius Tullus, who marked the Images of an Ox, a Sheep, a Swine; either in imitation of the A­thenian [Page 3] Coyn, or in reference to their value; that so many of such a Mark ordinarily bought an Ox, a Sheep, or an Hog. Hence it was call'd Pecunia. The pieces thus stamped (where­of none have been of a long time extant) were of divers weight; some of one pound call'd As, some of two pounds call'd Dupondium, o­thers of the parts of an As, which had each their several names. For their As or pound was divided into twelve parts, one Ounce was call'd Uncia.

• Sextans was 2 ounces or 1/6 of an As.
• Quadrans was 3 ounces or ¼ of an As.
• Triens 4 ounces or ⅓ of an As.
• Quincunx 5 ounces.
• Semis, Selibra 6 ounces, half an As.
• Sextunx 7 ounces, or 6 and 1 ounce.
• Bes 8 ounces or ⅔ of an As.
• Dodrans 9 ounces or ¾ of an As.
• Dextans 10 ounces or Sextans subducted from an As.
• Deunx 11 ounces or Uncia de Asse.

5. Nor had the Romans any other Brass Mo­ney than this, which was very inconvenient by reason of the weight; so that they were wont to bring their Contribution Money to the Treasury in Carts, and it was deservedly call'd aes grave, [which was the reason that they were not so much concern'd who coined Mo­ney; and that they took thence Money for publick occasions; which, if in Bullion, was coined to make it currant amongst the people] [Page 4] for any thing I can discover, till the first Car­thaginian War; when the Treasury being ex­hausted, and the Commonwealth much in­debted; they raised the value of their Coyn, ordering that an As should but weigh 2 Oun­ces, and so be Sextantarius; so that of every As was made 6, of which the Commonwealth got five. And then, as it seemeth, began their Mo­ney (probably after the Example of Sicily, some parts of Greece, and most of Italy) to be stam­ped with the Image of two-faced Janus on the one side, and the Beak of a Ship in the greater, and the Stern in lesser, pieces of Coyn.

6. But afterwards when they were brought to that great distress by Hannibal, Q. Fabius Max. being Dictator, they were again lessened; and the As was made of the weight of one ounce, and after a while by the Papyrian Law of half an ounce: and of these they coyn'd not only ounces, but halves ¼^s ¾^s for the great­er ease of the people, as appears by the Marks which we see upon the Consular Brass Money, (tho this Money be now found rarely) amongst the which was the Quadrans ratitus, pay'd or­dinarily for their passage by water from the City to Mount Aventine, then separated by a Ponds or Marshy Lake; upon this was the Stern of a Rates or Ferry-boat, as upon the As was that of a Ship.

7. In the Year V. C. (of the City's building) 484. five years before the first Carthaginian War, was coyn'd the first Silver after the Pat­tern of the Sicilians; and the Denarius was made [Page 5] equal to 10 Asses, and therefore had this Mark X or ♓, which Priscian calls Perscriptum, the Quinarius or Victoriatus to 5, and Sestertius to 2, and ½ or ¼ of a Denarius, which seems very strange that 1/84 of 1 l. at most in Silver, should be of equal value to 10 l. of Brass, that is, one pound of Silver to 840 l. of Brass; and this disproportion probably caused the lessening of their Brass Coyn before-mentioned, which was done not long after.

8. But afterwards in the great necessity of the City, in the second Carthaginian War, as they rais'd the value of their Brass Money, so did they also of their Silver; making the De­narius equal to 16 Asses, the Quinarius to 8, and the Sestertius to 4, as by the Marks on some of those Coyns appeareth. And I know not whe­ther those Rates were much altered till Justi­nian's time.

9. Concerning the Weight of the Denarius, Peireskius was of Opinion, and perhaps not without Reason; that the first Denarii were six to an ounce, or 72 to a pound or Mna Attica; but the latter were manifestly 7 to an ounce, or 84 to a pound. Al [...] è pondere subtrahunt, cum sit iustum 84 E libris signari, saith Pliny l. 33. c. 9. and tho the Denarius of the Emperors was chang'd according to the Exigences of State, yet seldom exceeded the seventh part of a Ro­man Ounce, nor less than an eighth, making sometimes 86. 88, and so to 96, rarely a 100 Denarii in 1 l. and that only after Nero's time.

10. In Valuation as Coyn, the Denarius and Drachma Atticum was all one, tho not so in [Page 6] weight; the Denarius weighing about 63 of our grains, the Drachma about 67, of the same weight is a Drachma of Gold, such were the Aureus Philippicus, Daricus, &c. [...] was 2 Drachma's, Stater was 4 Drachmaes equal to a Shekel, 10000 Drachmaes were equal to one Talent. An Attick Ounce made 8 Drachma's; so that it should seem that the Attick and Ro­man Ounces were different. A Drachme of Silver is worth of English Money 8, q^a q. The Denarius Consularis 7^d ob. q^a allowing 8 grains to an English Penny at 5 s. per Ounce.

Villalpandus saith, that the Roman Ounce, Pound, &c. are the same which are now used in Rome, but Savot contradicts him, tho I can­not make out the difference; for he saith on­ly, that an ancient Roman pound was equal to 10 ounces ¼ French.

Mr. Greaves saith, that an old Roman pound, &c. weigheth 5246 English Grains, of which our pound Troy weigheth 5760; so that the dif­ference of these Pounds is 514 grains.

11. LXII years after the Coyning of Silver, i. e. anno V. C. 546. (tho Pliny in another place saith it was, and it is more probable it should be only XIII) anno V. C. 496. they began to stamp Gold, also (Plin. l. 33. c. 3.) much­what with the same Stamps as the Silver, but one Aureus, or Denarius aureus, for so it is also call'd, weighed ordinarily 2 Denarii of Silver, or 6 Scrupula (the Silver Denarius weighing 3) and was ordinarily worth 24 Denarii; so that that Ration of Gold to Silver was 12 to one. But it should seem that the number of [Page 7] Aurei out of 1 l. varied as the Denarii of Silver, for when there were 96 in 1 l. of Silver, there were of Gold 48: and tho divers Authors say 50, yet it should seem those 2 were only for the coyning or clipping Money; so that tho the Gold in an Aureus was worth but 24 De­narii, yet an Aureus coyned was current for 25 Denarii or 100 Sesterces. And this was the or­dinary proportion and manner in the time of the Emperors, but at first (as Pliny saith) this proportion was not the same, but the Gold was heavier, and they made fewer out of one 1 l. I think it not worth labour to examine this obscure matter any further; and also if in this whole Discourse I have not every where hit this Truth, I beg your pardon; I have to my best ability set down what I found most probable; but the value of their Money was so often changed, their counting also by Sesterces so ob­scure and intricate; Authors also making use of numeral Letters in transcribing and printing are so corrupted, besides the difficulty of the Matter it self, that Learned men in these later Ages cannot agree about either the number or weight of their Coyns, as you will see if you please to take the pains to read amongst many, these the most Eminent, Budaeus, Geor. Agri­cola, Hottoman, and our Mr. John Greaves.

12. Till Severus Alexander's time there doth not seem to have been any Pieces coyned but the Aureus, but he began to coyn Semisses and Tremisses, and then probably began the Aureus to be commonly call'd Solidus (tho the word be found also in Adrian's time) in respect of [Page 8] the others, which were but parts; till his time also the Gold was very good near 24 Caracts fine, which was call'd Obrizum, at (que) illum, ut qui simili colore rubeat, saith Pliny, quo ignis, Obryzum vocant. But in Sueton the word is otherwise; for he saith, Nero exegit nummum asperum (rospo) [the roughest, best and new­est Coyn]; Argentum pustulatum [which the French call Argent de Grenaille, and that is thus; When the Refiners take Silver once refined, melt it again in a Wind-furnace, keeping it melted a long time, scumming still the Litharge from it, (which they make to rise by casting in Coal-dust) so long till they see their Silver fine and clean; they then cast it into a Pale of clean water, which makes the Silver fall down in little drops and bubbles, which they call Grenaille, we call it garbled, and the La­tins Argentum pustulatum] & Aurum ad obrusam [i. e. purisied or perfectly fined, which now a­days they call 24 Caracts sine] but he [Severus Alexander] (tho in his Medals call'd (for what reason I know not, tho I am consident that admirable Prince did nothing in ostentation) Restitutor monetae) abased it; and coined some­times Electrum, which is about 19 Caracts; P. lin. l. 33. c. 4. saith, it is a fifth part Silver, quod [Argentum] si quintam partem excesserit, in­eudibus non resistit. His Silver also was bad, some of it not above 4 ounces fine; yet I find not but that he kept the former weight of the Au­reus, as did the succeeding Emperors till Constan­tine the Great, who made 84 out of a pound. But Valentinian heightned them somewhat again, [Page 9] making 72 out of 1 l. which is the reason why in the later Latin Authors Solidu [...] is call'd Sex­tula, because six of them were made out of one ounce.

13. At first the Denarius had on one side the Head of Roma, on the other Castor and Pollux, as the Victoriatus had a Victoria. Afterward retai­ning the Head of Rome, or some other God, they stamped the reverse with a Biga or Qua­driga, i. e. Chariots drawn with two or four Horses, whence they were call'd Bigati & Quadrigati. But afterwards [as it seems to me] (for it is generally affirmed by Learned Au­thors, that the stamping their Names or Devi­ces upon the Coin was granted as an Honour by the Senate to such Persons as had done some famous Exploit, or notable Service for the Commonwealth; which tho perhaps it may be true in some very-very few Causes, as for instance, Sueton, c. 94. speaks of Augustus con­sulting an Astrologer together with Agrippa: Tantam mox fati fiduciam Augustus habuit, ut nummum argenteum notâ Sideris Capricorni, quo natus est, percusserit; then was Augustus under nineteen years old. Great persons, which were no Magistrates (and not Magistrates only) had liberty to coin Money; or at least Medals or Donaria: and if thus, it will follow, that they made such Donaria upon several occasions, as Birth of Children, &c. Perhaps the Triumviri coin'd the ordinary Money, what other per­sons stamped was for Donatives and extraor­dinary; or not much unlike to what is now in Moscovy, certain Officers to coin the publick [Page 10] Money, but every man might coin his own; yet in the general, as I said, it seems to me that the Officers of the Mint had liberty to put what stamp themselves pleas'd upon the Coin; which was frequently somewhat to their own Honour. For besides that, we find very few or no Coins of the famousest men, as of Scipio, Sylla, Marius, Flaminius, &c. before Ju­lius Caesar (who indeed, saith Dio, l. 44. had that Priviledge given him by the Senate, to have his Image upon the Coin in his life time) so have we still the Names of one or more Mint-masters, with Reverses sometimes allu­ding to their Names, as the Lartch-tree to La­riscolus, an Ox or Calf to Vitellius, somewhat of Medicine to Acilius, and the like; or to the Honour of their Family or Country: as Pomponius put upon his Coin Numa Pompilius; Titurius stamped Tatius the first King of the Sabines; or somewhat of their own Exploits, as Metellus stamped an Elephant, divers others Victories, and the like. And this continued a good part of Augustus's time, even as long as the Triumviri put their Names upon the Coin with Augustus's Head.

14. There were in the City certain Officers on purpose to overlook the Mint, who were Magistratus minores. Cic. de leg. lib. 3. called Curatores Denariorum flandorum: how many at first I know not, but afterwards there were three of them called Triumviri: A. A. A. F. F. F. i. e. AEre, Argento, Auro, flando, feriendo, faciun­do till Julius Caesar's time, who increased their number, making them IIII-Viri, and so that [Page 11] number continued till after the Victory of Au­gustus at Actium; when the Quatuorviri were again reduced to Triumviri, and so they con­tinued. These Officers were chosen ex ordine Equestri, and coined sometimes the publick Money, which is expressed thus EX A. P. sometimes also (tho as I said, seldom) the Se­nate ordered the Inscription, and then there is SC upon it; but it should seem most com­monly the Bullion of private persons, and the Inscription at their own discretion.

15. These were Officers in the City, but there was also Money coined in divers Provin­ces, Colonies, and Municipia; and it was a Privilege granted to them, as also to some private men, if that place in Suetonius Tiber. c. 49. be so to be understood. Plurimis civita­tibus & privatis veteres immunitates & jus Me­tallorum (which if not coining, I know not what it is) & Vectigalium adempta. Particularly the Officers General of their Armies coined Money very frequently (as it should seem) for speedy payment of their Souldiers; as at Apo­lonia, Cic. Ep. fam. C. 13. L. Planco: and then the Duumviri or annual Governors of those places (representing the Consuls at Rome) mar­ked II viri or H viri; or the chief Magistrate of the place was Mint-master; as we see it frequently in the Greek Coins of the Roman Emperors.

16. It is also probable, that till Aurelians's time it was lawful, if not for all, yet for very many Persons and Cities to coin; perhaps all those who had Charges of high Priesthood and [Page 12] Sacrifices: which is the reason of such diver­sity of Coins and Medals before his time. It should seem also, that Aurelian reduced the Privilege of Coining to a few Cities, per­haps to those named in notitiâ Imperii; which might be the cause of the great and difficult War he had with the Monetarii, of whom 40000 perished. Hence in and after his time, and not, or rarely, before, Sacra Moneta, i. e. which belong to the Exchequer to coin: few Greek Coins also after that time, few or no Medail­lons, and little variety of Reverses; the Exche­quer coining all of a bigness, and with the same Stamps.

Now to what Cities the Minting was restrai­ned, is very uncertain: In the times of the later Emperors the Cities, which had the Pri­vilege of coining, put their Names to the Coin, or some other Mark with Letters; for what else those Letters in the Coins of the later Emperors should denote, I cannot imagine. Of such as set their Names, I have observed these: All with S. C. or with R, seem to have been coined at Rome, and commonly by good Masters.

• Con. Constantinopolis.
• Scis. Sciscia.
• Sir. Sirmium.
• Tr. Treviri.
• Arl. Arelate.
  Ln. I know not to which of these two it belong­ed.
• Lon. Londinum.
• Lug. Lugdunum.
• Nem. Nicomedia.
• [Page 13] Ant. Antiochia.
• Al. Alexandria.
• TES. perhaps Thessalonica.

Yet I am not satisfied with this Interpretation of the Letters on the Reverses of the later Em­perors, as if they signified the place where coined, for I see some of them that no man can so apply; and therefore, as I said, I sup­pose them rather Marks or private Notes.

SM. NM. perhaps Sac. Moneta Nova Me­diolanensis.

S. M. Sacra Moneta, Ob. obsignata, P. per­cussa, S. signata.

17. Some think that the Jews, till the destru­ction of the City, had liberty of coining their own Money, and with their own Stamp, which, say they, is the reason that we see so many Shekels. But I find in the New Testament only mention of Grecian, or Roman Money; and I am afraid many of those Shekels are counterfeit, Scaliger thinketh by the ancient Christians; but I am sure both by ancient and modern Jews, who are the greatest Falsifyers of ancient Coins, both Roman and Grecian as well as Jewish in the World, and this them­selves have confessed to me.

18. Divers Colomes (as Patrae and many others) had the Priviledge granted them, some­times by the Senate, sometimes by the Empe­ror to coin Brass Money, as appears by divers Spanish Medals in Ant. Augustinus: and in some [Page 14] of Augustus, and in those Medals D. D. signi­fies those Medals to have been coined Decreto Decurionum, or the chief Magistrates of such Colonies or Municipia.

CHAP. II. Of Medals.

THE later Italians call all those ancient Pieces Medaglie, quasi Metaglie, because made of Metal; which Name is still used to signifie such, whether Money, or other stam­ped or coined Pieces, as are reserved from Antiquity.

1. And of those, as I doubt not but (as AEneas Vicus, Savot, and others say) some were current Money; such were those which had sacra Moneta, or three Women representing the three Materials of Coin; or some one or more of the III-virs Names with A. A. A. Those which have the Mark of any part of an As, and generally all the lesser sizes; all very much worn; all of bad Masters, as are most of those by the Grecian Cities of the Roman Emperors, and such also (saith Cellini) as have but a shal­low impression; for Medals (as being for or­nament more than use) were made with great­er care and expence.

So they will also confess, that not all, which now we have, were ordinary Coin: as, 1. Not [Page 15] the greater sort, which the Italians call Me­daglioni, many of which weigh 2 ounces and ½. 2. Not such as have about them a Circle of some other Metal than the Medal it self, which the Italians call Cotorniate, or Contornate: those (as they say) were either Missilia, Donatives, or Testimonia probatae Monetae, which the French call Pieds forts, or Essays of their Workman­ship presented to the Prince and Persons of greatest Quality, which is the reason there are so few of them; especially those so accurately wrought, that some have thought that they made no more than one with one stamp. The reason why I conceive those not to be Coin is, because they cost more making than they could be worth in common usage; and for the same reason they must also grant that all of extraor­dinary Workmanship; as also those of Corin­thian Brass (if any such, of which by and by) and in fine, whatever would not quit cost were also for other uses than current Money. And this is also confirmed by what is confessed of the Writers of those matters; that the Medals of the former Emperors were not current in the times of the later, who yet restamped ma­ny of them: and it is observed, that some of the Emperors after Severus, probably Gallie­nus, stamped a new Medals of all the consecra­ted Emperors, yet not so lively as the former, but having their Faces somewhat mingled with the Tracts of the then present.

2. It is worth inquiring what uses they made of them, and to what end they coined those beautiful and costly Medals, I shall propose: [Page 16] 1. That they were much taken with the Excel­lency of the Workmanship, and that after­wards they wore them about their Necks: D. L. 7. tit. 1. l. 28. Nomismatum aureorum vel argen­torum veterum, quibus pro gemmis uti solent, usus­fructus legari potest. Glossa; animi voluptatem, de­lectationem, & recreationem pro fructu haberi. And tho here be mention only made of gold and silver ones, yet 'tis not improbable those also of Corinthian Brass, if any such, or other Brass gilt (of which sort there are many) were also for the same use: Suet. Aug. cap. 75. Saturnalibus & si quando alias libuisset, modo mu­nera dividebat, vestem, & aurum, & argentum, modo nummos omnis not [...] etiam veteres, regios, & peregrinos; therefore Medals in that time were in great request; which also is collected out of his Tib. c. 58. Capitale esset nummo vel annulo Effigiem Augusti impressam Latrinae aut Lupanari intulisse; wherefore either he speaks of some extraordinary Stamp, and not of the Money ordinarily stamped with the Image of Augu­stus; but that those so stamped were of more Respect and Dignity, and for Donaria; or that there was great quantity of other Money not so stamped. Besides see in Nero, c. 11. the great profuseness of Nero in his Missilia, Vest is, Aurum, Argentum, &c. But this could not be the principal intention of their making. Be­sides therefore the formerly mention'd purpo­ses; I conceive the Princes themselves caused them to be made for the conservation of their Names and great Actions. For which they chose Brass rather than Iron, because more [Page 17] easie to work, not so subject to rust, and more beautiful; rather than Gold and Silver, because the Workmanship being of more value than the Metal, was likely to escape the Goldsmiths fire, the prodigal hand of a careless Heir, the subtlety of the Thief, and the transportation of the Merchant. Now I conceive this to be their intention, because we see them so excellently wrought; all signal Actions with the exact ob­servation of Time, &c. and many times the Au­thority of the Senate fixed upon them; which being frequenter (S. C.) upon the large Brass Medals than upon Silver and Gold, intimates that there was some greater value set upon these than the other. Besides, few Inscriptions there are either in Gold or Silver, which are not also in Brass, but many in Brass, which are neither in Gold nor Silver. The Cotorniate also are all in Brass; the Figures in Brass are better cut; the Erudition also greater; to which add, that few, if any, Greek Medals, and Medals of Colonies of the Emperors in any but Brass; and then you have also the reason why greater account is generally made in these times of Brass-medals then either of Gold or Silver.

3. Medals of Copper are of divers sorts, chiefly three, Red, Yellow, and White. Red is ordinary Copper, of which there were di­vers sorts, as you may see in Pliny, l. 33. c. 1, 2. I think it not worth time to stand upon them. White was either Copper silver'd o're, or min­gled with Tin, and that either whitened after they were coined, perhaps as we do now Studs [Page 18] and Nails, &c. as it is manifest in some of Aure­lian, Probus, and that time, or else before; of which sort there are some in the first part of the Empire, chiefly in the Coins of the exter­nal Cities of Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, and so to the Antonini, the which also are not of any good Master, and therefore not counterfeited. Yellow also is of several sorts, 1. Red or Cop­per gilt, 2. a real Gold-colour throughout, 3. Brass or Kettle-metal, 4. bright yellow Copper gilt, 5. Brass or Kettle-metal gilt. 6. Pot or Candlestick-metal which is mingled with Tin or Lead. Till Severus Alex. most of the Coins are of some of the five first, but after him almost all of the last sort and worst. The second and third sort are they which go under the name of Corinthian Brass, concerning which Authors disagree. For Savot saith plainly, there are none extant either of true Corinthian Brass (i. e.) such as was made accidentally at the bur­ning of Corinth by L. Mummius, where all the Statues of Gold, Silver and Brass running to­gether, made a very beautiful and much-prized Composition, or of such as was made in imi­tation of it; but those that seem so, saith he, are either Brass gilded, and not mingled in the melting; or else such as have that beautiful yellow colour from the Calaminaris, which some Copper imbibes better than other; as Pliny, lib 34. c. 2. observes of Livianum and Cordubense, which, saith he, were near as good as natural Orichalcum (which before his time was failed) and of these he noteth, that smal­ler [Page 19] Money was made, but the Asses of Cyprus-Brass. But other Authors affirm, that there are Medals extant of Corinthian Brass, and those of three sorts: The first is of divers colours, white and yellow, as it were inlaid; caused probably, because the Metals mingled in pie­ces, the fire not being sufficient to melt them down; of this matter very few, yet some of Tiberius, C. Caesar and Claudius they say they are. The second sort is white, in which the Silver predominated, these also very rare. The third sort is of the colour of Gold, of which (saith AEneas Vicus) there are many of Tiberius and till the Antonines, but none afterwards. These Medals also are, as he saith, of Excel­lent Masters, and are also much prized. How to determine the Controversie, I know not, I confess I never saw any of the three sorts to my best remembrance, yet methinks 'tis hard to maintain a Negative against them, who pretend to know and to have seen them.

