State of the Barbaric World -Establishment of the Lombards on the Danube -Tribes and Inroads of the Sclavonians-Origin, Empire, and Em- bassies of the Turks-The Flight of the Avars-Chosroes I. or Nushirvan King of Persia-His prosperous Reign and Wars with the Romans—The Rebellions of Africa-Restoration of the Gothic Kingdom by Totila-Loss and Recovery of Rome-Final Conquest of Italy by Narses-Extinction of the Ostrogoths-Defeat of the Franks and Alemanni-Last Victory, Disgrace, and Death of Belisarius-Death and Character of Justinian 553 Defeat and Death of Teias, the last King of the Goths. Invasion of Italy by the Franks and Alemanni 554 Defeat of the Franks and Alemanni by Narses Idea of the Roman Jurisprudence-The Laws of the Kings-The Twelve Tables of the Decemvirs-The Laws of the People-The Decrees of the Senate The Edicts of the Magistrates and Emperors-Authority of the Civilians--Code, Pandects, Novels, and Institutes of Justinian :-I. Rights of Persons-II. Rights of Things-III. Private Injuries and THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE CHAPTER XXXVI Sack of Rome by Genseric, King of the Vandals-His naval Depre- of the Van 439 45 title: King of Alani] THE loss or desolation of the provinces, from the ocean to the Naval power Alps, impaired the glory and greatness of Rome; her internal da's A.D. prosperity was irretrievably destroyed by the separation of Africa." The rapacious Vandals confiscated the patrimonial estates of the senators, and intercepted the regular subsidies which relieved the poverty, and encouraged the idleness, of the plebeians. The distress of the Romans was soon aggravated by an unexpected attack; and the province, so long cultivated for their use by industrious and obedient subjects, was armed against them by an ambitious Barbarian. The Vandals and Alani, who followed [Genseric's the successful standard of Genseric, had acquired a rich and Vandals and fertile territory, which stretched along the coast above ninety days' journey from Tangier to Tripoli; but their narrow limits were pressed and confined, on either side, by the sandy desert and the Mediterranean. The discovery and conquest of the Black nations, that might dwell beneath the torrid zone, could not tempt the rational ambition of Genseric; but he cast his eyes towards the sea; he resolved to create a naval power; and his bold resolution was executed with steady and active perseverance. The woods of Mount Atlas afforded an inexhaustible nursery of timber; his new subjects were skilled in the arts of navigation and shipbuilding; he animated his daring Vandals to embrace a mode of warfare which would render every mari |