4. Amongst the Silver-coins many are found of Iron and Brass within, and covered with a thin Plate of Silver; which was the reason, that to discover this fraud, they filed them in small notches, and call'd them Serratos; and (as Tacitus notes) were in reputation amongst the Germans. Pecuniam probant veterem, ac diu notam, Serratos, Bigatos (que). De Moribus Germ. Tho Ful. Vrs. interprets Serratos such as had Saws stamped upon them, of which sort are very few, if any. M. Antonius is noted to have used this fraud, as also Livius Drusus to have [Page 20] mingled ⅛ of Brass with the Silver; but in later times Princes have taken care to make their Coin thinner, for the avoiding this Abuse.

CHAP. III. Of false, counterfeit, modern and rare Medals.

1. IN the late renovation of Learning divers persons, inquiring into Antiquity, took notice of the advantage to be received from Medals, towards the perfecting History, and understanding the ancient Customs of the Ro­mans, began to search after them with great curiosity; and procured them at very great Rates, which was the cause that several Work­men, in hope of gain, set their minds to coun­feit them. Such were Victor Gambello; Giovan­ni del Cavino, and his Son call'd Padoani, very excellent, yea the best Workmen, and whose Counterfeits are better than the Originals ma­ny times, by which and by their forked Let­ters they are discovered; Benevenuto Cellini that excellent Goldsmith; Alexander Greco; Leo Aretine; Jacopo da Tresso; Frederick Bonzagna, and Giovan-Jacapo his Brother; Sebastian Plu [...] ­bo; and Valerius de Vicenza, Gorlaeus also; and 'tis now a Trade amongst the Jews more than the Christians. But these are more tolerable, who [Page 21] did only remake ancient true Medals, than T. Annius Viterb. who himself, besides Medals, framed Inscriptions of his own imagination, and buried them in convenient places, that when they seemed ancient, he might find, pre­sent, and vend them to the World, as he did his Berosus, &c. The same abuse of describing false Coins for true is also said to be in Gue­vara's Epistles, Jov. Pontanus his Venditionis Formula; Pompon. Laetus his Will, Joh. Camers, Cyr. Anconitanus call'd the Antiquary and the Promptuarium Iconum, by which two last many Authors, especially the Spanish, have been misled.

2. The first who set out the Effigies of the Emperors and other famous Persons, was Card. Sadolet, or (as some say) Fulvius Ursinus (for under his Name the Book goes) under the Title of Illustrium Imagines printed Andreas Fulvius, not Fulvi­us Ursinus. Vide Ge [...] ­neri Bi­bliot. à Simlero edit. & Phil Labbe Bibliothe­cae Num­mar [...]ae. Part 1. anno 1517. or perhaps next to him Joan. Hut­tichius put out a Book call'd Imperatorum Ro­manorum libellus un [...] cum imaginibus, &c. at Stras­bourg, anno 1525. and in other places after­wards, the Figures nothing like those upon their Medals. Jac. Strada, anno 1553. at Ly­ons published his Epitome Thesauri Antiquit atum. This Work was again imitated at Zurich, anno 1558. and afterwards by Rouille at Lyons under the name of Promptuarium Numismatum. Stra­da is but indifferently faithful, and this Edi­tion especially hath added many false Images and Medals: by the way also note, that the Book of Inscriptions printed at Rome in Leo X's [Page 22] time, is censured to be corruptly printed.

3. Now the ways of falsifying them are these: 1. By filing of the halves of two Me­dals, whereof one side is wasted, and sodering them together. This is discerned easily, because many times the two parts do not belong to the same Emperor, nor are of the same Master; but chiefly because the conjunction appears by a white or silver Thread (for their Soder is made of that Metal) round about the Edge. 2. If an ancient Medal be almost consumed by working it over again with a Burin or graving Tool, and reingraving the worn Figures; if well done, these are not [...]uch inferior to true ones: but are known, because the middle is more hollow than the edges. 3. By restamp­ing a Medal worn on both or one side; or by stamping a new Medal, by which means most of the modern ones are made; if on one side, they lay a Felt under the other side, notwith­standing which, that side will be flat and bat­tered whilst the other is fresh and rough: if both sides be new stamped, the Traits will be crude and apparent, besides that the new Scul­pture is of another Mine than the ancient: the Letters made with another proportion, the M^s straight down, whereas all the Ancients are M. And by the writing are they well dis­cerned, for the Letters of the ancient are not uniform, nor very decent: Seeing, as Cellini very acutely observes, they graved all their Molds with Chisels or Burins, whereas the late Counterfeiters struck theirs with a Punch. But [Page 23] the best way is that which Pliny saith, l. 33. c. 9. by comparing them with other modern and counterfeit ones. In hâc artium solâ Vitia discuntur, & falsi denarii spectatur exemplar, plu­ribus (que) veris denariis adulterinus emitur. 4. By casting a new Medal upon an ancient one; to distinguish these, you must take notice, that Learned men do conceive the manner of coin­ing, especially great Medals, was anciently to melt the Metal, and cast it into Molds like a Ball, or Bullet, and then being hot, to stamp them flat with a great and heavy Hammer (such a one as we see upon some Medals) whence it comes, that most of the Medals have clefts in the Edges, caused by the force of the Instru­ment, which the cast ones do not well repre­sent. Besides, the melted Metal doth not so well and distinctly receive the minute Traicts of the stamp. Again, be the Spaud never so fine, there will appear small roughnesses as of Sand upon the cast Piece; nor can the best Caster in the most accurate flaskes hinder, that there shall not be little Edges of Metal to be filed away; the cast ones also are lighter than the true. 5. Lastly, by filling up a corroded Medal with a certain strong Paste, and casting over all a thick Varnish made of Sulphur, Ver­digrease and Vinegar; which when you see you must suspect, and trying with any sharp In­strument easily discover the fraud.

4. To give Rules sufficient for discerning of all false Medals is impossible, yet some few I will set down. 1. All which have moral sen­tences [Page 24] upon them; as Festina lente; Veni, vi­di, vici, and the like, are false: there being ordinarily nothing but the Names, Titles, Time, Offices, &c. of the Prince, &c. 2. All or the greatest part of the Ancients, who were not Sovereign Princes, or who lived in Common­wealths are counterfeit, as of Hannibal, Plato, Alcibiades, Nero, which Petrus Galilaeus sold to Paul IV. at a vast rate, Artemisia, Fabius, Sci­pio Africanus, and the like: also Medalions of Priamus, Dido, &c. also the large ones of Carluas M. with a long Beard, and Gothick Inscription. 3. Divers of the Augustae in AEneas Vicus (i. e.) such as he confesseth to have taken out of Promptuarium Iconum. 4. All the ancient gold Coins were fine, and if not fine, not ancient. 5. To say somewhat of the Value of them, ob­serve these Rules: 1. Modern Medals well cast upon ancient ones, if cleansed and hansomed, are the best of all counterfeits, and may serve very well to fill up a Series. 2. Modern Me­dals stamped of a good Master after ancient ones, and of a good representation are the next best, and are more worth than a common an­cient one. Modern ones also stamped upon an ancient one defaced, are better than of mo­dern Metal. 3. Of all modern Counterfeiters the Padoani are the best, and their Works, especially such as were stamped when the Stamps were fresh, are much esteemed.

5. It is very hard to cleanse a Brass Medal from Earth and Rust, some boil them half an hour in Water with Tartar, and a little Alom, [Page 25] after they are cold rub them well with Tanners Oaze or with Bran; others pass them over lightly with Aqua fortis, but this is dangerous, and by no means to be used in such as are of mixed Metals; others put them in the fire, but that commonly spoils them; others rub them with Tripoly or a Wire-brush; but the best way is with the Burin or Graving tool for them that know to use it and have the patience.

6. Medals are esteemed, 1. for their Anti­quity, 2. for the goodness of their Master; the best Masters were from Nero to Pertinax, a time of long Peace, 3. for their well-conserva­tion, cleanness, and beauty, 4. for their great­ness, 5. for their Erudition, 6. for their rarity, 7. to make up a Series. Now these Rules are observed by men of the Trade concerning their rareness and value.

7. The Medals are rare, when of a Person who reigned but a short time; or but few made of him, or one that is singular of an Emperor of whom there are many common. Medals Contorniate, tho of a bad Master, are rare and very much esteemed, so are they which have the Face hollow, such also as have two Heads upon them, whether on the same or divers sides; such as have the bust or good part of the Body with the Head; such are ma­ny of those who were only Caesar's, and not Augustus's, which have no Reverses, save only an Inscription. The Medals of the lower Em­perors in great, and of the higher in little, are rarer. Great Greek Medals of the Emperors [Page 26] are not much more esteemed than the lesser, be­cause of their ill Masters. Great Consular Me­dals rare, if any at all. Medaglions of Gold and Silver very rare, if any at all, of Brass also rare: Which to understand, take notice there are four bignesses of Medals, 1. Medaglions, 2. great Medals which have frequently S. C. upon them, 3. mean, 4. small ones. The exact bigness of each, tho both Goltzius and Ant. Augustinus set down, yet I think them not exact enough to give them here. Note al­so, that they are dearer in some places than others; either according as they find Chap­men, or are known, or that the Emperors lived there; as here Carausius and Allectus are not scarce, which in other places are counted very rare.

CHAP. IV. Of Greek Coins.

1. BEfore we come to the Roman, it will not be amiss to speak somewhat of the Greek Coins, supposing what we hinted be­fore, that those with the Figures of the ancient Athenian and Lacedaemonian Generals, the large ones with the Temple of Diana, Mausolaeum, Q. Dido, Priamus, and the like, are all false; and that there is no true Medal of Moses, or the Kings of Caldaea, Judaea, &c. we will speak only of the unsuspected.

2. The Gold-Coins, whether Darici, Philip­pei, Alexandrei, or others, were much what of the same Value and Weight, to wit, about 133 ½ gr. English, or 179 gr. of Holland equal in weight to the Didrachma, but in value 20 Drachmae of Silver. So that it appears their Gold had decuple Ration to their Silver, and that five Darici were worth a Mna or Mina which was 100 Drams. The Attick [...] was ½ of an ounce; and somewhat heavier than the Roman Denarius, tho among the Romans (the [...] being a Foreign Coin) they pas­sed promiscuously one for the other. The Drachma contained [...] (Scruples) 3. [...] (oboli) 6. [...] (lupuli) 9. [...] (sili­quas) [Page 28] 18. [...] (aereola) 48. [...] was two Drachmaes. And [...] 4 Drams was call'd Stater. The Drachma weighs less than 70 English gr. and the best [...] (Pallas ℞ à noctua) about 268 gr.

3. The Greek Coins were either of Kings and Princes, or Republicks; for I shall speak of such as were coined under the Roman Em­perors in their proper places Nor will I di­stinctly set down the Grecian from the Sicilian and Italian-Magna-Graecia ones. The Coins of the Kings are more rare in Brass than in Silver, but of the Republicks rarer in Silver than in Brass. The Greek ones of the Roman Emperors are very rare in Silver, and I know not whe­ther any at all in Gold; all in a manner of bad Masters: Some there are, but rarely, which are Greek on one side, and Latin on the other: Some, tho Greek, have Latin In­scriptions, as Suessano, M [...]nturnens, &c. This Catalogue I have taken chiefly out of Goltzius. Paruta (who hath written of the Sicilian Me­dals) I have not yet seen.

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[Page 34]

[Page 43] These which are Asterisced are not in Golt­zius's greater Work, but in that which is as it were an Index to all the rest; howbeit tho they are not described in his Book, yet divers of them are not very rare: As also there are divers Coins of those Cities he sets down not described in him. As,

Catana in Sicily had on one side the two Bro­thers carrying their aged Parents upon their shoulders out of the burning.

Tenedos, a double or two-edged Hatchet; ℞ an Head of a Man and Woman, in Memo­ry of a Law made by King Tennes, that a man and woman taken in Adultery should have their heads struck off with an Hatchet; his own Son being afterwards taken in the fact, he was consulted what should be done with him, and answered, Let the Law be executed, which accordingly was, and this Tennes afterwards Deified.

Corinth had Bellerophon killing a Chimaera. Bellerophon was a beautiful young Man of Co­rinth, who being tempted by Stenobaea; or, as some call her, Arria the Wife of Praetus, and refusing her, by her was accused to her Husband, as if he had endeavoured to have forced her; Praetus sent him to Jobates his Fa­ther-in law, who, to rid himself of him the more handsomly, sent him to subdue Chimaera, a Mountain in Lycia, the lowest part whereof was infested with Lyons and Serpents, the mid­dle part was good Pasturage, and the top fla­med [Page 44] as Vesuvius; but the young Man returned with Honour, having rendred the Mountain habitable, and was therefore very much honou­red by his Country-men. Where you see twi­sted Serpents, 'tis commonly, if not always, a Cretan Coin.

Greek Coins commonly have the Name of the City that coined them set upon them, and therefore are easie to be known. Besides what are here named, they find others very frequently.

CHAP. V. Of Family or Consular Coins.

1. THere are very many Roman Coins, the age whereof is uncertain; but are ge­nerally supposed to be before Julius Caesar, to which difficulty we shall speak by and by: and they were at first collected by Fulvius Ursinus in his excellent Work; who found no other ad­vantage, beside the Reverses to be made by them, and that to discover the Roman Families; and according to those Families, he ranketh them Alphabetically, which is the reason they are called Coins of the Families: And so great was his diligence, that I have not read nor met with any could scarce add one Medal of any one Family, he hath not set down; except one Betiliena and two or three lately added by Mon­sieur Seguin: Gorlaeus indeed hath pretended an addition to him; but he hath only more Coins of the same Families, and such are not rare; but of another Family he hath not added any Monsieur Patin since the writing of this, hath somewhat augmented Fulvius Ursinus's Colle­ction; and Morellius in his late Book, promiseth to add a Third Part more. And the Architetto Generale of the Kingdom of Naples, a very Cu­rious and Ingenious Gentleman, hath given us hopes that he will discover some others. But Golt­zius coming after, and thinking [Page 46] this an inferiour and by intention, was or­dered by his Patron Marc. Laurinus to reduce them to the Consuls; and so they come to be called Consular Coins. An undertaking, which was indeed impossible to come to good effect; for this he doth, when he finds upon the Coin any Name which in the Fasti he finds to be the Name of a Consul, he immediately attributes that Coin to him. But, First, The Power of Coin­ing was not in the Consuls, but in the Trium­viri; and therefore the Names upon the Coins, are in all probability, the Names of some of the Triumviri that coined that Piece; be­cause that upon many of them it is so set down; and we have no reason to imagine, that the rest were any others. Secondly, The Ro­mans had very frequently divers men of the same Name: and therefore, though sometimes, it is possible Goltzius might hit upon the truth, yet it is then but by accident, only when the Mint-Master was afterwards made Consul; for he could not have any good Conjecture (much less Certainty) that such a Coin belonged to such a Person. Thirdly, Besides there was no intention in the Coining, to refer them to Consuls, since there is ordinarily upon them but one Name; and many times Q. or P. (i. e.) Quaestor or Praetor, which were Offices incom­patible with the Consulship. Now it is likely, that either the Triumviri had some of those Offices also; or that some of their Families or near Relations had born those Offices; and done also those eminent Actions, which are di­vers times described upon the Coins: So that [Page 47] the Inscription was in the Power of the Mint-Master, except where something was particu­larly ordered by the Senate; and then S. C. is set upon it.

2. Yet there are some Learned Men, who think none of these Coins ancienter than Au­gustus Caesar; and that they were Coined in the Municipia, upon occasion of their Solemnities, as Games, Sacrifices, &c. because we find sometimes II-Vir upon them; and they seem to be of a la­ter and better Letter. But it seems to me, that ma­ny of them were ancienter, and coined at Rome: for the III-viri were Officers in the City only, as the II-viri were in the Municipia; and where we find II-viri, that Money was indeed stamped there; and commonly the Name of the City, is expressed or intimated upon it. 2. The Bigati and Quadrigati were certainly ancient Money of Rome: So Tacitus calls it pecuniam veterem ac diú notam. 3. Neither is the Name nor Head of the Emperour upon them, as was usually upon such Money as was Coined in their times, but the Head of Roma. 4. If the Municipia Coined such, and so many that remain, why not Rome many more? Then what is become of those infinite numbers of Denarii stamped be­fore the Emperours? 5. The Names of Offices, as Praetor, Quaestor upon some, and S. C. upon others, are sufficient Arguments, that they were Coined at Rome: to which add, that there is no Sign nor good Argument, to shew they were stamped any where else. Nor is the goodness of the Letters, sufficient to prove them [Page 48] Modern, since sometimes there were better, sometimes worse Masters: besides, many other occasions might intervene for the making the Stamps better or worse; tho indeed many of them are very bad: besides that, it is diffi­cult, if not impossible, to assign a short time, for the change of the Letters of a Language, one hundred years many times scarce making any difference.

3. I shall set these Coins down in the same order, as I find them in Fulvius Ursinus, that it may be easily known what is in him, and what Coins he omits; and consequently, are most rare. But for the better understanding of them, I will premise certain Considerations: as, First, That the Romans had ordinarily three Names. Proenomen, imposed at the taking the Toga Virilis (as the nomen was at the Dies Lustri­cus) ordinarily said to have been at first thir­teen. Appius, Decius, Aulus, Caius, Cnaeus, Lu­cius, Manius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Sextus, Spurius, Titus. Others add Cossus, Tiberius, Caeso (the praenomen of the Fabia Gens). Numerius, Mamercus (the praenomen of the Gens AEmilia.) Their nomen or Name of their Family, all of which, or very few excepted, end in ius, as Tul­lius, Vipsanius, Julius, &c. which was the same as of Tullus, of Vipsanus, of Julus, &c. Their cognomen or After-Name from some Action, Country, or Accident: and this was used to divide the Family into its branches, as Caesar, Cicero, Agrippa, &c. Some also had an Agnomen or Nick-name, but that was but seldom. 2. Be­fore [Page 49] the times of the Emperors, the adopted was ordinarily called by the Name of the Family of the Adopter; but afterwards they put the Names of their own Familes first, and after that of the Adopter.

3. At the foundation of Rome, Romulus di­vided all the Families of the Citizens into Patritios and Plebeios. Patritii were afterwards of two sorts, Majorum Gentium, which some say were only of those hundred Families made Patritii by Romulus; or, as others say, all that were admitted into the Order by any of the Kings. 2. Minorum Gentium, which some say were all not called Patritii by Romulus; others, those only, who were created after the time of the Kings. Nobiles were such, whether Patritii or Plebeii, as could shew the Images of their Ancestors; now none were suffered to have their Statues made, except such as had born the Offices to which belonged a Sella Curulis. All the rest, who obtained Offices, how great so­ever, and could not sh [...]w those Images (or­dinarily made in Wax) were called No [...]i, new or upstart persons. Colonia Patritia was such a one as consisted of Persons of better quality.

4. Romulus again divided the People accor­ding to their Wealth, for [...] Esta [...]e worth so much, was obliged to find a Horse, to serve on horse back in the Wars, and were called Equites, of which [...] [...], others Plebeii.

[Page 50] Familia Aburia pleb. Coins in Fulvius Ursinus of C. Aburius Geminus. M. Aburius Geminus.

Acilia pleb. Mu. Acilius Triumvir. the Reverse ordinarily somewhat in order to Health; the Name being derived from [...].

AElia. AILIA. Allia pleb. Q. AElius Lamia Tri­umvir. P. AElius Poetus. C. Allius Bala.

AEmilia patric. had divers Families known by the Sirnames Scauros. Paullos. Lepidos. Bucas. M. AE­milius Scaurus. M. AEmilius Lepidus. Paulus Lepidus. M. Lepidus Triumvir. R P C (reipub­licoe constituendae) with Augustus and M. An­tony. L. AEmilius Buca IV. vir. in Julius Cae­sar's time.

Afrania pleb. Sp. Afranius. L. Afranius literis Antiquis Graecis perhaps Pompey's Lieutenant in Spain.

Alliena. pleb. A. Allienus.

Annia. pleb. C. Annius T. F. T. N. (Titi Filius, Titi Nepos) Silius.

Annius Lamia Triumvir.

Antestia, sive Antistia. pleb. was divided into Re­ginos & Veteres. L. Antestius. C. Antestius. C. Anti­stius Reginus Triumvir. C. Antistius Vetus Tri­umvr [...].

Antia pleb. C. Antius Restio.

Antonia had two Families, Merenda, patric. the [Page 51] other pleb. the Sirname not known, M. Ant. Triumvir. R. P. C. of him very many. L. An­tonius Cos. Pietas: ita dictus ob pietatem erga fratrem. M. Anton. C. Antonius M. F. Q. Anto­nius Balbus.

Apronia. pleb. Sisenna Apronius Gala Messalla Tri­umvir.

Arria pleb. M. Arrius Secundus.

Asinia pleb. C. Asinius Gallus Triumvir.

Atilia had Families both patr. & pleb. M. Ati­lius Saranus pleb. C. Atilius.

Aurelia pleb. branched into the Cottae & Scauri. M. Aurelius Cotta. L. Cotta. M. Aurelius Scaurus.

Axsia pleb. L. Axsius Naso.

Boebia pleb. M. Boebius Tompilus.

Betiliena. AE. Betilienus Bassus Triumvir, This is not in Fulv. Ursinus.

Caecilia pleb. M. Caecilius Metellus. Q. Metellus. Q. Metellus Macedonicus had four Sons, three of whom seem to be expressed upon Coins. Marcus triumphed over Sardi [...]ia; his Coin hath an Elephants Head, perhaps for the famous Victory of L. Metellus over the Car­thagians in Sicily. A. V. C. 503. Caius sir­named Caprarius. Quintus called Balearicus because he triumphed over those Islands. Lu­cius called Dalmaticus, because he also t [...]ium­phed over Dalmatia. P. Cornelius Scipio Nasica, was called Q. Caecilius Metellus [...] Scipio, be­cause adopted bv Q. Metellus [...]. [Page 52] Cn. Foul. (Cn. Fulvius) M. Metellus C A (Calictus) Q. Metellus. M. Metellus.

Caecina. A. Caecina.

Caesia. L. Caecius.

Calidia patric. M. Calidius.

Calpurnia patric. branched into three Families, Pisonum, Bibulorum, Pisonum frugi, dicta à Calpo filio Numae regis. L. Piso. L. F. frugi, L. Piso frugi. C. Piso. L. F. frugi. M. Piso. M. F. frugi. L. Bibulus. C. N. CAEP. C. N. Piso. C. N. Piso Triumvir. Q. Piso Coepio.

Caninia had the Rebili Reguli. Galli & Labeones. L. Caninius Gallus Triumvir. L. Caninius Agrip­pa Duumvir. Corinth. Tempore Galbae.

Carisia. T. Carisius. P. Carisius.

Cassia had Sirnames Bicellini, who were patric Iaeni & Longini Plebeians: Q. Cassius. C. Cassius Longinus Triumvir. L. Cassius Q. F. C. Cassiu [...] Celer. Triumvir.

Coestia pleb. L. Caestius.

Cipia. M. Cipius.

Claudia had the Pulchri patric. Min. Gent. and the Marcelli Plebeians. M. Marcellus Cos. qui [...] quies. C. Marcellus. AP. Cla. T. M. Q. A [...] Ti. Claud. Ti. F. AP. N. P. Clodius. M. F. C. Cl [...] ­dius. C. Pulcher. Taurus Regulus Pulcher Tri [...] ­umvir.

Clovia. C. Clovius.

Cloulia, Claelia patric. C. Cloulius.

Cocceia, M. Nerva.

Coelia, pleb. C. Coelius Caldus. Caldus Triumvir C. Coil. Cald. L. Coil.

[Page 53] Considia, pleb. C. Considius Paetus. C. Considius N [...] ­nianus.

Coponia, C. Coponius.

Cordia, M. Cordus Rufus.

Cornelia, patric. had many branches, as the Bla­siones, Lentulos, Scipiones, Cinnas, Sisennas, A­quinos & Sullas. Cn. Blasio. Cn. F. P. SULLA. L. Sulla, Sulla Cos. Felix Faustus. Marcellinus (i. e. Cn. Corn. Lentulus Marcellinus.) Lentu­lus MR. F. Lucius Lentulus Marc. Cos. Sisena Cn. Cornelius. L. F. Cinna. Lentulus Spinter. P. Lent. P. F. Cossus Lentulus. Cossus Cn. F. Lentulus Balbus. P. Cornelius Blasio. The fif­teenth and sixteenth Coins of this Family in F. Ursinus, seem to be not of Sulla's Son, but of Jugurth. The one and thirtieth seems to be the Image of Corn. Cossas, who An. U. C. 325. slew Lartes Tolumnius King of the Veientes.

Cornificia, pleb. C. Cornificius Augur.

Cosconia, L. Cosconius M. F.

Cossutia, Q. Cossutius Maridianus Triumvir. L. Cos­sutius Sabula.

Crepereia, Q. Crepereius. M. F. Rocus.

Crepusia, P. Crepusius.

Cupiennia, L. Cupiennius.

Curiatia, pleb. C. Curiatius.

Curtia, Q. Curtius.

Didia, T. Deidi. T. Didius Imp.

Domitia, pleb. habuit Calvinos & Ahenobarbos. Cn. Domitius. L. Lic. Cn. Domit, Cn. Domitius [Page 54] Ahenobarbus. Domit. Cos. iter. Imp.

Durmia, M. Durmius Triumvir.

Egnatia, pleb. C. Egnatius. Cn. F. Cn. N. M. Eg­nat. Q. Oct. Duumvir.

Egnatuleta, L. Egnatuleius C. F.

Eppia, Eppius (Scipionis Legatus in Africâ.)

* Epria ap [...]d Seguin. Eprius Marcellus.

Fabia patric. had Labeones, Maximos & Pictores. Q. Fabius Labeo. Q. Maximus. N. Fab. Pictor. C. Fab. C. F. L. R. Q. M. L. Fab. L. F. Hisp.

Fabrinia. M. Fabrinius.

Fannia, pleb. M. Fan. C. F. M. Fan. L. C R I.

Farsuleta, L. Farsuleius Mensor.

Flaminia, pleb. L. Flamin. Cilo. L. Flamin. Chilo L. Flamin. IV-vir.

Flavia, pleb. C. Flavii H [...]is.

Fonteia, pleb. C. Fontei. MV. Font. P. Fonteius Ca­pito. Triumvir.

Fufia, pleb. (Q. Fufius) Kalenus.

Fulvia, pleb. Cn. Foulvius.

Fundania, pleb. C. Fundanius.

Furia had Purpureones, Crassipedes, Philos patric. & Luscos & Brocchos, pleb. Pur. (L. Furius Pur­pureo) P. Fourius Crassipes. M. Fourius L. F. PHILI. L. Furi. Cn. F. Brocch.

Brocchi or Bronchi, were such as had prominent Teeth.

Gallia, G. Gallius Luper [...]us Triumvir.

Gellia, Cn. Gellius. L. Gellius (Poplicola Quaestor Antonii.)

[Page 55] Herennia, pleb. had Balbos & Gallos. M. Heren­nius.

Hirtia, A. Hirtius.

Horatia, patric. Cocles.

Hosidia, C. Hosidius. C. F. Geta Triumvir.

Hostilia, L. Hostilius Sasernas: some of them IIIVIRI, their Reverse commonly the Head of Tullus Hostilius King of the Romans.

Itia, L. Itius.

Julia had Caesares patric. & Bursiones. L. Julius. Sex. Julius. C. Caesar Dictator. Caesar Trium­vir. R. P. C. Julius Bursio.

Junia was divided into divers Families, whereof some were Patrician, others Plebeian: parti­cularly into the Bruti & Silani. Brutus. M. Juni. C. Jun. C. F. D.

Silanus, L F. M. Silanus Brut. Imp. Q. Coepio Brutus. Posthumius Albinus. Bruti F. (Decius Jun [...]us Brutus (one of the Murderers of Julius Cae­sar) was so called, because adopted by Po­humius). M. Silanus.

Labiena, pleb. Q. Labienus Parthicus Imp. (Son of that Labienus, who was Julius Caesar's Lieu­tenant) who in the Civil Wars betwixt Cae­sar and Antony, invited and conducted the Parthians into Asia and Syria, &c. and reco­vered those Countries from the Romans.

Licinia, pleb. had Crassos, Nervas, Murenas, and Stolones. L. MVRENA. L. Lic. P. Crassus. P. Nerva. A. Licinius Nerva Triumvir. A. Licinius Nerva Silanus Triumvir. P. Licinius [Page 56] Stolo Triumvir. C. Licinius L: F. Macer. P. Crassus Junian (Scipio's Lieutenant in Africk, seems to be adopted by P. Licinius out of the Familia Junia.)

Livineia, P. Livineius Regulus. L. Regulus. Pulcher Taurus Regulus.

Livia, pleb. L. Salinator (so called, because he in his Censorship introduced the Gabel o [...] Salt.)

Lollia, pleb. (M. I [...]llius) Palikanus (a seditiou [...] Tribune of the people) L. Lolli [...]s Servius.

Lucilia, pleb. had Balbos, Bassos, Longos. Capito­nes. Blaesos. Rufos. M. Lucil. Rufus.

Lucretia, was subdivided into other Families some whereof were Patrician, others Plebeian Cn. Lucretius Trio. L. Lucreti. Trio (pleb.)

Luria, M. Lurius Agrippa Triumvir.

Lutatia, pleb. Q. Lutatius.

Maecilia, patric. M. Maecilius Triumvir. P. MEA [...] (P. Moecilius Tullus) P. ME. NT. M. F.

Maiania, Mainia. Maenia. C. Mini.

Mamilia, pleb. C. Mamilius Lineatinus.

Manlia had both Patricians and Plebeians. A. Man­lius. Q. F. T. M. A. P. C. L. Q V R. (Tit [...] Manlius cum Appio Claudio Quaestor Urbanus [...] L. Manlius. L. Torquatus. L. Torquatus Tri­umvir.

Maevia apud Seguinum. non extat apud F. Ursinum. L. Pollio Maevius the Head of the young Au­gustus. ℞ a Star between the Horns of the Moon.

[Page 57] Marcia had Philippos, Censorinos, & Libones pleb. descended from Ancus Martius. Philippus. L. Philippus. Q. Philippus. L. Censorin. C. Censor. C. NARCI. Cens. C. Marc. L. F. Censor Tri­umvir. Q. Marc. Q. NARC. F. L. R. Q. Marc. Libo.

Maria, pleb. had Gratidianos & Capitones. C. Mari. C. F. Capito. (Marius. Pro-Triumvir. C. F. Tro. Triumvir.

Memmia, pleb. C. Memmius C. F. L. Memmius Gal. L. C. Memmius Gal.

Mescinia, pleb. L. Mescinius Rufus Triumvir.

Mettia, M. Mettius.

Minatia, M. Minatius Sabinus.

Mineia, Elius Mines. M. F.

Minutia, at first Patrician, afterwards went into Plebeian, F. Minutius C. F. Augur. C. Aug. Q. Minutius Rufus. L. Minutius. Q Thermus. M. F. (Q. Min. M. Thermi filius.)

Mucia, pleb. had Cordes & Scaevolas. Cordi.

Munatia, had the Planci. L. (Munatius) Plancus.

Mussid [...]a, L. Mussidius Longus. L. Mussidius T. F. Longus Triumvir.

Naevia, pleb. had Balbos & Surdinos. C. NAE. BA. L. Surdinus Triumvir. L. Naevius Surdi­nus Triumvir.

Nasidia, Q. Nasidius.

Neria, NERI. Q. urb. (Quaestor urbanus.)

Nonia, pleb. Sex. Noni. Suffenas. P. L. U. P. F. (publicos ludos votivos Praeter fecit.) Sex. No­nius Quintilian. Triumvir.

Norbana, pleb. C. Norbanus.

[Page 58] Numitoria, pleb. L. Numitorius.

Numonia, C. Numonius Vaala.

Ogulnia, pleb. C AR. Oguln. VE R. VE R-Oguln. C AR.

Opeimia, L. Opeimius. M. Opeimius.

Oppia, Q. Oppius P. (Praetor.)

Papia, pleb. L. Papius Celsus Triumvir. L. Papi.

Papiria, part of this Family was Patritian, Min. Gent. part Plebeian M. Carbo. Carb. [...]. This seems to be coined at Nicea in Bythinia, where C. Papi­rius Carbo was Governor about Anno U. C. 687.

Pedania had Costas. Costa Leg.

Petilia, pleb. Petilius Capitolinus.

Petronia, pleb. P. Petronius Turpilianus Triumvir.

Pinaria, patric. had Nattas & Scarpos. NATA. Scarpus. Scarpus. Imp.

Plaetoria, pleb. M. Plaetorius Cestianus. M. Plae­torius M. F. Cestianus. L. Plaetorius Cest. L. Plaetorius. L. F. Q. S. C. (Lucii filius Quae­stor Senatus consultum.)

Plancia, pleb. C. Plancius.

Plautia, pleb. L. Plautius Plancus. P. (Plautius) Hypsaeus (in honorem) C. Hvpsae Cos. Prtiver. capta. A. Plautius. C. PLUTI.

Plotia, C. Plotius Rufus Triumvir.

Poblicia, or Publicia, pleb. C. (Poblicius) Mal­leolus. C. MA. L. Poblicius Q. F. M. Poblicius. C. Malleus. C. F.

Pompeia, pleb. had Rufos. Magnos & Fostlos, or Fostulos. Mag. Pius (Sextus Cn. F.) Magn. [Page 59] Cn. Magn. MAGN. SEX. MAGN. PIUS. Q. Pomp. Rufus Q. F. Sext. Pomp. Fostulus.

Pomponia pleb. L. Pomponius Molo L. Pompon. C N. F. Q. Pompon. Rufus.

Q. Pomponius Musa. Many Coins of these, the Reverses commonly some of the Muses.

Porcia pleb. L. Porcius Licin. C. Cato. M. Porcius P. LAEC.

Postumia patric. A (Postumius) Albinus. A. ALB. S. F. L. Postum. A. F. C. Postumi. AT. A. Post. A. F. S. N. ALBIN Post. A. F.

Procilia. L. Procilius F.

Quinctia. patrit. Crispinus Sulpitianus Triumvir a­dopted into the family of the Quinctii, was called Titus Quinctius Crispinus Sulpic. T. Q.

Renia. C. Renius.

Roscia pleb. L. Roscius Fabat.

Rubria pleb. L. Rubrius Dossin. C. F. L. R. Q. M. (they seem to be the names of the Triumviri. L. R. perhaps is Lucius Roscius.

Rustia. L. Rustius. Q. Rustius.

Rutilia both patric. and pleb. L. Rutilius Flaccus.

Salvia first pleb. afterwards patr. Q. Salvius Imp. M. Salvius Triumvir.

Sanquinia. M. Sanquinius Triumvir. M. Sanquin. Q. F. Triumvir.

Satriena. P. Satrienus.

Saufeia. L. SAVF.

Scrib. pleb. was divided into Curiones and Libones. C. Scr. Libo. on one side Puteal a Conduit [Page 60] or Well-house, on the other Scribon, because near his house, or made by him.

Sempronia had Atratinos patric. Gracchos & Pitio­nes pleb. L. Sempron. Pitio. L. Sempron. T. Sem­pron. Gracchus. T. Sempron. Gracchus Tri­umvir. L. Atratinus.

Sentia. L. Sentius C. F. L. (Sentius) Saturnin. L. SAT.

Sepullia. P. Sepullius Macer.

Sergia. M. Sergius Silus. Patrician.

Servilia patric. (C. Servilius) Ahala. M. Serveil. C. F. C. Servil. M. F. C. Serveil. P. Servil. M. F. (C. Servilius Ahala killed Sp. Melius designing to make himself King; which gives occasion to many of their Reverses) M. Servil. Leg. C. Cassii Imper. (P. Servil.) Casca longus. C. Serveil.

Sestia. patric. L. Sestius.

* Sextia plebeia not extant in Ursinus is in Segui­nus, the head of Nasica. ℞ C. Valer. C. Sext. aediles about an Oxe's head.

Sicinia pleb. Q. Sicinius III-vir.

Silia pleb. Silius Annius Lamia III-vir.

* Socia extant only in Seguinus. M. Antonies head. ℞ a Trophee. Socius Imp.

Spurilia pleb. A Spuril.

Statia pleb. L. Statius Murcus.

Statilia had Tauros. Taurus Regulus Pulcher Tri­umvir.

* Suillia apud Seguinum. M. Suillius.

Sulpicia had Galbas patric. Rufos & Galos. P. Calb. P. Galb. L. Servius (Sulpitius) Rufus. Ser. [Page 61] SULP. Ser. Galba Imper. C. Sulpic. C. F. C. Sulpitius Platorinus.

Tarquitia patric. C. Tarquitius. P. F.

Terentia pleb. C. TER. LUC. (Lucanus) (M. Terentius) Varro.

Thoria pleb. L. Thorius Balbus. J. S. M. R. (Juno sospita magna Regina.)

Titinia both patric. and pleb. C. Titinius.

Titia pleb. Q. Titi.

Tituria L. Titurius Sabinus.

Trebatia. L. Trebatius.

* Trebonia apud Seguin. C Trebonius.

Tullia patric. M. Tullius.

Valeria had Acisculos. Flaccos Messalas & Catul­los, some whereof were patric. some pleb. L. Valerius Acisculus. C. VAL Flaccus C. VAL C. F. Flaccus. L. Valeri. Flacci M. Valerius Barbatus Q. P. (Quaestor Provincialis) L. Va­lerius Catullus III-vir. Messal. F. Sisenna Mes­sala III-vir.

Vargunteia. M. VARG.

Vergilia pleb. VER. CAR. OGUL (Vergilius, Carisius, & Ogulnius) curatores Denariorum Flandorum.

Vettia. T. Vettius Sabinus. A. T (Tatius Sabino­rum Rex.)

Veturia patric. Ti. VE.

Vibia pleb. had Varos & Pansas. C. Vibius Varus. C. Vibius. C. F. Pansa. C. Vibius. C. F. C N Pansa. C. Pansa. C. F. C. N. C. Pansa.

[Page 62] Vinicia. L. Vinicius III-vir. L. Vinicius L. F.

Vipsania. M. (Vipsanius) Agrippa Cos designatus. M. Agrippa Platorinus Triumvir. M. Agrippa L. F. Cos. 3^o.

Voconia pleb. Q. Voconius Vitulus.

Volteia. M. Voltei. M. F. LYLO. L. F. Strabo. M. Voltei. M. F. S. C. D. T.

CHAP. VI. Of the Reverses of Medals.

THE greatest Erudition is contain'd in the Reverses of Medals; for the under­standing whereof, I shall first set down such general Observations as we find frequently, and upon divers of them: Afterwards when we come to the Emperors, such as are particular to one or few of them. These general ones con­cern their Gods, Sacrifices and Worship; their Solemn Games and Plays, their Conquests and Triumphs; their Wars; their Magistrates and Offices; their Colonies, their Buildings, &c.

CHAP. VII. Of their Religion, Priests, Days, and Assemblies.

NExt to their Gods we will speak of their Religion, Priests and Sacrifices, such things especially as conduce to the understanding of their ancient Coins.

CHAP. VIII. Of Countries, Colonies, Places.

§. 1. SPain, upon their Coins is sometimes like a Soldier on Horse-back with a Lance, sometimes on Foot with a round Buckler and two Darts, (the Weapons of that Country) sometimes a Woman with a Rabbet, of which was so great plenty heretofore in Spain, that whole Towns have been undermined by them; and Galen thought they were proper to that Coun­try. Deus Hispanus, or their Tutelar God, is a full Face with short curled Hair, and a Collar of Pearls about his Neck.

Africa, a Womans Head tired with the Skin of an Elephants Head: sometimes also beside her a Scorpion, Basket of Herbs, and Ears of Corn. Sometimes also a Serpent before an Elephant; who is said by his hot Breath to draw them out of their Holes, and so devour them. Sometimes with G. T. A. Genius Tute­laris Africae.

Mauritania, and in Hadrian's Money Mau­retania, a Woman in a Soldiers Habit leading an Horse commonly without a Bridle, (Infraenes Numidae Virg. calls them) and a Switch in the other hand.

Italy, sometimes like a Woman crowned with Towers, sitting on a Globe; to signifie [Page 140] the Command of the World; sometimes with a Cornucopia.

§. 2. Roma, owing her Name to a Wo­man call'd Rhome; for when the Trojans lay lurking at the Mouth of Tiber, and made In­roads into the Country, their Wives troubled at that manner of living, by the Counsel of Rhome, when the men were gone abroad to forrage, burnt the Ships; whereupon perforce they built a City, and call'd it Roma; some­times therefore a Woman armed sitting on seven Mountains, or on an heap of Arms, with a Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, and a Bird or two call'd Picus Martius consecrated to Mars their Father. Sometimes a young Head, to shew its perpetuity and eternal Vigour, armed also for strength.

Germania, a Woman with a Lance and Shield, like a Rhombus, with the acute Angles cut off; which it seems was the defensive Arms of most Countries thereabouts.

Sicilia is figured by three Legs in a Triangle, because of the three Promontories, Pelorum, Pachorum, Lilybaeum; with Ears of Corn to shew its Fertility.

Judaea and Phoenicia with a Palm-tree.

Armenia with a Persian Quiver of Arrows.

Arabia, a Camel.

Corinth and Syracuse, her Colony, a Pegasus [...]

Cyrene, the Plant Silphium (a gross Stem with two or three branches at the top, like a round Ball) because thence the best Laserpitium, either the Gum or the coagulated Juice of that [Page 141] Plant, which some conceive to be Benzoin.

Egypt, a Woman holding a Sistrum (a Mu­sical Instrument like a Racket of Iron or'Brass, in the sides of it loose Wyres or Irons with thick ends, that they might not slip out of the holes, and give also a greater sound; the Si­strum being held by the handle, and shaken to and again in a certain Measure, made such Musick as served their Turns) Sometimes with an Ibis, a great Devourer of their Serpents. Sometimes with one of their many monstrous Ass or Dog or Hawk Cat-headed Gods. Some­times a Crocodile. Sometimes a Sphinx, which was a kind of Ape or Monkey, more ingeni­ous than any other sort of these Animals, found amongst the Troglodites, but brought from Egypt, the Egyptians famous for their Dex­terity and Wittiness, represented themselves by it.

Carthago, on one side a Virgins Head, on the other an Horses; they say, that at the building of Carthage, an Horses head was found in a Pit in an holy Wood; whereby was fore­shew'd that the new City should be warlike and a great Conqueress, whence the Punick Name of it KAKKABH signifies (as they say) an Horses head: the Palm-tree shews them to be a Colony of the Phoenicians.

§. 3. Rivers are generally described like an Old man (because from the beginning; and thence Fluvius, and most of the Names of Ri­vers are Masculines) crown'd with Reeds or Water-weeds, pouring water out of an Urne, [Page 142] and a Cornucopia; if navigable, with a Boat. Tyber with two Children sucking a Wolf. Nilus with a Crocodile, and many Children playing about him, to represent its Fertility. Tigri [...] with a Tiger.

§. 4. A Colony is represented commonly by a Plough drawn by two Oxen, or an Ox and a Cow; which at the building of a City were yoked together; the Cow inward (the Wife being to be House-keeper) with the Plough they made a Furrow, which should be as it were the limits of the City, where the Gates were to be, they lifted up the Plough out of the Earth; so porta à portando. Some­times also by a Banner; for at Rome, when a Colony was to be sent forth, a Banner was set up, and an inscribed Table under it, to shew who was the Conductor, and what numbers were to go, and whither; that all might have notice who were willing to give in their Names. The numbers being full, out of every hundred they chused ten, who were call'd there­fore Decuriones, and made up the Curia or Com­mon Council of the Colony: these out of their own Body chused their Magistrates [Duûmviri] who, as the Consuls at Rome, had Power to call together the Curia, to propose, and exe­cute what was decreed by them; Quaestors also and AEdiles, &c. which were changed eve­ry fifth year; and were therefore call'd Quin­quennales; C. V. Colon. Victrix; C. I. T. Tar. Colonia Julia Togata Tarracouensis. See a Cata­logue of all the Colonies and Municipia in [Page 143] Goltzius. There were divers sorts of Colo­nies; the one Civium Romanorum; the other Latina, as Col. L. Jul. Cori. Colonia Latina Ju­lia Corintbus; others Italica; others Latinorum Veterum: the differences whereof were taken from the persons that went, whether Citizens, Allies, or Associate, and may be seen in Si­gonius and other Authors.

Municipia, were such Towns as kept their own Laws and Customs, and yet had also the Right of Roman Citizens, and were call'd Ur­bes; in Colonies, tho they lost some of the Privileges of Roman Citizens; yet because com­monly old Soldiers were planted in them, the Governors of the Provinces, for their Security, chused to reside, and to have their Conventus or Seat of Judicature there, whereby Colonies grew into more Esteem.

§. 5. We find also upon ancient Medals di­vers of their Buildings, as Aquaeducts, Pillars, Arches Triumphal, Forums or Market-places, Rostra: near to which were the Pulpits where they made Orations, Temples, Theaters [half Circles or half Ovals] for acting Comedies, Amphitheaters, or as if it were two Theaters joined together, for Huntings, Gladiator-shews, &c. Circus's for Races of Chariots, Horses, &c.

Puteal Libonis, was the Cover of a certain Pit made with Lightning; which tho expia­ted, yet was not permitted to be inhabited or used, therefore was that Building set over it. Near to, or under which was hid the Whet­stone [Page 144] and Rasor of Actius Naevius; near to it also was the Tribunal of the Praetor, or as some say, of the AEdile.

CHAP. IX. Of their Magistrates.
Upon their Coins also are frequent Memo­rials of their Magistrates.

§. 1. MAny Persons descending of their Kings, or deriving their Families Kings. from them, stamped the Effigies of those Kings upon their Coins. Kings upon Coins are di­stinguished from other Persons by an Half-Pique they carried in their hands, which they call'd [...]; and people in the rude Age of the World worshipped those Spears, and there­fore they are put also into the hands of their Gods. Other Kings are known also by their Diademata; which was a Ruban about four fingers broad, of Scarlet, or some other illu­strious and dear Colour and Workmanship, which was bound about their Head. The Kings of Rome also (at least some of them) have these Diademata. The Athenians wore certain Cawls (Reticula) upon their Heads, adorned with golden Grashoppers (Cicadas) because themselves, as those Insects, were born out of the Earth, as they said. The Emperors used [Page 145] them not (because not acknowledging them­selves Kings) but of those Crowns ordinarily bestowed upon the Soldiers for their Services, or a Laurel one, such as was granted to Jul. Cesar; till Antoninus Caracalla, who assumed to himself a Diadem, probably after his perfidi­ous Murder of the Persians, and infamous ra­vage of their Country: after him Elagabalus, Aurelian, Carus, Dioclesian, and others, used it, but none continually till Constant. Mag. who Vide cap [...] 10. of Crowns. seems to have had a Diadem set on each side with Pearl; but about Theodosius's time they began to wear Crowns, for his Wife AElia Flaccilla seems to be crowned. The carry­ing Swords before Kings I do not remember to have read before Attila; who (as a small History of him, taken out of Priscus, and is put out by Canisius in Lection. Antiqu.) going a­gainst some of his bordering Scythians, was pre­sented with the Sword of Mars; sometimes a King of those Nations, and afterwards a God, which Attila had afterwards always carried be­fore him. In that Author also is an accurate Description of Attila's Body, very like that which Conte Thesauro copied after Padre Qua­glia's Original.

§. 2. The Kings being expelled, and the Consuls. People brought into great hatred of their Au­thority, there were established in their room two Consuls; which were changed every year, who were the chiefest ordinary Magistrates; convoked the Senate, proposed what was to be consulted, gathered their Suffrages, executed their Decrees, governed Provinces, &c. Their [Page 146] Ensigns were 12 Lictors, men carrying each a bundle of Rods or Birchen Switches, and an Hatchet in the midst, which all waited on each of the Consuls his Month by Course, a Sella Curulis, a Gown of many colours or Trabea, an Ivory Staff or Scepter, on the top whereof was ordinarily an Eagle; sometimes also some­what like a Flower-de-lys. At first they were both Patritii, afterwards the people by their Obstinacy and Seditions obtained, that one of them should always be a Plebeian.

§. 3. Next to the Consuls were the Praetors; Praetors. and indeed at first the Consuls were call'd Prae­tors; but the multitude of Employment (espe­cially matters of Judicature) increasing, and the Consuls, by reason of foreign Wars, many times absent. A U. C. 388. a Praetor was crea­ted a distinct Officer; which was eagerly de­sired by the Patritii, as proper only to them, one of the Consuls being taken from them. About A. U. C. 501. were made two Praetors, the one to judge the Causes of Citizens between themselves, call'd Urbanus; the other the Cau­ses betwixt Citizens and Strangers, call'd Pere­grinus. About Anno 520. were added two more to assist the Consuls in governing the Provin­ces, and 575 two more; so that of these six, two always remain'd in the City, four went into the Provinces, as they were assign'd by Lot. A. U. C. 605. the number of Causes in­creasing, all stay'd in the City, and at divers times their number was increased to 64, but Augustus reduced them to 12. Their Ensigns were six Lictors, Toga praetexta and Sella Curu­lis. [Page 147] And their Office was to judge Causes, both Civil and Criminal. They made Shews also and Plays; and the Sacrifice and Worship of the Bona Dea was at their house.

§. 4. The next were the AEdiles, instituted AEdiles. A. U. C. 271. two to aid the Tribunes in some Causes remitted to them, and were Plebeians: An. 388. two of the Patritii were added to them, and call'd Curules, because they sate upon Ivo­ry Seats, so call'd. C. Cesar added two more who might have inspection over the Corn, cal­led therefore Cereales. Their Office was to look to the City, the Temples, Baths, publick Buildings, Streets; to order petty Funerals and Marriages, and to judge of certain Cases con­cerning these things; likewise to look to the Corn, to the Markets, Weights and Measures, and whatever was sold. Lastly, they provided [...]nd took care of the solemn and publick Games [...]nd Shews.

§. 5. The Tribunes were created A. U. C. Tribunes. [...]60. at first two, at last, Anno 297. ten: at [...]rst all the Common people; afterwards of the Plebeian Families, but such only as were Sena­ [...]s. Their Office at first was only to inter­ [...]ede, interpose, or appeal from the Magistrates [...] the People, upon Complaint to them of In­ [...]y done to a Roman Citizen by any Magistrate, [...]cept the Dictator; and their usual Form was [...]to. Afterwards their Power increased; so that [...]ey took upon them with the people, without [...]e Senate, to make Laws (Plebiscita) give Sen­ [...]nce, convoke and dismiss the Senate, and in [Page 148] summ, to oppress the Nobility by all means they could. Yet so sacred were their Persons an [...] Office esteemed, that no man durst offer vio­lence to, or resist, them; till Sulla, being mad [...] Dictator perpetuus, curbed their Power, and li­mited it much by his Laws, which notwithstand­ing were afterwards repeal'd by Gn Pompeius an [...] Palikanus; who therefore stamp'd upon a Co [...] the Rostra, and Image of Liberty.

Now the Emperors, tho they govern'd [...] absolute Monarchs, yet pretending to reta [...] the ancient Forms, call'd themselves Consuls &c. and whereas they could not be Tribu [...] plebis, because the Office was annual, and noo [...] could be chosen but Plebeii, whereas Pontific [...] Maximi were ordinarily Patritii, they therefore assumed Tribunitiam potestatem, the which wa [...] renew'd every year; so that Trib. Pot. IV. [...] commonly said to be the same as the fou [...] year of his Reign. But this, tho the commo [...] Opinion of Medalists, is not true. For Tiber [...] v. g. had the Trib. Pot. long before he was Em­peror; so had divers others. TR. Pot. is [...] often without any number of years: often tim [...] also the years of their TR. Pot. is lesser tha [...] that of their Reign, the Emperors now an [...] then committing that Trust to such, of who [...] they were very confident.

§. 6. About A. U. C. 269. were the Qu [...] ­stors fi [...]st chosen by the Consuls, afterwards [...] Quaestor. the People, to take charge of the publick Mo­ney in the Temple of Saturn, and were cal [...] Urbani (Q. P. is Quaestor publicus) afterwar [...] A. U. C. 332. they created other two, wh [...] [Page 149] should accompany the Consuls when they went to War; to take charge of the Money, sell the Prey, &c. Afterwards Anno 439. their num­ber was doubled, and they were sent by Lot with the Pro-Cos. or Pro-Praetors into the Pro­vinces; afterwards Sulla made them up 20, and Cesar 40. Their Office was to receive and ex­pend the publick Money, to keep the Military Ensigns (which were commonly of Silver) to sell the Prey, to receive, entertain, lodge Am­bassadors, and such like.

§. 7. Servius Tullus, the sixth King, was the first that ordain'd the censing or valuing of the Censors. People, and he did it himself in person; as did also the Consuls; till being oppressed with bu­siness, it was for a while quite omitted; but about A. U. C. 311. the e were two Censors created of the Consular persons; and that from 5 years, to 5 years, tho their Office expired in a year and half (the Censing being usually perform'd but once in five years) and if in that time the one died, the other presently gave over his Of­fice. The Emperors kept this Office in their own Persons; and the Flavian Family, (i. e.) Vespasian and his Sons, took a pride to be call'd Censors, and put it amongst their other Titles upon their Coin. But a [...]ter them we hear no­thing of it till Constantine's time: who made his Brother Delmatius Censor; who was the last we read of that enjoyed that Office. It was a place of very great Honour and Au­thority, and had all the Ensigns of Consuls, except Lictors. Their Office was to set down in a Book all, both the publick and private, [Page 150] Wealth of all the Citizens; there-according to rank them into Centuries and Classes. They let out the Customs in the City and in the Pro­vinces; and made Laws also concerning them. They took care of publick Buildings, and High­ways, and taxed the Prices of the publick Sa­crifices. They took care also of the Manners of the Citizens, especially such as were igno­minious, yet not punishable by Law; as Celi­bacy, Perjury, running in Debt, infamous Lusts, and the like; and according to their Demerits punished them, as by casting them out of the Senate, i. e. when the Names of the Senators were read at the beginning of the Censorship, such Names were omitted. And so for the E­quites, if any so deserved, they took away his publick Horse (for the Equites were allow'd a­bout an 100 Crowns to buy a Horse, which they were oblig'd always to make good, and about 20 Crowns a year to keep him, and when they had served 10 Campaigns they resto­red him) i. e. when the Equites shew'd them­selves, those who were approv'd the Censors commanded to pass by, and take their Horse with them; but if any so deserv'd, they com­manded his Horse to be sold, and this was cal­led Equi ademptio. For the Plebeians, when they so deserv'd, they remov'd from a more honourable and Country Tribe into one less honourable and a City Tribe: or else AErarios relinquebant, sive in Caeritum tabulas referebant, i. e. they took away their Right of giving Suffrages, yet left them to pay Taxes. All this was done publickly in the Campus Martius; and when all was finish'd, the Lustrum, or Muster-roll was laid [Page 151] up: Vows for the publick Wealth were con­ceiv'd; and the Sacrifices call'd Suovetaurilia made, and the Censors ended their Offices.

§. 8. The Kingly Power being expelled, the Dictator. Consular Power in a short time began to be despised, and the people to be very seditious: Wars also grew upon them dangerously, so that they easily perceiv'd the Government of many was not convenient; and therefore in all great Extremities they were forced to have recourse to the power of one, whom they call'd Dicta­tor. He was always a Consular person, and named by the Consul alone in the night sea­son. His Power was absolute and supreme without Appeal from him. All Magistrates, except the Tribunes, then resign'd their Offi­ces. He had 24 Lictors, made Peace and War, determined Causes, punished, rewarded, as he thought good: his Power was only for half a year. L. Sulla and C. Caesar were made perpetual Dictators; but after Caesar's death a Law was made, that there should never be any more Dictator.

§. 9. We find many times on Coins Pro Cos. Pro Q. and such like, i. e. Pro Consule, Pro Quae­store, Pro-Cos. Pro Praetore, &c. for whereas the Offices of Consuls, Praetors, and Quaestors were an­nual, and yet oftentimes it was requisite to continue their Commands in the Wars (no­thing being so detrimental to great Designs as the frequent change of the Principal Agents) they invented these Offices; that such a one should command still, for, or instead of, the Consul, Praetor, or Quaestor: and this began about A. U. C. 427. Afterwards also the Prae­tors [Page 152] and Consuls not being enow for all Em­ployments, Consular men were sent instead of Consuls, Praetorians for Praetor; and some Provinces were call'd Consulares, others Praeto­riae. Some Proconsulares Provinciae also, which were such as were bestow'd by the people, and at first the Consuls commanded them, being continued as Pro-Consule, but afterwards those were put in who never had been Consuls. The Praetor being dead or absent, his place was supplied sometimes by the Quaestor, who was then Pro-Praetore; sometimes by his Legatus or Lieutenant, who had no Command or Power, but what was given him by the Consul or Prae­tor, whose Legatus he was.

CHAP. X. Of their Wars, Victories, Rewards, &c.

§. 1. OUT of their Coins also we learn much of the Time and Discipline of their Wars: Their Armies were divided into Legions. A Legion contain'd sometimes 3, sometimes 4, sometimes 5, and at last 6000, and receiv'd the name from the order of their raising, as prima, secunda, &c. Legio. Or from the Emperors, as Augusta, Claudia, Flavia Le­gio, &c. Or from their Quarters, Gallica, Cy­renaica, Scythica, Italica, &c. Or from their Gods, Apollinaris, Minervia, &c. Or some other accident, as Ferrata, Fulminatrix, Victrix, Gemina, Valens, Ad [...]utrix, Pia, &c. and was com­manded by a Legatus or some Lieutenant, and its Ensigns was an Eagle.

[Page 153] Ensigns on Medals signifie sometimes the restitution of such a Legion, or some Honour done by that Legion to the Emperor, or by the Emperor to that Legion.

A Legion was divided into ten Cohorts, eve­ry Cohort had three Manipuli, one of the Ha­stati, another of the Principes, a third of the Triarii (of these there were never above 600 in a Legion.) Praetoria Cohors or the Generals Life-guard, was first chosen by Scipio of the valiantest Soldiers, increasing their Pay 2½, and keeping them continually about his Per­son. Augustus had ordinarily nine of these Co­horts, but at first ten, saith Dion, of a 1000 men apiece. The Cohortes urbanae, for defence of the City, were 4 of 1500 men apiece.

A. Manipulus was divided into two Centu­ries, sixty Centuries in a Legion. Every Cen­tury had its Centurion, a Manipulus two; their Ensigns anciently an handful of Hay, or some such matter, afterwards a Spear with a cross piece of Wood on the top, under which they hung Shields, upon which were Images of their Gods, Emperors, and other great Persons (so Suetonius. Tyberius munera Syriacis legationibus dedit, quòd Solae nullam Sejani imaginem inte [...] signa coluissent) a Hand in a Circle alluding to Manipulus, or some such other device. The Cohorts anciently had no Ensigns, but after­wards they had Vexilla or Banners; Vexilla pro­perly signifies the Ensigns of their Horse, and were little Veils, but are generally taken for all sorts of Ensigns, which were much like those Church-Banners carried in Processions. But Vegetius saith, in the Emperors times they were [Page 154] Dragons, Wolves, or the like, carried upon Poles; but I know not whether these before Trajan's War with the Dacians; and that Banners were for the Horse, and were call'd Cantabra. Ve­xilla (which were like Veils of Cloth or Silk fastened above to a loose Travers on a Spear, wherein were writ the Names of their Empe­rors. Suet. of Vespasian: Assensere cuncti, no­men (que) ejus vexillis omnibus sine morâ inscripserunt) distinguished by the colour, as Cantabra were by the Device or Motto. Labarum was that Vexillum which was carried before the Emperor. Onu­phrius saith, that after Rome was reduced under the Government of the Emperors, Aquila was the Ensign of the Legion, Signa those of the Cohorts, Vexilla those of the Manipuli and Horse, and Labarum that of the whole Army, which was always carried before the Emperors. But I find not Labarum before Constantine's time, and his is described by Eusebius de Vit. Const. l. 1. c. 24. yet that sort of Ensign was in use before. Prudentius also and the Fathers mention it very frequently; and how he had the Name of Christ Yet that sort of Ensign was in use before. ✚ wrought upon it. Afterwards Julian for­bad that, and introduced the Pagan Vexilla, as Nazianz. [...]. [...].

§. 2. There were sixty Centurions in a Le­gion, and every one of them had his Optio or Lieutenant. So in a Cohort in the Manipulus Hastatorum there were two Centurions, two in the Manipulus Principum, two also in the Tria­riorum; and the first Centurion which was o­ver the Triarii of the first Cohort was call'd Primipilus; and had great Authority, as it were [Page 155] of a Major General, carrying the Orders of the General or Tribune: he govern'd the Ea­gle, putting it up, and delivering it to the Bea­rer; he was one of the Councel of War; his Pay setled by Augustus was about 300 Crowns per annum, and after the Service was accounted amongst the Equites. A Centurion was known by his Vitis or Flagellum, wherewith he chasti­sed the Soldiers. The Tribunes wore Gold Rings, and better Cloaths, and a Sword call'd Parazonium, wanting a point, which they car­ried in a Case like a Quiver.

§. 3. There were six Tribunes in a Legion; chosen at first by the Kings, afterwards by the Consuls and People equally, and were call'd Comitiati; most of them chosen out of the Equi­tes, yet some also out of the Common people; it was a step to be a Senator. In the more dange­rous Wars, Senators were often made Tribunes. They heard Causes, sentenced even to loss of life, gave the Word, look'd to the Guards, &c.

The Legatus or Lieutenant-General (as we call him, for he corresponds very much to that Officer in the French Armies) had great Power to advise, command, and in the Generals ab­sence to be General. The [...] of the Legi­ons were by Augustus call'd Legati Praetorii; the Lieutenant-Generals were call'd Legati Consu­lares; and were merely his Lieutenants; not having Right to triumph, since they acted on­ly by his Commission, and under him.

The General or Imperator had the Command of all, had his Lictores, his Trumpets, his Pa­ludamentum or Scarlet upper Garment, &c.

[Page 156] §. 4. The Arms of the Velites, or such, as first charged, and kept not Rank and File, nor were reckoned among the Legions, were, a Sword, seven Darts three foot long, headed with Iron, but weakly, that they might bend, and not be thrown back again; a round Buck­ler (Parma) about three foot Diameter of Wood covered with Leather, an Head-piece of Wooll or Skin of some wild Beast.

The Arms of the Hastati, Principes, and Tria­rii were much what the same; only the Triarii had instead of the Pilum, a Spear, as being to fight cominus only. These Arms were,

1. A Shield or Buckler, sometimes round, Oval, imbricatum or equally broad with corners two foot and half broad, and four foot long, to cover the whole Body when stooping, made of Boards, the lighter Wood the better, glued together, and covered with Ox-hide, and edg'd with Iron. Upon their Coins we see often the Ancilia, a sort of Shield like to three Ovals clapt the end of one upon another, the least in the midst. The first of these was said to have fallen down from Heaven, and it was prophe­sied, that where that Ancile was kept, there should be the Seat of the Empire of the World; whereupon they made eleven more so like to that first, that none could know the true one: and these were born in their solemn Dances by the Salii.

2. A Sword (and in later times a Dagger) upon their right side, that it might not hinder their Shield, about two foot and half long in the Blade, and made more for thrusting than cut­ting.

[Page 157] 3. Pilum, one greater about 4 fingers Diame­ter, and long about 7 foot, with its Ironbarbed head, and one lesser like a Hunting Spear.

4. A brazen Helmet, wherein they wore Feathers or other Crests, not unlike ours, but more upright; the Soldier also sometimes had his Name and the Name of his Legion engra­ven upon it.

5. A Breast-plate, or at least a square piece of Iron or Brass which covered the Breast, cal­led Pectorale; but those of better Quality had Breast-plates, which were either like Coats of Mail, or plated like ours: the Sarmatae made them of Horn or Horse hoofs. Some made them of Linnen Cloth steep'd in sowre Wine and Salt, and quilted, some of Iron, &c.

6. Boots or Greaves for their Legs.

§. 5. Adlocutio was when the General had any thing to say to the Army, encourage them to fight, compose Mutinies, &c. he commonly stood upon a Bank of Turff.

Decursio was an Exercising of the Soldiers, when they were armed to run so far, to make them expedite and active,

Victory is commonly described a Womans Head with Wings on the Shoulders; some­times a Woman winged, crowned with Lau­rel, in one Hand a Crown, in the other a Palm; or sometimes writing upon a Shield, or standing upon a Globe (as if the Romans had conquer'd all the World) a Jewel also hanging about her Neck, which they call'd Bulla, and was worn by such as triumphed as an honorary Ornament for their Services; and was also [Page 158] given to Strangers, sometimes for Service done.

Trophaeum, was a Memorial set up in sign of Victory, which was the Arms of the Vanquish­ed, hung upon a Tree or Perch.

Triumphus, one drawn in a Chariot with two or four Horses, behind him a small winged Vi­ctory, holding over his Head a Crown.

If a Victory by Sea, it is expressed by a Vi­ctory standing on the Prow of a Ship, or some­what belonging to Maritime Affairs, as a Ne­ptune, Trident, &c. After the Victory obtain­ed in the River by the Romans against the An­tiates, they set up the Prows of their Enemies Ships upon a certain place where they made their Orations to the People; which was there­fore call'd Rostra: Sometimes also in Honour of a Naval Victory, they set up a Pillar with little Beaks of Ships carved upon it, call'd Co­lumna rostrata.

§. 6. Upon many Coins are expressed the Rewards of such Soldiers as behaved themselves extraordinarily. Such were many times Mo­ney, Donatives, &c. which yet was not entire­ly left to their disposing; but half of it they were obliged to lay up, which was registred and deposited in Chests in the custody of the Ensign-bearers: by which means both their Debauches were prevented, and their Necessi­ties supplied: besides, themselves also were ob­liged to the Service, and the Generals knew where, in case of necessity, so much Money was ready for their use.

Such were also Crowns of divers sorts. Of Laurel, used commonly by the General after a [Page 159] Victory. Given also by the Senate to Julius Caesar, which, he being bald, willingly accepted and used, as did all his Successors, which were Augusti; or had absolute Power; but those who were only Caesares, did not use them; till Con­stantine the Great; who chang'd it into a Ru­band edged with Pearl, and set with Jewels, as it seems by his Coins, and this is not for Effe­minacy, as Julian (a continual Carper against him and his Actions) reports: but more pro­bably, because the other had its Original from Idolatry; the Laurel being even as a Crown sacred to Apollo. However the succeeding Em­perors were so pleased with the Change, that I find not any of them, not Julian himself, returning to the ancient Custom.

A Crown of Gold seems first to have been used about Theodosius's time, and that at first as an Helmet, or some Ornament upon it; hence our Saxons call a Crown Cyne, i. e. Cinings-hel­met, the Kings Helmet, but Crowns were of divers fashions; our Saxon Kings (as appears by King Edward's Money) used close ones, not much unlike a Miter; but Francis I. was the first that used a close or bar'd one in France.

Obsidionalis, given by those who were delive­red from a Siege to those that reliev'd them, and was made of Grass cut up in the place where they were besieged.

Civica, given by the General to such a Sol­dier as had saved a Citizens life, and slain an Enemy, made of Oaken leaves, set upon his Head by him that was rescued.

Muralis, given by the General to him that first scaled the Enemies Walls.

[Page 160] Castrensis, to him that first entred the Enemies Trench or Rampart, and these were both gild­ed; the first also had Battlements, the second only Nicks like Trenches.

Rostrata, of Gold, given ordinarily to the General, who had gain'd a Naval Victory with great labour and industry.

Navalis, of Gold given to such a Soldier as first boarded an Enemies Ship.

If any one killed an Enemy in any Velita­tion or pickering when they fought man to man, he was rewarded with a Spear without a head, call'd Hasta pura. The Gods also are frequently described with such in their hands; in imitation whereof perhaps might be that cu­stom in our Country of the Principal Court-Officers, carrying white Rods or Staves, as En­signs of their places.

If any one had done a more valiant and singular Action; if a Foot-Soldier, he had a Bracelet given him; if an Horse-man, a Chain made with Links or Rings to wear about his Neck (whence seems to proceed the Honour of wearing Gold Chains) or Phalerae, which seem not to have been Trappings, as we call them, but rather Plates hanging down upon the Breast of the Horse.

CHAP. XI. Of their Games.

§. 1. GAMES at first were instituted as parts of Devotion and Worship of their Gods; and therefore always begun and ended with Sacrifices. And these were celebrated ei­ther [Page 161] amongst the Graecians or Romans. Of the Graecians, under which also are comprehended the Asiatick, I have spoken somewhat before; I shall only add, that they were either Occasio­nal, as upon the coming of the Emperor, or some other great Solemnity; or Set, they were call'd [...], which was no more than a great Concourse or Meeting of People; and therefore besides their Acts of Devotion, at these [...] were their great Fairs or Mar­kets; all sorts of Contentions, as Running, Leaping, Chariot-driving, Wrestling, Disputes in Philosophy. Quinquennale certamen, more Grae­co, triplex, Musicum, Gymnicum, Equestre. Suet. Nero. c. 12. See more also of their Hieronica or Sacred Agonists. Suet. Ner. Cc. 24, 25. and hi­ther even banished persons had liberty to come. The Charges of the Sacrifices and publick En­tertainments were sometimes born by one Ci­ty, which was then [...], sometimes by a whole Community.

On the Reverses of the Money of the later Emperors, we find frequently VOT. V. X. XX. &c. The meaning whereof is, That such a City or Province had vowed publick Games, if the Emperor reigned V. X. or XX years, which did not always signifie that they were fulfilled.

Votis V. mult. X. is by some interpreted Votis Quinquennalibus multiplicatis in Decennalia, i. e. the Games and Rejoycings were to be celebra­ted both the fifth and tenth years of the Empe­rors Reign. But in some it is plainly, as in Ju­lian the Apostata's Coins, Votis V, multis X, which is meant, that many Cities vowed Games again at the End of the tenth year of his Reign, if it [Page 162] should continue so long. This manner of Vowing was in use amongst the Ancients, when any of their Generals went to War, &c. See the form of it in Liv. l. 36. when they undertook the War against Antiochus. Pompeius was the first, who being sick was honoured with publick Vows for his Recovery. Liv. l. 21. Dic. l. 45. [Amongst other Vows in greatest Danger was a Ver sacrum, i. e. that whatever Sheep [Pecus quodcun (que)] should be yeaned betwixt Kal. March and Kal. May, should be sacrificed. See the Form in Liv. l. 22.] At length all Vows were converted into Flattery to the Emperors; and these were conceived every new year on the Kal. Jan. and III. Non. and they were first made in the Camp by the Soldiers, then in the Capi­tol by the Priests and Magistrates. Some again were Vota Natalium, others Decennalia, Vicenalia, &c. Of which vid. Dio. l. 53. and at last they came to that excess, that the people vowed at all times and upon all occasions; for the Em­perors safe Journey and Return, for his Health, Family, Fecundity of his Wife, &c. and in all their Epistles to the Emperor they signified that they did Vota facere for him.

L, and sometimes, tho seldom, Λ upon their Coins, seems to signifie Lustrum, as L Ε Lustrum quintum; i. e. there being Ludi quinquennales in­stituted in the Honour of such an Emperor, this was coined in the fifth Lustrum. I am not satisfied in this Interpretation, but know no better. I had it from Sir J. Marsham.

§. 2. But to come to the Roman Games, of which we have more certainty and knowledge; [Page 163] and of these there were divers sorts: Not to mention the Munera which were given for the Solemnization of Funerals and other occasions; and were Fightings of Gladiators, or men with Beasts, and the like. Ludi or Games, some were at the Charges of private Persons, some at the publick. Private were for the performing of such a Vow, gaining the good will of the Peo­ple in suing for an Office, or perform'd by in­ferior Magistrates, of such Money as they were to bring into the Treasury, and such like. Pub­lick were either extraordinary; such as were vowed by some chief Magistrate, and by Au­thority of the Senate (Pr. LVPF Praetor ludos votivos publicos fecit) upon Occasion of some War, for the setling or continuing of the Pro­perity of the Commonwealth, for the averting of the Pestilence, Famine, or the like, for the happy Return of the Emperor, for the aversion of the Omen of such Prodigies, for some favor of the Gods, and many of the same sort.

Of the ordinary, some were every year, some every fifth year, some every hundreth year, as the Ludi Saeculares. Some were Circenses (in Circo) Amphitheatrales (in Amphitheatro, cavea, [...]rena) which were Gladiators, fighting with Beasts, and the like. Theatrales (in Theatro) such were Comedies, and Tragedies, Pantomimi, Con­ [...]entions in Musick, Fidicines, Citharoedi (Singers [...] the Cithara) Citharistae (Players on the Citha­ [...]) Lyristae, Tibicines. These play'd in Odeo, a [...]articular place (the Musick-room) of the [...]heatre.

Besides these were Circulatores, who shew'd [...]easts of Activity, Palaestrae in Gymnasiis▪ I will [Page 164] speak only of the chiefest, and such only as are explain'd by; or set [...]on Medals, and first of the Ludi Saeculares, which were the chiefest.

§. 3. When Tullus Hostilius was King of Rome, and Metius Suffetius Dictator of the Albani, those two Cities began a dangerous War for Superio­rity; and as they were ready to joyn Battel, a certain Spectrum appear'd to both Armies, telling them, that Dis Pater and Proserpina commanded before they fought to sacrifice to them both, on an Altar under ground, and so vanish'd. The Romans affrighted with this Prodigy, sent into the City presently, dug a hole in the ground [...] Campus Martius near the River, made an Altar sacrificed, and cover'd the hole again with the Earth, so that none, except the Romans, knew of it. The place was call'd Terentum, because the River there wore away the Earth. And hence it came, that that War was determin'd with so little slaughter, by the Fight of the To­gemini, 3 Horatii against 3 Curiatii.

This Altar was discover'd a long time after in the Reign of Tarquinius Priscus, by one Volu­sus Valesius, an Eminent person of the Sabines and also well known to the Romans, on this oc­casion. When, in the time of a great Contagi­on, a Grove he had before his House, was struc [...] and consumed with Lightning, and three of h [...] Children fallen sick of the Pestilence, he se [...] for the Aruspices to know what he should do [...] who told him, that by the manner of the bur [...] ­ing of the Wood, they perceiv'd the Gods we [...] angry at him; and that therefore they must [...] appeased. But when he profited nothing by t [...] [Page 165] multitude of his Sacrifices, but that his Children grew worse and worse, going one time to fetch them warm water, he kneeled down, and pray­ed to Vesta, and his Lares to convert the Mise­ry of his Children on his own and his Wives head: when presently rising, and looking to­wards the Thunder-burnt Wood, he heard thence a Voice promising their Recovery, if he would carry them down the Tyber to Terentum, and there make them drink water of the River, warmed at the Altar of Dis and Proserpina; which was that water they desired. Volusus hear­ing this, and mistaking Tarentum for Terentum (which he knew to be a great way off) despair­ed of the Remedy; and the more when he heard of Water to be warm'd on such an Altar. But con­sulting the Aruspices, he was told he must obey the Gods. So living at Eretum, 12 miles from Rome by the Rivers side, he presently carried his Chil­dren to the River, and put them in a Boat, think­ing to go to Ostia; but coming to Rome late at night, and weary with rowing, and to refresh his Children, he brought his Boat to shore at Cam­pus Martius; and whilst he was making an Hutte, his fire being gone out, he was told there by a Boat-man, that he had better go a little further to Terentum, and there fasten his Boat, for that there he espied a Smoak. Volusus hearing of Te­rentum, was wonderfully rejoyced; and went thither; where seeing a Smoak come out of the Earth, taking it as a good Omen, he presently fetch'd water at the River, and with great indu­stry made of that Smoak a Flame wherewith he heated the water, and gave it to his Children, who that night recover'd. In the morning they [Page 166] tell their Father, that they had seen a certain God come to wipe their Bodies with a Spunge, who had also bid them to sacrifice (Furva) black Sacrifices to Dis and Proserpina, with the fire on that Altar wherewith their water had been heated; and that for three nights space they should make Lectisternia, Plays, Games, &c. Valesius seeing no Altar thereabouts, went into the City to buy one, whilst he set his Servants to dig a hole in the ground to place it in. They digging, found the Altar, and one of them ran and told his Master; who presently gave over buying, and return'd to the place, and perform­ed the Sacrifices, as he was appointed. And this was the Original of Ludi Saeculares. For

Afterwards in a great Pestilence, P. Valerius Poplicola, probably the Son of this Volusus Vale­sius. Some say in his first, others say in his fourth Consulate, following his Fathers Example, re­new'd the same Sacrifices and Games.

After that, Anno 297. U. C. M. Valerio, M. F. Ma [...]imo, and Sp. Virginio, A. F. Caelimontano Tri­costo being Consuls, were the first Ludi Saecula­res begun, and afterwards perform'd every 110^th year, so that the second were in 407, the third in 517, the fourth in 627, &c. tho it should seem they were celebrated extraordina­rily at other times upon occasion of Pestilence or other great Calamity, by the Admonition of the Gods; but ordinarily the Solemnity recur­red only every 110^th year; and that tho there was no Plague, Sedition, or other publick Ca­lamity; and then they were esteemed a com­mon and solemn Expiation of the Offences of the City. And perhaps they were call'd Sae­culares [Page 167] for that very Reason, to contradistin­guish them from those other occasional Ludi Te­rentini, or Ditis Patris & Proserpinae.

The fifth Ludi Saeculares were celebrated by Augustus, himself and M. Agrippa being Coss. A. U. C. 737. or as others 736, which diffe­rence seems to have risen from the changing of the Year by Julius Caesar. In these Ludi Sae­culares was sung that Ode of Horace which be­gins, Phoebe, Sylvarum (que) potens Diana, &c. And of these is the Memory continued by the Coins.

Augustus used great diligence to find out the exact and precise times of celebrating these Plays, but the succeeding Princes rather followed their own Fancy than any Reason or strict Com­putation; for Claudius Caesar, A. U. C. 800. him­self IIII, and L. Vitellio III. Coss. solemnized them; probably intending to bring them to the 100^th year of the City, as a certain Period, and beginning of a Saeculum; and none of the Em­perors followed his Example but Philippus. But this being but the sixty third year after the last in Augustus's time, he was derided, saith Sueto­nius, when the Crier invited the People to see those Games, quos nec spectasset quisquam nec spectaturus esset: (which was the Form in the publishing them) since several were alive who had seen them before; particularly one Stephanio a Stage Player, who had acted in them both.

The seventh Ludi Saeculares were exhibited by Domitian, A. U. C 841. himself XIIII and and L. Minutius Coss. as his Coins declare. Tacitus being then XV-vir, omits the reason of the Change of the Year.

[Page 168] The eighth were Severus and Caracalla Sever. TR. Pot. XII. Cos. III. as his Coins intimate, A. U. C. 957. just 220 years after Augustus's.

The ninth were by Philippus, himself III, and his Son II Cos [...]. A U. C. 1000. 43 years only after Severus, but with respect to Claudius's Design. The Magnificence of these Games is described both by divers Historians, and many of his Stamps with the Images of the Beasts he exhi­bited.

In one Coin of Gallienus is mention made of the Ludi Saeculares, what is the meaning of it is uncertain.

The tenth and last were under Honorius Cos. VI. A. U. C. 1157. following the account of Augustus; (for one Centenary under Constan­tine probably they were omitted) and it should seem permitted by Honorius, on condition there should be no Sacrifices nor Idolatry, but only Plays and Games. V. Claudian Panegyr. in VI Consulat. Honorii. After Honorius no more men­tion of them.

The time when they were celebrated, is un­certain; probably on the Days of the Nativity of the City, i. e. 9, 10, and 11 Kal. Mai. under the Consuls. But under the Emperors on the day when they cameto their Power, as Panvinius most ingeniously collects out of their Coins.

The manner of their Celebration was thus. A little before the time Criers were sent through all Italy, to give notice of the Games, Quos ne­mo adhuc spectasset, nec ampliùs spectaturus esset. A fragment of the Decree is extant at the End of Ant. Augustin. de Legibus. Then a few days before the time appointed, the Emperor, Coss. [Page 169] or Quindecemviri sacris faciundis, sitting in the Temples of Jupiter Capitolinus and Apollo Pala­tinus, distributed to the Citizens Piamina, sive Februa, i. e. Thedas, Sulfur and Bitumen. So in Domitian's Coin is Suff. P. D. i. e. Suffimenta po­pulo data: Also in the Temple of Diana on the Aventine were given Barley, Wheat, and Pulse for them to offer to the Destinies; which is also upon Domitian's Coin, Frug. ac. à Pop. i. e. Fruges acceptae à populo. These things being di­stributed, they went to watch ad formam Cereris. And on the first day of the Solemnity they went to Terentum, and continued three days and three nights in their Devotions. At two hours after Sun-set the first night the Coss. or Emperor with the XV-viri upon three Altars built on the Banks of Tyber, made their Sacrifices; whilst upon Scaffolds thereby erected, they sung cer­tain Songs and Hymns composed for that pur­pose. Afterwards they sacrificed in the Vault, and on the Altar consecrated to Dis and Proser­pina. Next morning they went into the Capi­tol, and there sacrificed to Jupiter, and after­wards beheld Ludos Apollinares, &c. Next day the Matrons came and paid their Devotions in the Temple of Juno, and after them the Empe­ror, Coss. and XV-viri. The third day in the Temple of Apollo thrice nine Youths Noblemen, and so many Noble Virgins, came and sung Verses and Hymns in Greek and Latin, re­commending the Senate and Commonwealth to the Gods. Mean while all the three days and nights in all the Circi and Theaters there were Games and Plays celebrated, and sacrifices offered in all the Temples. It was also the [Page 154] Custom for the Emperor, Cos. or XV-viri to set up an Altar in Terentum, with the Relation of what they had then done, and the time.

§. 4. Their ordinary solemn Games were either Circenses, such as were perform'd in the Circus; or Scenici and Theatrales, such as were in the Theaters or Amphitheaters.

The Circenses were said to be instituted by Oenomaus King of Elis, but began in Rome by Romulus to insnare the Sabine Virgins. Valer. l. 2. c. 1. and therefore he call'd them Consualia, be­cause dedicated to Consus the God of good Counsel; call'd by the Greeks [...] or Neptunus Equestris: and it should seem by Ser­vius and Sex. Pomp. that for want of Horses he made use of Mules; and in a place fitted up for that time, probably in the Campus Martius. Afterwards they were celebrated frequently in Honour of all the Gods and Goddesses, and upon all occasions of publick Joy or Honour as well as upon set and ordinary times.

Tarquinius Priscus, after the taking of Apiolae, exhibited these Plays more magnificently and orderly; dividing the Chariots into Bigas, Tri­gas, and Quadrigas; and the Horses into singu­lares and desultorios; after which follow'd the Athletae, Pugiles, &c. and those began then to be celebrated every year, and were call'd Ro­mani, Solennes, & Magni. He design'd also for them the Circus Maximus; and at first made Seats (Foros) for the people, of Wood sustain­ed by forked Props, the highest being 12 foot from the ground; but afterwards they were made upon Vaults of Brick, which were at the [Page 155] bottom three, the next rank two, the upper­most one; the lowest were Shops, those above them Habitations, and between them were Stairs to go up into the Seats. The Circus with­in was one furlong broad, and three and half long; but with the Shops and Buildings on the outside four furlongs, containing about a mile, and the Seats were capable of 150000, or as others, of 260000 persons.

The Circus at one end was semicircular, where was a large Gate under a Menianum or Podium, i. e. a fair Tower with a Loggia; on the Top whereof were the Statues of Quadrigae, the o­ther end call'd Oppidum, because with Battle­ments and Towers, it was straight, in the [...]st whereof was also a large Gate or Entrance and on the other side six Doors, with Partitions, wherein the Horses were placed to [...], call'd Carceres, quia Equos antequam currebant, coerce­rent: these were shut up Cancellis, Repagulo; which was only a Rope holden by two Mer­curies, and drawn up, or let down when the Horses were to start. Tho there were six Car­ceres, yet till Domitian's time no more than four were used. In the Compass of the Circus were six Maeniana or Towers, wherein the Magi­strates used to sit, and thence to give a sign of starting, which was the throwing down of a Napkin.

Julius Caesar brought the Water round about the Circus, when making a shew of [...] Fight with Elephants, he was afraid they [...]d do some mischief to the people, as they [...] done in Pompey's time.

[Page 156] In the middle of the Circus length-ways, tho at a good distance from either end, was raised up to hinder them from passing from one side to the other between the Metae, a Building a­bout 12 foot broad, and 4 foot high, call'd pro­bably Spinae. Upon which were placed at ei­ther end the Metae, which were three Pyramids at first of Wood, afterwards by Claudius made of Marble, on the top of each an Egg in Ho­nour of Castor and Pollux bred of Eggs, Presi­dents of such Sports. The Horses and Chariots setting forth at the Carceres run about the Metae, i. e. the whole length of the Circus seven times, and he that arrived first at the seventh time was Victor. To know how often they had run a­bout, the Officers of the Circus set upon the Metae one of those Eggs every time they came by. Every Race or Missus contain'd seven Cir­cuitiones: and on one day they used to set out 24 or 25 Missi. Upon the Spinae was also com­monly an Obelisk, or, as they now call them, an Aguglia, of which divers are still extant in Rome; and on the top of this a Ball call'd Pyro­pus (made of Brass 3 p. and Gold p. 1.) because of its lustre like to a burning Coal when the Sun shined upon it; as also a Temple to the Sun, the Image of Cybele, and near the Metae the Temple of Consus; but whether these in all, or in all Circus's the same, I know not.

There were in Rome besides the Circus Ma­ximus, Circus Flaminius in Campo Flaminio given to the City by Flaminius, beautified and repair­ed by Augustus. Circus Sallustii in his Gardens, the Remainders whereof are yet to be seen; Circus Floralis for the Floralia. Circus Castrensis [Page 157] without Porta Maggiore, perhaps built by Aure­lian, there being one upon his Coins. Circus Neronis in the Meadows near Castel St. Angelo. Circus Vaticanus demolished by Constant, for the building of St. Peter's Church. Circus Caracallae much of it still remaining near St. Sebastian's. Circus Agonalis (Piazza Navona) built or re­paired by Severus Alexander, as appears by his Coins.

The Circensian Games or Sports were,

• 1. Races of Chariots and Horses begun by Romulus.
• 2. Athletica begun by Tarquin. Priscus.
• 3. Pompa.
• 4. Ludus Trojae.
• 5. Huntings.
• 6. Fightings on Horse-back and a Foot.
• 7. Naumachiae or Sea-Fights, and
• 8. Sometimes Stage-Plays.

§. 5. Chariot-Races were Bigarum, Trigarum, Quadrigarum: at first they used other Beasts, afterwards Horses only, which in their Bigae were, 1. white, the other black: in the Trigae there was another Horse joyned, whom they call'd Funalis, quia funibus vel loramentis adnexus. The Chariotiers were call'd Aurigae and Agita­tores; and their Companies were call'd Factio­nes: at first but two colour'd Livories, white and red, afterwards were added Prasina or green much affected by Caius, Nero, L. Verus: and Ve­neta, blew or of the colour of the Sea-waves. Domitian added two more, Gold and Purple co­lours; those of each Faction were call'd Greges, as Greges Prasinorum, Venetorum, &c. and were [Page 158] under the Domini factionum, who maintained and hired them out for gain.

Their Horse-Races were either of single Hor­ses or Desultorii; when one man had two Hor­ses unsadled, and leaped down from the one upon the other in his Course. Such the Sol­diers also had many times in War to make use of a second, when the first was weary or woun­ded. The Singulares also ran sometimes them­selves for the Prize; sometimes they rid before or beside the Chariots, to encourage and direct them.

2. Next were those Exercises call'd by the Greeks [...]. Such were Running, Wrestling, Fencing, Leaping, throwing the Discus, &c.

Running was perform'd after the Chariot and Horse-Races, and much what in the same manner.

Fencing, Pugilatus, was fighting with Fists, commonly armed with a Caestus, which was made of Thongs of Leather, studded with Iron or Lead, and fastened about their Hands and Arms. It is described in AEneid. 5.

Luctatio, Wrestling, this they did naked, and their Bodies anointed.

Leaping and Quoiting, or the Discus, were not much used in the Circus, but are rather to be reckoned amongst ordinary Sports and Ex­ercises.

3. The next was call'd Pompa, which was ra­ther a solemn Procession, perform'd in this manner. From the Temple of Jupiter Capito­linus through the Forum to the Circus descended in Ranks and Order: 1. The Magistrate who began the Pompa; next all the Roman Nobility, [Page 159] and the Sons of Equites on Horse-back, the rest on Foot, marching as to War; next followed the Chariots, Horses, &c. that were to run; next the Athletae; then three Companies of Dancers, Men, Youths, and Boys, decently ar­med and habited, imitating the Saltatio Pyrri­chia or Military Dance. These were followed by those who danced a la Satyresca, some repre­senting Sileni, others Satyrs, &c. then followed certain Musitians after the ancient manner. Then the Ministers of the Priests carrying all things necessary for Sacrifices. Then the Ima­ges of their Gods, the chiefest carried upon Thensae; they were followed with the Arma­maxi or Chariots armed after the Scythian man­ner, adorned with divers sorts of Arms, and the Memorials of their Emperors and Generals. Next all the Colleges of the Priests with the Rex Sacrorum, and the rest of their holy Offi­cers; and last of all the chiefest Magistrates then in the City, with the rest of the Magi­strates.

In this Order they marched into and round about the Circus, when the chief Magistrate present commanded the Sacrifices to be made to those Gods, and upon those Altars, as was requisite; which being rightly performed, the Ludi or Games began, the Magistrates and Of­ficers all taking their places.

4. Hunting, sometimes Fighting with wild Beasts by those they call'd Bestiarii (tho this was more properly a Munus) these Beasts were kept in Vivario.

5. Trojae ludus was a counterfeit Fighting be­tween Troops of Noble Youths, the President [Page 160] of which was Princeps Juventutis. This Sport is exactly expressed by Virg. AEneid. 5.

6, 7. The Skirmishes and Fightings on Horse­back, on Foot, and Naumachiae were chiefly ex­hibited by Julius Caesar and the succeeding Em­perors, nothing in them difficult to be under­stood.

The Pompae and Naumachiae seem to have ceased in Constantine's time, the one being pro­hibited as Heathenish, the other falling of it self after the Emperors resided in the East. But the others seem to have continued till Justi­stinian's time, when the Invasion of the Goths and other Barbarous Nations gave them some­what else to think on.

Many of these Games were also celebrated in the Amphiheatres, as Huntings; where they made sometimes artificial Mountains and Woods to represent the Hunting more lively. Martial. l. 1. Ep. 21. See in Vopiscus the notable Hunt­ing exhibited by Probus in the Circus.

CHAP. I. Of Julius Caesar, the III Viri R. P. C. Marcus Antonius.

CHAP. II. Of Augustus.

§ 1. C. Octavius Son of Octavius and Atia, Grand-child of Julia the Sister of Jul. Caesar, was born upon Mount Palatine ad Capita bubula, though the chief Habitation of this Family was at Velitrae, A. U. C. 690. before the Birth of our Lord sixty two Years, Sept. 22. having the Sign Capricorn presiding in his Na­tivity; whereby (as the Astrologers said) he [Page 169] was promised the Empire of the World, and to be a God after his death; for they held that ♋ and vs were the two ports of Heaven: by vs the Souls of Heroes descended and ascended; by ♋ those of extraordinary Persons, which made Augustus put a Capricorn upon his Coins.

Julius Caesar his great Uncle adopted him in­to the Julian Family, whereby he obtained the Command, Wealth, good Fortune and Popu­larity, as well as the Name, of Caesar: hereup­on we find upon many of his Coins C. Caesar Divi Filius.

Julius Caesar was Murthered when Octavius was about nineteen years old, and in the Coun­try; whereupon he hasted to Rome, and against the Advice of most of his Friends and Kindred, resolved to take upon him the Name and Inhe­ritance of Caesar. Where M. Antony then Con­sul, though pretending to revenge Caesar's death, received him very proudly; but Antony present­ly after designing for himself against the Com­monwealth was forced by him to fly into Gallia to Lepidus, and quit the Siege of Brutus at Mo­dena. Antony having got Power, sent to Caesar, that if he would join with him and Lepidus to revenge the Death of Caesar, they would make themselves III Viri in Imitation of Caesar, Pom­pey and Crassus, who had done the same before; if not, they would join with Brutus and that Party against him; whereupon he assented, and they took upon them the Triumvirate, and ma­ny Coins were stamped, some in honor of each of them, some in honor of them all together; as that with three Hands conjoined, and the [Page 170] Ensigns of Supreme Power, Fasces, Caduceus Orbe, &c.

Presently thereupon Caesar went against Sex. Pompeius the Son of Pompey the Great, who by his Fautors (who were many in the Senate) was made Governor of the Sea Coast, and had a great Navy; which Caesar overcame in Sicily. Of this Sextus Pompeius are many Coins stamp'd with some relation to Sea-matters, as with a Neptune, prow of a Ship, &c. and of Caesar his Victory over him, and Conquest of Sicily. Ma­ny also of the other III Viri either with the names of the Mint-masters, Quaestor, or some other of their Officers.

Caesar's Coin is often reversed with a Thun­derbolt, either to represent his own terribleness in War, or the assistance from Heaven, (parti­cularly from Julius his Father) which, as they say, he often experienced in the Wars; and especially in that fatal and decisive Battel at Actium, whereby he became Master of the whole Roman Empire, and in Memory of which he repaired the decaied Temple of Apollo there, and dedicated his own Image in the habit of Apollo Actius in a long Robe, his Harp, &c. (pretending to be his Son) in the Library of the Palace.

After the Battel of Actium he returned to Rome, and there put it to the question amongst his Friends, whether he should restore to the Commonwealth its ancient Liberty, or take upon himself the absolute Sovereignty, and constitute a Monarchy. After much debate the latter was resolved; and withal to avoid that [Page 171] Rock which had split many others, and of late his Father Julius; he determined to abst [...] from all Monarchical and odious names, and to content himself with the ordinary Titles of the Magistrates of the City.

§ 2. So then whereas anciently the eldest of the Censors or Viri Censorii (such as had been Censors) was called Princeps Senatus; and after­wards such were chosen by the Censors in their Quinquennial Muster, commonly the most ex­cellent and eminent Persons, as Scipio the Afri­can continued so all his life time; Octavius chu­sed to be called by that name, as of chiefest ho­nor amongst all the Senators. [The same Cu­stom was also observed amongst the Equites and Pedites, and amongst the Youth also; where­fore the young Caesars, (and some few for Ho­nors sake before the Emperors called Principes Juventutis,) we find frequently called Principes Juventutis; but afterwards it became a Title of the young Sons or Heirs of the Emperors] be­sides this he was always one of the Consuls, (or else put in whom he might trust) and named the other also: So you see upon the Coins of the Emperors, Cos. II. III. &c.

Imperator at first was not a Name of Office or Command, but of Honour only. The Sol­diers, after a Victory, wherein a certain num­ber of their Enemies were slain, and therefore called by Cicero Victoria justa, because in after­times they were not so punctual, calling their General by the Name of Imperator. So you see many times Imp. X. XVI. &c. i. e. called so so often by the Army: Appian saith, if they had slain [Page 172] 10000 o [...] [...]ir Enemies: yet afterwards it came to denote him who commanded all the Forces of the Commonwealth in Chief.

The Senate being prone to Flattery, most of them expecting Preferment from him, heap'd upon him all the honorary Titles that had be­fore been bestowed upon others; amongst the rest, that of Pater Patriae or P P. which at first was bestowed upon Cicero for discovering and defeating the Conspiracy of Catiline. They called him also Augustus, a Term applied be­fore time only to the Gods or Heroes; as if he had somewhat above Humane in him.

And in after-times Augustus signified him that was invested in the whole absolute Power of Emperor; and Caesar, who was designed to be, but not actually invested in the Majesty of the Emperor. None but he that was Augustus de­signed in Medals with a Crown of Laurel; the Title of Semper Augustus, or perpet. Augustus not found before Diocletian and Maximianus. When an Emperor with Raies about his Head, it should seem to signifie that he was conse­crated by some City or other, and that that Coin was made after such Consecration.

§. 3. Being Consul his Sentences might be hindered and interrupted by the Tribune of the People; to prevent which, he assumed also Tribunitiam potestatem (for Tribune he could not be and Pontifex Maximus, say some, because the one must needs be a Plebeian, the other a Patri­cian, which is false, for P. Scaevola was Trib. Plebis and Pont. Max. which yet Tully com­plaineth of, as dangerous to have two such [Page 173] Powers conjoyn'd in one Person, l. 12. Ep. ad Attic. 5.) the which was renewed every Year; by which means also his Person was Sacred and Inviolable; and by which means also, tho not Consul, yet every Sitting of the Senate he might propose one Cause or Matter to them, tho this Power was after enlarged to the succeeding Emperors, of referring (or putting to the Vote) four or also five Causes every Sitting, V. Dio. l. 54. Capitol & Vopisc. themselves also sometimes voted first of all, and that often with an Oration spoken commonly by their Quaestors; and such Decrees were said Principe Authore fieri; some­times last of all, and so had power of mitigating or qualifying the Sentences of the Fathers. Some say, that Tr. P. with the Year, was the time of the Emperor's Reign, but that is false; for, tho very rarely, it was communicated to another besides the Emperor: As there is men­tion Tib. TR. P. XXXVIII. but the certain year of their Government was known by the com­paring of the times of their Titles together.

Because that Religion hath great Force upon Mens Minds, he would not suffer that to be in another's Power; and therefore after Lepidus's Death he made himself Pont. Max. which all his Successors constantly observed till Constantine, who refused it: Yet Julian resumed it again, and was initiated with divers nasty Ceremonies; but Gratian absolutely refused it, as unlawful for a Christian (saith Zosimus) he means a Lay-Christian, and never after any received it.

Augustus also made himself Pro-Consul, which, tho it appears not on his Medals, that I know, [Page 174] yet it is in old Inscriptions; and Elagabalus in Ep. apud Dionem, calls himself [...]. Pro-Cos. which I know not whether it was, that he might command also the other Provinces, or that the Pro Cos. might know that they governed under the Power of Caesar, who was the chiefest Pro-Cos. and therefore whereas all other Pro-Cos. laid down their Power and Ensigns before they entered the City, the Prince retained his Pro-Consular Power in the City. So M. Aure­lius having married Faustina, had given him Trib. pot. & Imperium Pro-Cos. extra urbem, saith Capitolinus.

And thus he conjoyned in his own Person all the Supreme Offices and Employments in the Commonwealth, without any sensible change of the Laws and Customs formerly observed. And his Successors trod in the same Steps; some notwithstanding referring more, some less to the Senate.

§. 4. Augustus himself gave the Senate leave to dispose of such Provinces, (Strabo l. 17. 12. Two Pro-consular, Asia and Africk, Ten Prae­torian, two whereof Tiberius afterward resumed) and Offices as were Peaceable, or not likely to create any trouble; but reserved to himself all those where there were any Wars or Commo­tions, upon pretence of giving them the Plea­sure and Profit, and himself the Trouble. But, indeed, that he might keep all the Soldiers in his own Power, under such Legates (Lieute­nants) as he could trust; after the Resolution fixed of taking upon him the sole Government, he referred it to the Senate; by some of whom [Page 175] for Interest, some for Fear, some out of Judg­ment, it was voted for him for ten Years; and after those, the Power was again renewed for other ten Years; and so for every ten Years as long as he lived; which was observed also by his Successors.

§. 5. He had also Statues and Shields vowed and dedicated to his Honor; there is a Medal on one side Augustus, ℞. on a Shield SPQR. CL. V. (i. e.) Clypeum vovit. Clypeum, a Shield seems or­dinarily to have contained only an Inscription to the Honor of any Person; but sometimes his Effigie or the Effigie of some noble Action of his, and was hung up in some eminent Tem­ple. He had furthermore Honors decreed by most Provinces and Colonies, as appeareth by the Medals; as of Alexandria in Egypt; Raeme­talces King of Thrace; Gnossians with their Laby­rinth; Cydonians (Citizens of [...] a City in Crete.) Hierapolitanes; Maronitarum, or Inhabi­tants of Marony, Coians.

The Coin of Nismes (some say Augustus and Julius, others Agrippa, whose face it should seem to be) made by that Colony upon the Conquest of Egypt, after the Victory of Actium. The Palm-tree is Phaenicia, the Crocodile Egypt, chained to a Palm, the Emblem of Victory.

Augustus's Head, ℞. a Victory flying, holding a Crown over a Buckler, wherein are CL. V. (Clypeus Votivus) hanging upon a Pillar erected by the People in Honor of Julius Caesar, Suet. c. 85. Plebs in honorem defuncti (Julii) solidam columnam prope viginti pedum lapidis Numidici in foro statuit, scripsitque Parenti Patriae: apud [Page 176] eandem longo tempore, Sacrificare, vota suscipere, controversias quasdam, interposito per Caesarem Jure­jurando, distrahere, perseveravit. CL. V was a Shield dedicated with certain Solemnities and Performance of Vows to his Honor. Plin. l. 35. c. 3. saith, that Appius Claudius, A. U. C. 259. was the first broacher of this Custom, Placuit, saith he, in excelso spectari, & titulos honorum legi.

Caesar's Head, Caesar Augustus, ℞. Jupiter with his Thunder-bolt standing in the Door of his Temple. Jov. Ton. Suet. c. 29. saith, he dedi­cated a Temple to Jupiter after his escape of a Danger in his Expedition to Cantabria (Biscay, &c.) when as he marched in the night, his Litter was struck with Lightning, and the Ser­vant carrying a Torch killed. Perhaps Horace alludes to this Temple, Carm. l. 3. Ode 5.

Augustus's Head, Caesar Aug. Divi Filius Pater Patriae. ℞. Two young Men in their Gowns, between them two Shields, two bastae purae a lituus & Capeduncula, underneath C [aius] L [ucius] Caesares. About it Augusti F. Cos. Desig. Prin. Juvent. in memory of Caius and Lucius Sons of Agrippa adopted by him, lately dead, Dio. l. 55. Corpora C & L Caesarum a tribunis mili­tum Romam apportata sunt, parmaeque & hastae, quas aureas ab Equitibus acceperant, in Curia suspensae sunt—Nondum positâ puerili praetexta Principes Juventutis appellari, designare Coss. specie recusantis flagrantissime cupiverat (Augustus.) A Blazing [Page 177] Star, Divus Julius, of which before, ℞. a Tem­ple with Julius Caesar sitting in it, holding a Lituus, and a Star over his Head. The Temple dedicated to him, Virg. Georg. 3.

Or rather the Temple of Venus, of which Dio. l. 45. Eâ re (appearing of the Star) Augustus animo confirmato Statuam Patris aeream cum stella supra Caput in Veneris templo posuit.

A Trophy upon the Prow and Rudder of a Ship. Imp. Caesar for his Actiack Victory. ℞ in a Garland Jovi vot. suscep. pro Sal. Caes. Aug. SPQR. Augustus being Sick after the Battel with Brutus and Cassius, it being reported at Rome that he was dead, the SPQR. decreed an annual Supplication and Vows should be made for his Health and Safety.

Two Mens Heads together with the Faces toward other two, without an Inscription; pro­bably M. Antonius, Octavius and Octavia; for after Fulvia's (Antonius's first Wife's) death, who instigated him to make War upon Augu­stus, and to join with Sextus Pompeius, their mu­tual Friends began to endeavor a Reconciliation between them, which at last they effected; and for the greater Confirmation of it, Antony was to marry Octavia Augustus's Sister, now a Wi­dow by the late death of her Husband Marcel­lus. ℞ a Ship with the mark of Sicily under it, and Iter. Praef. which seems to concern Sextus Pom­peius, who on his own Coins is stiled Iter. Praef. [Page 178] Classis & orae maritimae ex S. C. for though one Condition of that Reconciliation was, that they should both of them go against Sextus Pompeius; yet Pompey retired with his Fleet to Sicily, and there hindred the Transportation of Corn to the City: which causing a Dearth in the City forced Caesar and Antony to make a Reconci­liation with him also; the Treaty being at Mi­senum, whereupon it seems this Coin was made.

A Womans Head veiled Indulgentiae Augusti moneta impetrata. ℞ the Emperor in a trium­phal Chariot, underneath Colonia Augusta, Aroa Patrensis. Patrae was built by Eumelus, who having learned of Triptolemus the Art of Plowing and Sowing, he called his City Aroa. [...] saith Pausan. Afterwards the Achaia [...]s ejecting thence the Jonians, Patreus the Son of Preugenes, Grand-child of Agenor, enlarging the City called it Patrae. And Augustus after his Victory at Actium recalled the Inhabitants dis­persed by the War (the Haven being very com­modious) and also brought thither the Inha­bitants of divers neighboring Cities, and gave the Patrenses Government over them: amongst other Privileges he gave them, being his Colo­ny, one was to coin Mony.

Augustus's Head. Caesar Divi Fil. ℞ a Cupid (Augustus) between two Stars (of Venus and Julius) upon a Dolphin. S. P. Q. R.

Three vexilla, two of the Manipuli bundles of Hay or Straw the middlemost a Veil hung cross­ways Augusto Divi F. Legio IV. Legio VI. Legio X. ℞ Fla [...]vo Prae [...]fecto Germanorum. L. JVEN tio Luperco II viris Colonia Cae [...]sar-Augustana, a Man [Page 179] plowing with two Oxen. Coined by those three Legions quartered at Sarragoza.

§. 6. To Livia or Julia his last and best be­loved Wife were many honors decreed, as that she should be called Genetrix Patriae, figured in the form sometimes of Juno, Venus, (Astarte of the Sydonians) worshipping and stiling them as Gods and Goddesses even whilst alive: the Moon or Diana.

But the greatest honor was after his death, when he was voted to be a God and to be wor­shipped; they setting upon the highest part of the Funeral Pile an Eagle (for an Emperor, and a Peacock (Sacred to Juno) for an Empress) which might carry the Soul into Heaven to Jupiter; whence it proceeds, that upon Medals an Eagle set either upon a Globe, or the top of a Rogus, or Bed of Parade, or some such like, is a Sign of the Consecration of that Em­peror. But Augustus had also Temples built to him both at Rome and in the Provinces, had Sacrifices and Priests decreed to him, one of whom was Antonia the Wife of Nero Drusus Germanicus.

CHAP. III. Of Tiberius, C. Caligula, Claudius.

CHAP. IV. Of Nero, Claudius Macer.

CHAP. V. Of Servius (Sueton.) Sulp. Galba. Salvus Otho, Aulus Vitellius.

CHAP. VI. Of Flavius Vespasianus, Titus Vespasianus, Domitianus.

CHAP. VII. Of Cocceius Nerva, Ulpius Trajanus.

CHAP. VIII. Of Hadrianus.

1. HAdrianus was born A. C. 77. reigned 20 Years, eleven Months X died aged Sixty three Years X was in all Arts and Sciences the most knowing Man of his time; but with­al so Ambitious, Envious and Jealous of the Reputation of his Knowledge, that he could not brook any one should pretend to equal him; and for this cause some he put to Death. Historians report him, yet he seemeth not to have been, of a Cruel Disposition; for tho he put many to Death, yet there were also many Conspiracies against him, especially the first and last Years of his Reign. And to Nigrinus (one of those he executed) he designed the Succession in the Empire, and de facto adopted his Son in Law AElius. He was, or at least seemed to be, extremely Devout towards the Gods; forbidding all Human Sacrifices; build­ing many Temples, and in many of them placing no Statues (which Temples were called Hadriania,) some to our Lord Jesus Christ, as admiring his great Miracles. He forgave the People a great Summ of Money due to the Exchequer, of which a Medal—Reliqua vetera Sestertium novies millies abolita: And giving great Congiaria, was called by the Senate, Opti­mus Maximus (que) Princeps. By a great Bleeding at the Nose he fell into a Dropsie, which he first assayed to cure by Magick, which not suc­ceeding, [Page 209] he afterwards betook himself to the Physicians; being in very great Pain he grew Mad, and commanded many Senators to be slain, who were saved by Antoninus called there­fore Pius. For the recovery of his Phrensie, he went to Oreste, which he therefore called Hadri­anopolis. He visited almost all the Provinces of the Empire, on foot, with great Labour and Pains, going always bare-headed: To many of them he was a Benefactor, as appears by his Medals, especially to Africk, where, it seems, his Father was Pro-praetor; whose Figure, with his Mothers Domitia Paulina's, seems to be that with two Heads, Divis Parentibus.

A Crescent with one Star; the Star signified the Soul of his dear Antinous, which he sup­posed, and said he often saw in the Moon; with the Seven Stars, perhaps an Emblem of his happy Marriage to Sabina.

Adrian, on his right Hand an Eagle reaching him a Scepter, as from the Gods, Providentia Deorum. Also another with a Thunder, alluding to a Dream, which he had at Antioch two nights before his Adoption, that he saw Fire descend from Heaven upon his Body, which compassed, but harmed or frighted him not.

An Head Radiant Oriens, signifying that the East conspired and united at his Adoption. Also the East was the place whence their Gods came, and there were born; and therefore the Temples opened towards the East, that the Gods might come in; and at Noon none entered their Temples, because then they were full of Gods, and they prayed toward the [Page 210] West. The Christians quite contrary prayed toward the AEquinoctial East, as Sidonius saith. They thought also that the Sun arose out of the East, and run his course only to gratifie their Emperors; thence those Inscriptions, Soli invicto Comiti. Sol Dominus populi Romani. Sol invictus pacator Orbis, &c.

A Woman with two naked Children Sacri­ficing on an Altar before. Hadrian. Adventus Aug. Judaeae; signifying that by his coming he forced the Jews to Sacrifice to his Gods, and not Cir­cumcise their Children; for he made a most Cruel (the only one he made all his time) War against them, and destroyed them ex­ceedingly, rebuilding Jerusalem, and calling it AElia.

A Woman sitting, &c. Britannia & exercitus Britannicus; and—Restitutori Britanniae; signi­fying his settling of Britanny in Peace, and his building the Wall of Eighty Miles from New-castle to Carlisle, to defend them from the Scots and Picts.

Hadrian travelling through divers Provinces, settled and ordered their Affairs quietly and peaceably; therefore we see upon many of them, Restitutori, &c. a Woman kneeling, and him in Robes of Peace taking her by the Hand; with some mark to know the Province by, as for Achaia the Herb Oreoselinum in a Vase; being that wherewith Hercules was much re­freshed after his killing the Nemean Lyon, and wherewith they crowned the Victors in the Nemean Games. So Adventus Augusti.

[Page 211] Terra Stabilita, an Husband-man with a Plow and Anchor, to shew not only the Firmness of the Peace, but that by his Piety he had ob­tained that there should not be so many Earth­quakes; which in the beginning of his Reign were very frequent.

Sabina holding a Palm-branch, and two Children at her Feet, Hilaritas P. R. the People wishing Fecundity to Sabina; tho we read not that she had any Children. The Palm-tree was accounted Happy, to cause Fecundity, and to help Women to an easie Delivery. Hilaritas was chiefly for the Birth of Children, and Hilaria the Feasts publick for Great Mens, Hilariae private for the Birth of Common Mens, Children.

Hadrian Hercules with a Club, and three Apples, and a Navigable River, intimating that Hadrian like Hercules (worshipped at Gades near to which Adrian's Family was) went up and down settling Peace and Concord, and taking all Thieves and Robbers out of the World; the River is Baetis.

A great Serpent or Dragon (which is Osiris, and signified the River Nile) with a Caduceus, as being the cause of the Felicity of Egypt, and a Sistrum.

The God Lunus, &c. Nisae [...]n, a City in Ar­menia near to Mesopotamia, where this God was worshipped, as making his worshippers Masters of their Wives, whereas they thought those that worshipped Dea Luna were under the Power of their Wives.

[Page 212] A Crown like Flames issuing out in cer­tain places in the midst. A, conceived to be Corona Antinoa, in Honour of Antinous, made of the Buds of Lotus and Palm-leaves.

Isis Suckling Orus with a Water-pot behind her. Isis and Osiris being taken for the Genius's of Nature, and its Fecundity, which consists in Moisture, they always carried in their Pro­cession a Pot of Water; as the Romans had a Vessel they called Praefericulum.

The armed Head of Pallas probably stamped at Athens, which City being ruined by the Wars, he restored, repairing their Walls, their Temples, building an Academy and other Temples; for which the People rendered him all the Honour they possibly could; amongst the rest erected a great Colossus of him, and called a Colony of theirs in Delos, Novae Athenae Hadrianiae.

2. Hadrian's Wife was Julia Sabina, with whom he did not well agree, accusing her of Morosity, Frowardness, and ill Humour; tho she seems indeed to have been a Virtuous and Grave Woman, but much offended with his wicked and horrible Love to Antinous his Boy. She had no Children, endeavouring not to have any, left (as she said) she should of that Man breed a Plague to Mankind.

[...]. A Temple with a Semicircular [...], in the midst the Umbilical Image of Venus Paphien, on the top a Crescent with the Morning Star, as to the Moon; on either side a Dog watching as to Hecate or Diana; intimating that Sabina was Diana for Chastity, [Page 213] the Moon for Brightness and Beauty, and Venus for Fecundity.

[...], Two Fishes which seem to be the Pelamides, or young Tunny-fish before a Year old, which is there caught the best and in great abundance.

Of his Sisters none named but Paulina mar­ried before Trajans Adoption to C. Jul Servilius Ursus Servianus. She died before Adrian; not any Medals mentioned of hers, nor that she was called Augusta.

3. He had a Favorite and Ganimede called Antinous, born in Bithynium or Claudiopolis the Capital City of Bithynia (for whose sake he favoured much that Country) who (as some say) to avert some Dangers fore-signified by certain Dreams and Prodigies, from the Em­peror; or (as others) that the Emperor might, by his Intrails, be resolved in some difficult matter, was content to be Sacrificed; for such Affection of his, Hadrian heaped upon him all the Honours he possibly could; calling Flowers, Stars, Cities, Games, Sacrifices by his Name, and building Temples to him.

[...]. ℞. [...]. A young Man (seeming to be Antinous) with winged Feet, and a Pedum or feeding Staff, and sometimes a Caduceus (representing Mercury) and with his right Hand pointing to a Cow; intimating, probably, the Descent and Ori­ginal of that wretched Boy, whom some call Philasius, and feign him to be of the Progeny of Hercules.

[Page 214] Antinous's Head. [...]. ℞. an Upupa or Houpe in a Crown of Laurel. [...]. That was ordinarily a sign of Piety towards the Gods and Parents.

4. Hadrian being Sick, adopted L. Aurelius Ceionius Commodus Verus, who afterwards took the name of L. AElius Verus, it should seem for his Beauty; he was Learned and of excellent Discourse, governed Pannonia with Reputation, but his manner of living was Effeminate and Luxurious; being very Sickly he died before Hadrian, leaving a Daughter (Fadia) and a Son L. Ceionius AElius Commodus Verus, who afterwards reigned with M. Aurelius.

AElius Caesar ℞. Pannonia, presenting an En­sign or Cornet to him, lying along in form of the River Danubius, intimating that that River was not advantageous to them, but by his Aid.

Angeloni saith, his Wives Name was Lucilla, and that it is she we see upon Medals with six Children about her, with Faecunditas Aug. but this is not likely that she should be Augusta and not her Husband; besides that no History men­tions it to be so.

CHAP. IX. Of T. AElius Hadrianus, Antoninus Pius, Aurelius Fulvius, Boionus Antoninus, called before.

1. ARrius Son of Aurelius Fulvius and Arria Fadilla was born A. C. 87. reigned twenty two Years, six Months; died aged Seventy four Years, six Months, A. C. 162. When Hadrian felt himself declining, and not knowing whom to chuse, as he was coming one day to the Senate, he saw this Antoninus sustaining his Aged and Impotent Father, and conducting him into the Senate; with which Action Hadrian was so much pleased, that he immediately adopted him, having no Relation before to him or his Family.

He was the best of all the Emperors, of an excellent Understanding, Knowing, Eloquent, Taciturn, but Cheerful; Skilful in governing, Courteous, Bountiful, Moderate and Chast. Tho he spent most of his time in the Country, yet he governed the Empire very well, with great Vigilance, Justice, Activity, Clemency and Prudence: Being blamed by his Wife for giving too little of his own Inheritance to a Servant; he answered, Stulta, postquam ad im­perium transivimus, & illud, quod habuimus ante, perdidimus. He punished but one for Treason, and forbad also to enquire of his Complices, and was very kind to his Son. Either because of his Piety towards the Gods, or his observance [Page 216] of Hadrian, or the saving of many Senators Lives whom Hadrian commanded to be killed, the Senate gave him the Surname of Pius; which with the addition of Felix (P. F.) the succeeding Emperors continually used. Magnifick Games called Pialia were made in his Honor. He sacrificed in his own Person ordinarily every day, blamed the Heathens for imputing the causes of publick Calamities to the Christians.

Genio Pop Rom. It was not lawful to publish the name of the Genius of Rome as long as it was a Commonwealth; but afterwards the Em­perors were esteemed the Genius of it; and that they were animated by the Spirit of the Gods immediately, for we see Genius Caesaris, by which they frequently swore.—Genio Senatus it should seem, was coined in Honour of him, when he gave liberty to the Senators to dispose of all their Goods by Will, whereas Caesar be­fore had restrained them to half, to the other half the Emperor succeeding.

Alexandria (the chief City of Egypt, and second of the Empire) holding in one Hand either a Book (as the chief place for Learning) or some square Packet (for Merchandise,) in the other Ibis (a black Stork that devoured their Serpents, and was Sacred to Mercury.)

Laetitia Cos. IIII. (which was the Year when M. Aurelius espoused Faustina, and gave great Donatives even to the Soldiers, made great shews, &c. as appears by many of his Medals. Annona Cos. IIII. &c.) two Goddesses, the one taller (which was Faustina the Mother, (for their Heroes they figured about a third part [Page 217] taller than the ordinary Stature, and the Gods double to ordinary Persons) holding in her Hand Ears of Corn; for whereas before her Death, there was a great Famine, and pre­sently after great Plenty, they attributed it to her then deified, that she had obtained it for them of the Gods, hereupon the Emperor gave the People a Congiary,) the other lesser, as being yet Mortal, which was Faustina married to M. Aurelius, with a Ball in her Hand, be­cause the World was her Dowry, or Venus her Apple. This young Faustina was also after her Death worshipped as a younger Ceres, her Mo­ther being the Elder; and Ceres or Corn is the great cause of publick Joy.

Pietati Senatus, giving them thanks for their Decree of the Surnames of Pius and Pater Patriae. His Head. ℞. SPQR. A. N. F. F. Optimo Princip. that Annum novum Faustum foelicem.

A Jupiter veiled over a Goddess (Juno) as flying and holding a Globe; over either a Star signifying Antoninus and Faustina.

[...] a Jupiter; at Trallae he received the first Omen of his Empire, the Priestess of Jupiter, instead of saluting him ave Proconsul, saying ave Imperator.

[...], &c. a Mount, two Temples, &c. as described by Josephus called Hermon, afterwards Panium, because of a Famous Temple of Pan; under it the City Paneas anciently called Dan, because of one of the Fountains of Jordan, afterwards rebuilt and called Caesarea Paneadis, and Caesarea Philippi, the two Temples one to Augustus, the other to Antoninus.

[Page 218] [...]. AEsculapius and Venus. [...] being quite ruined by an Earthquake, as also a great part of Ionia sore shaken, Antoninus re­paired them, and planted Coos with a Colony of Milesians; therefore Antoninus and Faustina were meant by the two Deities.

Cybele sitting upon a Rock, under her a Man with his Head and Arms above Water, [...] (Flavia) [...] (Samosate) [...] (Sacrum asylum) [...] (legibus suis vivens) [...] (Metropolis Coma­genes.) The Man seems to be Euphrates the Son of Arandax, who finding his Son Axurta sleeping one day near his Mother by mistake slew him, and afterwards drowning himself, gave name to the River Euphrates.

[...]. A Jupiter's Head with Serapis's Bushel, Ammon's Horns, and Osiris or the Suns Beams, AEscula­pius's Serpent twisted about a Pisis, or Neptune's Trident like a Mercuries Caduceus, and a Cornu­copia for Nilus. The NT. probably Antoninus, as if he were acknowledged by the Egyptians to have been their Serapis, or comprehending all the Gods of the Heathen.

℞ [...]. A Man on Horse-back under him [...] per­haps for [...], one of the Cabiri, Corybantes, or Idaei Dactili.

Antoninus's Head—Antoninus Aug. Pius P P. TR. P. Cos. IV. ℞. a young Child swathed, newly born, not Faustina, for she was married when he was Cos. IV. whose Mother seems there to re­present Rhea or Mater Magna, with the Corybantes or People with Instruments of Musick, and Satyrs.

[Page 219] Antoninus's Head. [...], &c. ℞ Jupiter (or Pius in his shape) sitting upon Rocks and rain­ing out of an Horn upon a Statue lying along underneath, probably some River, a Rock also, a little House or Temple, and a Cypress-Tree [...], where note that it should seem I anciently in Latin was not pronounced like ee. since the Greeks express it by [...], and Seneca Ep. 58. renders [...] by I.

Antoninus's Head, &c. ℞ a Woman naked sitting upon a Rock, with a Water-flower in her Hand, and a Water-plant behind the Rock. [...]. Marcus Sabinus Governor of Philippopolis a City in Thrace under Mount Rhodope coined this: it should seem by this that Rhodope was so call­ed, not from a Queen of Thrace, but from a Nymph Daughter of Strymon got with Child by Neptune.

2. His Wife was Annia Galeria Faustina, Sister to AElius Caesar, a foolish lightheaded Woman, who denied her self nothing she desired; she died at thirty six Years three Months old, she had two Daughters, one died in his Proconsulat married to Silianus Lamia, the second was Fau­stina; and two Sons, one (of whom a Medal with his Mother deified) Galerius Anton. the o­thers name not known, as neither the time of their Death, as neither whether the two Cornu­copia's a ℞ of Antoninus be meant of them or the two Sons of M. Aurelius.

Faustina, that hath her Hair wreathed on the top of her Head is the Mother, she that hath it tied up behind the Daughter.

CHAP. X. Of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and Lucius Aurelius Verus.

1. M Aurelius Antoninus Son of M Annius Ve­rus, (Brother of AElius Caesar) and Domitia Lucilla was born A. C. 122. reigned nineteen Years ten Days, died at fifty nine Years old—At Syrmium by the help of his Physicians (as some say) in favor of Commodus. Was sickly, but exceeding Couragious, Labori­ous, Prudent, Just, Mild, Learned, (in Philoso­phy especially) and Chast. He put none to death, but only banished them, for Treason: forbad Gladiators to kill one another, and there­fore blunted their Weapons. Whilst he was Caesar he wore not Garments different from or­dinary Persons, nor would suffer Fire to be carried before him; his word was [...], All things flow from Above; and that he that would live or govern happily must imitate the Gods. Very liberal towards all Poor Persons, even the Christians, as appears by Capitolinus who calleth them homines novos: where see also who was Lucius Commodus Verus: He gave to Hierapolis (which was almost wholly Christian) at one time three thousand quarters of Coin. Yet held the Soul to be Mortal, and the Gods to have Bodies. Notwithstanding his great Wars he never forsook his study of Philosophy, which yet made him not at all morose.

[Page 221] Aurelius Caesar armed, riding upon a Sphinx, (the Emblem of Subtilty, Cunning and Pru­dence, as also of Egypt) either as if by his Pru­dence he conquered Barbarians, and all other his Enemies; or particularly some Exploit in Egypt.

A Woman (perhaps Faustina praying for the Health of M. Aurelius, or perhaps of the whole Empire, which was in his time much afflicted with the Plague and such Diseases) before the Altar of Salus, (another of AEsculapius) pre­senting a little Cake (which they called Sani­tatem; and being put into the hands of the Idol, and taken out again, was accounted Sovereign for many Diseases) and a small Vase it may be the [...] or poculum Sanitatis.

The Temple of Mercury upon four Hermes's: Over-head a Dog, a Cock, a Tongue, Relig. Aug. for ☿ as the Inventor of Religion and Sacri­fice was accounted the Genius of Piety and Reli­gion; with a Purse, to shew the plentiful Provi­sion for the Entertainment of his Temple, by the Bounty of the Emperors; A Dog, (Fideli­ty) a Cock, (Vigilance) and a Tongue, (Per­swasiveness) necessary to a Pontifex. This God much worshipped by M. Aurelius.

[...]. A King with a Diadem and Head- [...]e, not unlike an Imperial one: the name of the Kings of the Osdroenians, Eddesse­nians, &c. which are parts of Arabia, who seem­ed to be Christians, and are divers of them call­ed by the Fathers Viri Sancti.

[...]. The Emperor presenting an Eagle to Cybele. Attalus [Page 222] the Son of Polemon the great Sophister, (proba­bly) sent to the Emperor in behalf of his Coun­try ruined by Earthquakes, obtained great Suc­cor; for he repaired them and many other of those Asian Cities, which worshipped the God­dess Cybele.

[...], Two Athletes with Cestus's: pro­bably some Eminent Persons the Lacedemonians (a People above all other addicted to Mar­tial Exercises) sent to the Emperor; who also practised those Athletick Exercises very much, to strengthen his Health, as he did also Hunt­ing and Hawking, as his Father loved Fishing. If it be enquir'd what kind of Hawking was then in use among the Romans, whether like our Mo­dern? and of what Continuance that hath been? I answer, that it is out of my design to enter in­to such Discourses; but that I am informed that a Person of Quality of this Nation hath an an­cient Greek Author of this Subject ready for the Press.

2. His Wife was Faustina, a very beautiful and sprightly, but a vile abominable Woman for La­sciviousness, and all other Wickedness; which yet either her Husband was ignorant of, or would not be informed, or dissembled; for in his Book he commends her much, and when she died bewailed her in a most extraordinary manner, as if he had never understood Philo­sophy; and afterwards deified her, for which Actions he is justly censured. He had by her six Children as appears by a Medal of Faustina with two in her Arms, and four about her: No Son attained to Age save Commodus, Sextus An­nius [Page 223] Verus younger than Commodus died at the Age of seven Years, by the unskilful cutting of an Imposthume behind his Ear, his Father pu­nished not, but comforted the Physicians, and mourned for him only five days. There are Medals of him.

Antonius Geminus, Twin with Commodus, died at four Years old.

Annia Cornificia, Sister to M Aurel. married Numidius Quadratus, by whom she had a Son of the same name, to whom M. Aurelius left his Mothers Inheritance; he was put to death by Commodus.

Lucilla married L. Verus. Fadilla put to death by Caracalla, of the rest little known.

Veneri Victrici. Faustina (as Venus) half na­ked holding M. Aurel. (as Mars) lest he should [...]o to the Wars; or else getting him to her self from Fadia the Daughter of AElius Caesar.

Fortunae muliebri, to which she was much de­voted, her Temple four Miles out of Rome, whither went only such as were Univirae, and offered a Crown.

Soeculi felicitas: Two Children upon a Bed. When Male Children of a good House were born they carried them into the Temple of Ju­no Lucina, and laid them upon a Bed of the big­ness of that Hercules lay in when he slew the Dragons; for an Omen of their future Prowess.

AEternitas. Faustina carried upon the Wing of a Victory, or Minerva, or perhaps Diana Lu­cifera, into Heaven after her Consecration.

AEternitas. Faustina of a grand and divine Stature set between two Heroines, or lesser [Page 224] Goddesses; probably her own and Husband's Sister both installed amongst the Demi-God­desses, as coming to accompany her to Heaven.

[...], a City of Thrace gratifying the Emperor for setling their Peace, by his Vi­ctories over their Neighbors.

Isis and Anubis, Dog-headed, whom the Egyp­tians conceived the chiefest God and Goddess, intimating Faustina and Aurelius.

[...], Certain Quinquennalian Games celebra­brated at Actium, perhaps renewed by Aurelius.

3. Lucius Aurelius Verus, (called also Commo­dus before his Adoption) Son of AElius Caesar was born A. C. 129. reigned about eleven years, and died of an Apoplexy about forty two years old: He was a Foil to M. Aurel. being Rash, Heady, Light headed, Prodigal, Voluptuous, a Mocker, so much given to Whoredom, that at the request of a common Strumpet he cut off his Beard which he had so carefully nourish­ed, easily drawn and ordered by his Servants. At first he was not so bad as after the Parthian War, which he finished chiefly by his Lieute­nants. M. Aurelius notwithstanding with great Prudence covered his Faults, and commended in him what was good, i. e. to love his Servants, not to dissemble, not to be bloody.

Rex Armenis datus, They say his Name was Soëinus ejected first by Valogesus, who flying to the Romans was made a Senator, and afterwards re-established; which perhaps is shewed by his Roman habit.

Col. Patr [ensis rather than Patricia] an Ath­lete, sacrificing and laying his left Hand upon [Page 225] a Term, (or Pillar with a Head upon it) as sacrificing to ☿ the God of Games, for Patrae was a City of Achaia, the Theatre of Games, to which Verus was much addicted.

The Statue of Jupiter in the shape of Verus upon the top of a Mount flaming on one side and Trees on the other, perhaps Vesuvius: it may be the Inhabitants thereabouts worshipped him to deliver them from the danger of those Eruptions; or else as Jupiter [...] or Presi­dent of the Mountains, upon the top of which the Heathens used to worship their Gods.

Venus [...], or on Horseback. [...]. i. e. Anatho a holy Town of the Isle Prosopites, (an Island made by Nilus) and an Asylum.

His Wife was Lucilla the Daughter of M. Au­relius, whom he married in his Parthick Expe­dition; her Father promised to accompany her into Syria, though he went no farther than Brundusium; but her Husband, lest M. Aurelius should be witness of his Debauches, met her at Ephesus, where they were married. But before that she was possessed with the Devil, which could not be ejected by any but Abertius Bishop of Hierapolis; to which City after the Ejection, the Emprors gave that great Largess of Corn. After Verus's death she was married to Claudius Pompeianus, a very virtuous and worthy, though mean, Person; but she maintained her quality of Emperess, till Commodus being displeased with her, at first banished, and afterwards killed, her. She was a Daughter worthy such a Mother, such an Husband, such a Brother.

[Page 226] Her Head [...]. ℞. Ceres sitting [...]. Dio speaks in Trajan's time of Manus a King of the Arabi­ans beyond Euphrates between the Osroeni and Armenia Major, possibly this Mannus might be his Son or Grand-child. For Verus sending Avi­dius Cassius against Vologaesus a near Neighbor to this Mannus, Mannus being afrighted, cajoled the Empress then being at Antioch with her Husband, pretending friendship to the Romans for fear.

4. Under M. Aurelius and Verus arose up a Rebel, Avidius Cassius, a Man of many, espe­cially Military, Virtues; who endeavored to engage in his quarrel the Legions of Asia, Syria and Egypt; pretending first to restore the anci­ent popular Government, but afterwards tak­ing upon him the Title of Emperor, he was slain after three Months by common Consent of the Armies and People, wonderfully affection­ate to the Virtues of M. Aurelius.

CHAP. XI. Of Commodus,

1. COmmodus was born A. C. 162. reigned 12 Years nine Months, and was stran­gled at the Age of thirty one Years. In his Impurity, Brutishness, Cruelty, Injustice, Glut­tony, Drunkenness, Impiety equalled Caligula, Nero, Vitellius and Domitian. He murdered his Wife, his Sister, his Cousin German, his Aunt, [Page 227] all his Friends and twenty four of the eminent­est Persons of the Empire. He violated his Si­sters, the Vestal Virgins; had three hundred Concubines, and as many

This his Incontinency was augmented by the Ointments and Medicines he took to preserve him from the Plague; which reigned violently in his time. He defiled the Temples and Al­tars with Murder and Lust, gave his mind to be a Gladiator, Charioteer, Pimp, &c. Yet in hate to the Senate Severus afterwards made him a God.

Jupiter laying his Hand on the Shoulder of Commodus. I. O. M. Spon [sori] Sec [uritatis] Aug [usti].

Col [oniae] Aug [ustae] f[elio] Cermeno, in an­other Germeno, a Wolf suckling two Children. Rome being much desolated by a great Plague, Commodus repeopled, and would have it called Colonia Commodiana. Now Rome was composed anciently of four Villages▪ Romula, Velia, Ger­malum and Forum; this Germalum called also Germanum, was (as Plutarch notes afterwards called Cermanum, Cermenum; which it seems Commodus stored with People.

Commodus with a Lion's Skin L. AE L. Aurel. Commod. P. F. ℞ Herculi Romano Aug. for amongst other Madnesses of this Sot, this was one, that he would be called and clothed as one of the Gods, so

Anubis Nobilitas Aug. P. M. he said Anubis was his Ancestor at whose Ceremonies he pre­sided, and was masked like Anubis with his Dog's [Page 228] Head, with the Snout whereof he used to beat the bare Scalps of such as went nigh him.

Crispina in the habit of Fortuna Victrix, before her a Basket of Fruits, behind three Children, one swathed, as if Crispina were the cause of all his good Fortune; that she had any Children is known only by her Medals: It seems they lived not long.

Africk and Egypt giving a handful of Corn to Commodus habited as Hercules Romanus, setting his foot upon a Prow. For by his Negligence there being a great Famine, and the People mutining, he built a Fleet to fetch Corn out of Afrrick and Egypt.

The Goddess Salus (Daughter of AEsculapi­us) raising up a Man. Salus generis humani, seems to initiate the recovery of Commodus (and in him of the whole World) from some great Disease.

Apollini Monetae, perhaps referring to this, that Commodus inspired by him, had put to death Cleander, the Cause of the Dearth and Poverty.

[...]. Telesphorus, (a God of Health, and Son or Grand-child of AEsculapius) upon an Altar in a Capuch, and his Hands (as if cold) under a long wide Vestment, as he is usually represented.

[...]. Juno the Goddess of the Samians, Juno Pronuba, or as she presided at Marriages, therefore is she habited like a new married Wo­man. This seems coined in Honor of the Mar­riage of Commodus.

Bacchus drawn by four Elephants, [...], calling Commodus, as it were, their new Founder.

[Page 229] An Eagle and a Serpent. [...]. Nicomedia being horribly ruined with an Earthquake, the People had a design to build it in another place over against the ancient Si­tuation. As they were therefore Sacrificing, an Eagle came and took the Head of the Sacrifice off the Altar, and carried it on the top of a Rock on the other side of an Arm of the Sea, a vast Serpent appeared at the same time, which Swom to the same place; which the Inhabi­tants following there built their City.

2. His Wife was Crispina the Daughter of Brutius Praesens, whom having taken in Adul­tery, he slew.

A naked Woman stooping down with a Lau­rel branch in her Hand, and setting her Foot upon I know not what Colo. Aug [usta] Troas: Troas was called Alexandria from Paris the Son of Pri­am; and Antigonia, Antigonus re-peopling it; and was situated between Mount Ida and the Sea. The Figure seems to be of Herophile the Sybil in her posture of Prophecying, standing upon a Stone, and Laurel in her Hand; which Herophile lived a great part of her time at and was buried near, this Alexandria. From whence she was called Phrygia, Trojana, Hellespontica, Ger­githea, Marpessa, Erythrea, (from Marpesses call­ed Erythrea, because of the red Soil) Ancyrana, and Delphica; from the several places of her Abode and Prophecying.

CHAP. XII. Of Helvius Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, and Clodius Albinus.

1. P. Helvius Pertinax, Son of Helvius Succes­sus, Son of a Freed Man, was born A. C. 127. reigned about four Months, died aged 67 Years four Months, more or less, slain by the Praetorian Soldiers, his Guards. He was very Prudent, Learned, Eloquent, Valiant, Con­stant, of a present Spirit, Moderate, Just, so Frugal that he seemed Avaritious. A very skill­ful and experienced Soldier; was very averse from receiving the Empire, put upon him by the Murderers of Commodus; In the Senate pre­ferring others before himself, hindering his Wife as much as he could from being called Augusta, and his Son from being Caesar; saying, That it was sufficient that himself reigned against his will. Whether discouraged by his obscure Birth, his old Age, or the Licentious Times, is unknown. He endeavored with great Labor, Vigilance, Courage and Dexterity, to settle the Common­wealth in good order; repressing the Insolen­cies of the Soldiers, banishing and punishing all the Ministers of Tyranny, bestowing the wast and untilled Grounds upon such as would hus­band them; saying, That those Possessions were the Commonwealths, not the Emperors; taking away illegal Taxes; selling all Commodus's Su­perfluous and Luxurious Statues, Eunuchs and [Page 231] Houshold-stuff to pay a Largess to the Soldiers and Citizens; recovering vast Sums of Money which Commodus had sent to the Barbarians to buy Peace of them; retrenching the Expences of his House. And it is almost incredible what Reformations he made in those few Months of his Reign.

His Head. Imp. C. P. Helvius Pertinax Aug. ℞. A Woman with a Cornucopia and a Tesse­ra, such a one as they used in their Largesses. Civibus Liberatis. Either from the Tyranny of Commodus; the People as they met any Senator crying out Age, Age, Salvus evasisti, vicisti; or because People being very much necessitated for want of Corn, himself went by Sea to ha­sten home the Corn that was sent for.

2. His Wife was Fl. Titiana, of a loose and wicked Behavior, which is the Reason he would never permit her to be called Augusta, therefore also few Medals of her; besides he was enamour­ed of Cornificia his Concubine, but not to the Prejudice of any one. He had by his Wife di­vers Children, amongst the rest a Son called Pub. Helvius Pertinax, whom he educated as a private Person, at his Father's House, at School, &c. nor suffered him to use the Title of Caesar the Senate gave him; after his Father's Death and Consecration he was made his Priest, and afterwards Consul, and was at last murdered by Caracalla, for having called him Geticus after the Murder of his Brother Geta.

DIS Custodibus. A Fortune setting her Stern upon a Globe; either intimating the Golden Fortune, which was solemnly carried into the [Page 232] Palace of the new Emperors; or else some Sta­tue of Fortune, erected by him in Honor of the Gods that so protected him.

Col. Hel. Colonia Helvia, of which two are men­tioned, one on the Promontory of Lilybeum in Sicily; the other in Piceno. Two Hercules's with their Clubs; the one supposed the Divine Her­cules, the other Pertinax. It was taken as an Omen of the Empire, that Commodus that day he was slain gave to Pertinax his Club to hold wherewith he acted Hercules.

3. M. Didius Severus Commodus Julianus was born A. C. 134. reigned two Months, six Days, and was beheaded by the command of Severus at the Age of sixty Years, four Months, four Days. The Praetorian Soldiers having murder­ed Pertinax, retired into their Camp, and pro­claimed, that he, who would give most, should by them be made Emperor; which Julianus hearing, made them such offers as contented them; whereupon they presently saluted him Emperor, and conducted him to the Palace, where seeing the Frugal Provision made for Pertinax, he scorned it very much, and com­manded great Preparations to be made; in­tending to live more like Commodus, to be there­by more grateful to the Soldiers; to content whom also he took his Name. But hereby he incurred the hate of the People, (whom at first he despised, but afterwards slew many of them by his Soldiers) and the Senate; where entring, he made an insolent and foolish Oration in Commendation of himself. And as he invaded the Empire unworthily, so he carried himself [Page 233] laschly, and negligently, especially when the People first cried up Pescennius Niger, and after­wards Sept. Severus, to whom he offered at last to be Partaker of the Empire; which Seve­rus refused, who sent his Soldiers disguised into Rome, who slew Julianus after he was condemn­ed by the Senate.

His Wife was Manlia Scantilla, who together with his Daughter Didia Clara, (married to Cornelius Repentinus her Cousin German) both of them stiled by the Senate Augustae, incited the old Man to take upon him the Empire. Lit­tle notice is taken of them by Historians; and but few Medals of them.

3. C. Pescennius Niger Justus Son of Annius Fuscus and Lampridia, was born, when and where not known; reigned about eight Months, and after many Battels was slain by Severus a­bout fifty eight Years old: was called Niger, because of the Sun-burntness of his Neck and Face; the rest of his Body being very white. Was very Sober, and so Chast that he never accompanied his Wife but that he might have Children by her. Rather plain, open and ge­nerous than cunning, yet Wife and Prudent; he by Letters perswaded M. Aurelius to conti­nue the Governors of the Provinces five Years at least; that the Assistants of the Governors should succeed them; that the Governors and their Counsellors should have their Salary duely paid them; saying, Judicem nec dare debere nec accipere. Was in great Employments, which he discharged with great Honor. Was because of his Valor, Virtue and Generosity, in the East [Page 234] called the Second Alexander. Imitating the ancient Captains in the Discipline of War. His Wife, Children, and whole Family were put to death by Severus.

Minerva Victrix. Minerva reaching Niger a Crown, and he offering her a Globe, hereby acknowledging her for his singular Patroness. Probably he dedicated some Statue to her in this Posture.

[...]. (a City in Syria Euphra­tesianâ) Niger, as AEsculapius, acknowledging him thereby their Saviour.

5. Decimus Clodius Albinus (called also Sep­timius by Severus when he made him Caesar) Son of Ceionius Postumius Albinus, and Aurelia Messalina, reigned about three Years, eight Months, killed himself being vanquished by Severus. Was Hasty, Proud, Cholerick, Active, Valiant; So bold a Gladiator that he was call­ed the Cataline of his Age. Very Lascivious, a horrible Eater, but little Drinker. Grave, ex­ceeding severe towards the Soldiers, Learned, and Eloquent. Commodus would have made him Caesar, which he refused; but accepted afterwards from Severus, who honor'd him on­ly to amuse him; sending at the same time five Persons to kill him, whom Albinus com­pelled to confess by force of Torments. Where­upon he went to fight Severus; and first defeat­ed his Lieutenant Lupus: and afterwards en­countered Severus himself near to Lions, where Severus's Party being almost overcome, was restored by Laetus, who brought a fresh Ar­my; whereupon Albinus through Despair kill­ed [Page 235] himself, and his Body was most barbarously used by Severus.

Saeculo Frugifero Cos. II. (and another Saeculi foelicitas, much what the same thing their chief Felicity consisting in Plenty). A Deity-raies a­bout his Head like Apollo, a Caduceus like ☿ and a Trident like Neptune. Probably the ☿ of the Galls, which was the great Genius of the world, and therefore Author of Fecundity; the Head is the Sun presiding over the Seasons of the Year, the Caduceus's Wings represent the Fecun­dity of the Air, as the Serpents do the Harmony of the Elements; and the Trident the Fruit­fulness of the Water.

Another like the former, but the Head like Cybele, and an Howe instead of a Trident.

[...] (Sidetens [...]um the Second City of Pam­phylia, where it seems Albinus had been Gover­nor, and which Severus chose to himself) two Warriors joining hands, Severus in Arms as Su­perior, the other without as Inferior.

[...] (Gaditanorum) a Temple and Her­cules standing; being much worshipped there. Albinus was an African, and had governed Spain. Gades two Islands, one belonging to Africk, the other to Europe.

His Wife was Pescennia Plautiana, Daughter of Plautius Quintillus, whom Severus slew. By her he had a Son Pescennius Primaeus, or Prinaeus slain with his Mother (though before pardoned) by Severus; after the Victory over Albinus.

CHAP. XIII. Of L. Septimius Severus, Bassianus Cara­calla, Septimius Geta, and M. Opilius Macrinus.

1. L. Septimius Severus, Son of L. Sept. Geta, and Fulvia Pia, was born at Laeptis, A. D. 147. reigned seventeen Years, eight Months, three Days; and died at Sixty five Years, nine Months, twenty three Days old; was very Active, Vi­gilant, Couragious, Indefatigable, Provident, (especially for Provision) of good Understand­ing, and a Lover of Learning, tho himself not Learned; but withal most horribly Am­bitious, Traiterous, Cruel, Covetous and Vin­dicative, more than any of his Predecessors, having put to Death Forty of the eminentest Persons of the Empire at once, without hear­ing their Cause, upon Suspition of their Con­spiring with Albinus; for which, being ex­ceedingly hated, he endeavoured to engage the Soldiers to himself, by giving them many Gifts, and Licences to wear Gold Rings, to have Wives with them, &c. the cause of much Misery and Ruine of the Empire, and even of himself; for as soon as Caracalla came into his Youth, they began to cast their Eyes upon him, and neglect Severus; made Caracalla Augustus in despight of him; which so heightned him, that he continually sought to kill his Father, some­times by Poyson, sometimes by the Sword; [Page 237] which so enraged the Gouty Old Man, that his Disease increased exceedingly, and became so insupportable, that he would have killed himself, but was hindered; and at last eat so enormously on purpose that he died upon it, after he had in vain endeavoured to punish his Son, whom he mortally hated. Dying he said, Omnia fui, & nihil expedit.

Diis Auspicibus, &c. Col. II. Hercules and Bac­chus with a Dog. Severus going to fight in the East against Niger, purposing also to invade the Parthians and Indians, Sacrificed to these two Gods, under whose Auspicia [Standards] of the one, as a Victor over Tyrants, of the other, as over the Indians. Auspicia also they called the Sacrifices they made the day of their entering their Office or Employment. The Heroes anciently were said to have Dogs with them; both because of their Fidelity, &c. and of their Divination; they attributing much to their Barking, Howling or Fawning. Hercules's Dog, crushing a Purple Fish, discovered to Her­cules that excellent Die.

Saeculi felicitas, a Crescent with Seven Stars, shewing the numerous Issue he had; besides his Sons, two Daughters, and Grand-children of Caracalla—So Julia between Caracalla and Geta.

So a Ship under Sail, shewing the Common-wealth, after the Storms of Civil Wars, sailed quietly.

Severus, Julia and his two Sons, before his going to Britanny reconciling them. Geta with an Helmet, as being to have part of the Army under his Command.

[Page 238] Pacator Orbis, a young Head radiant; it was one of the Titles bestowed upon him after the Parthick Victory; the Head is of Caracalla, and Sun mingled together; Caracalla went with him in this Expedition.

Marti Statori; it should seem some Vow made to him, when in the Battel against Albinus, the Soldiers running, and his Horse Slain, and himself on the Ground, yet he rallied and conquered.

Libero Patri, a Bacchus; to whom he dedi­cated a great Temple.

[...] (certain Games first instituted in the Honour of Apollo, renewed in Honour of Severus) [...]. Two Earthen-pots upon a Table with two Palms; on the Ground a Sacrificing Pot and five Apples, which seem to be the Prize contended for. Many Medals made by the Perinthians in Honour of Severus, who after the taking of Byzantium after three years Siege, bestowed the Privileges thereof upon the Perinthians, to whom also, he sub­jected it with all its Territory; insomuch that they stiled their City Metropolis Europae. Tho afterwards he restored all to Byzantium.

[...]—Abgarus King of the Edessenians confederate with Severus, and assisted him exceedingly with his Archers against the Parthian.

(Civitas) [...]. Honorat hac Statuâ (Minervae) Severum Aug.

[...]. The Ilienses or Trojans ac­counted Severus their great Heros.

[Page 239] [...]. (The Praetor of the Smyrneans) about, an Oaken Garland; within which [...]. which were the first solemn Plays made in the Honour and presence of Severus and his two Sons re­turning from the Parthick War; called [...] because made at the common Charge of the Towns of that Province.

[...] of Egypt, where was a Famous Temple of Serapis, and the Sepulchre of Osiris; Severus with a Bushel as Serapis. Caracalla with Rays as Osiris.

Concord holding in either Hand a Temple, one to Severus, another to his Sons, built pro­bably on either side of her Temple [...], certain Games of which we know nothing.

A Temple of an Antick Fashion, I. O. M. H. Jovi optimo Maximo Helvio, i. e. Pertinaci Jovi facto. Col [onia] Hel [via] in Piceno; eundem ho­norem etiam Severo post mortem decernentes.

2. Severus's first Wife was Martia, by whom he had two Daughters married to Probus and AElius two eminent Persons; it seems he loved her well, and afterwards erected a Statue to her.

His second Wife was Julia Domna, and so the Syrian and Asian Medals stile her, Surnamed Pia after she came to Rome in Honour of Fulvia Pia the Mother of Severus. She was born at Emesa in Syrophaenicia, Daughter of the Priest of the Sun named Bassianus. Severus, then Go­vernour of the Lionnois in the sixth year of the Reign of Commodus, understanding by his Astro­logues [Page 240] (to whom he was much given) that her Horoscope was, that she should be married to an Emperor, was never quiet till he obtained her. She was very Beautiful, Learned and of great Capacity; wherefore he consulted with her in all Affairs of Consequence, and put her Name in all his Letters and Missives to the Senate: She also saluted all as Severus and Caracalla did. He did not love her, being she was exceeding Proud, Arrogant, Malicious, Cunning, Quarrelsome, and given to her Lusts and Pleasures. Yet did he not control her, tho she conspired to take away his Life. After the Death of Severus, she endeavoured all she could to reconcile the two Brothers; till at last Geta was killed by his Brother in her Lap, which also she durst not resent, nor Lament, for fear he should kill her also; as he would have done, had he not feared an universal Revolt. When Caracalla was slain by Martialis the Friend of Macrinus, she fell into bitter passi­onate words against Macrinus; and would have killed her self, but the Blow was not Mortal: But after that Macrinus had treated her well, she took heart, till her words and endeavours to get the Army from him were told him; then he sent her word to retire her self whither she pleased; but she chused rather to starve her self to Death. She had two Sons, Caracalla in the first year of her Marriage; to whom she was never married, as some Historians report, and Geta.