BOOK II. 395. stake to contend for, and the power of an ancient empire to withstand. But we need not extend this to the depopulation of our island, or to the total destruction of its military strength. His officer assassinated Gratian, after he had reigned fifteen years, and Valentinian admitted Maximus into a participation of the empire, who retained it until he failed to conciliate Theodosius, or ventured to contend with him for the dominion of the whole. The superior forces or ability of the emperor of the East avenged the death of his unfortunate patron. Maximus perished at Aquileia. The British soldiers did not long survive the leader they had befriended; but that they wandered into Armorica, and newnamed it, seems to be unfounded." In 391 the generous Theodosius delivered the sceptre of the western empire to Valentinian, who marched into Gaul against the Francs. He renewed the ancient leagues with them, but perished by the weapon of a murderer in 392. A new adventurer for empire, Eugenius, assumed his dignity, made fresh treaties with the Francs and Alemanni, collected troops from all parts to maintain the exalted. station he had ventured to seize, and advanced to defy the genius of Theodosius. In 394 he sustained a destructive combat near Aquileia, which terminated his ambition and his life. The next year was marked by the death of Theodosius himself; and when he expired, the Roman glory began to set. His two sons lived only to disgrace him. The western hemisphere was possessed by Honorius, the youngest son of Theodosius, who, 5 Socrates, p. 270-273. 6 This point has been much controverted, but I cannot avoid agreeing with Du Bos, that Quant au tems où la peuplade des Bretons insulaires s'est établie dans les Gaules, it was not before the year 513. Hist. Crit. ii. 470. The chronicle of the abbey of Mont S. Michel, in Bretagne, gives this year as the epoch of their arrival. Anno 513, venerunt transmarini Britanni in Armoricam, id est minorem Britan niam. Ib. 472. The ancient Saxon poet, ap. Duchesne Hist. Fran. Script. ii, p. 148. also peoples Bretagne after the Saxon conquest. VII. in January 395, at the age of eleven, became master CHAP. of an empire almost besieged by enemies; Italy, Africa, Gaul, Spain, and Britain looked up to him for protection, and in turns demanded it: while Arcadius, his brother, filled the throne of the East. A minister able to have upheld a falling state directed the young mind of Honorius. Stilicho, his appointed guardian, passed the Alps soon after the new accession, reviewed the garrisons on the Rhine, and negotiated with the Germans. During the progress of the same year he marched the legions of the empire along the coast of the Adriatic, to punish the guilty favourite, who was diffusing misery through the East. In November the fate of Rufinus delivered Stilicho from a competitor, and the world from a subordinate tyrant, who converted a trust of power into an instrument of base oppression.8 But the enemy that was destined to shake the Roman empire to its foundation, and to give the signal of successful onset to the barbarians who were crowding to encompass it, began now to appear. Superior genius frequently produces great revolutions. on the theatre of the world, when it is placed in the sphere of command. Empires rise to grandeur by the potent springs which that only can set in action; but when these have spent their force, and a new potentate appears, gifted with the same creative 73 Gibb. 104. Aurelius Victor has drawn a very exalted and interesting character of Theodosius. 8 Gibbon, 117-120. Claudian has punished the vices of Rufinus by a fine effusion of heroic satire. His description of the council of the calamities of mankind is a living picture: "Nutrix Discordia belli, Imperiosa Fames, Leto vicina Senectus, Et Timor et cæco preceps Audacia vultu, Et Luxus populator opum, quem semper adhærens In Ruf. lib. i. p. 21. Elz. ed. BOOK II. Rise of powers, the scenes of greatness change, the descendants of the illustrious are destroyed, and new edifices of sovereignty are erected, to tower, to menace, and to fall, like those on whose ruins they exist. Such was Alaric, who, at the close of the fourth century, united under his sovereignty the strength of the Gothic nation. The Gothic nation had slowly but steadily advanced to consequence and power. Augustus had extended the Roman empire, in the eastern part of Germany, up to the Danube. Before he died Maraboduus, a German who had been educated by serving in the Roman armies, and by fighting against them, led the nation of the Marcomanni, with others of the Suevian race, into Bohemia, and founded there a new barbaric kingdom, which became peculiarly formidable to the Romans. His movements excited most of the nations between his new position and Italy to take up arms; and Tiberius was three years einployed, with fifteen legions and an equal proportion of auxiliary troops, before he could subdue what was called Illyricum, or the countries that lay between the Danube and the Adriatic. The civil dissensions of the Marcomanni enabled the Romans to establish themselves beyond the Danube. Of the subsequent Roman emperors, Nerva, Trajan, and Antoninus had successful wars with these people and their neighbours, the Dacians, Quadi, and others; but about the year 167, from a confederation of all these nations, Marcus Aurelius had to sustain a war the most dangerous and destructive that the Romans had experienced. Almost all the nations from Illyricum to Gaul appeared in arms. Aurelius made proportionate exertions. To his regular armies he added slaves and gladiators, robbers whom he pardoned, and Germans whom he could trust. He sold by auction, at Rome, all his personal property, to augment his pe VII. cuniary funds, and, after the military efforts of many СНАР. years, at last subdued them; but the succeeding emperors were unable to retain any province beyond the Danube; and as they retreated, the nations to the north became more prosperous and daring. the Goths. Of these the Goths were the most adventurous Progress of and successful. They begin to appear in the imperial history about the time that the Francs are mentioned. They invaded Dacia. One Roman emperor, Alexander, used the ruinous policy of paying them an annual subsidy, and their history afterwards is that of continual progression. Many barbaric nations joined them; and, assuming their name, enlarged both their power and celebrity, as other tribes had thus contributed to the importance of the Francs and Saxons. Under Decius, about the year 250, the Gothic king passed the Danube at the head of 70,000 men, and ravaged Thrace and Macedonia: others afterwards invaded Asia, and with fleets assailed the Pontus. In 267 the Goths, Heruli, and Scythæ plundered the Archipelago, and devastated Greece. All the talents of Aurelian were insufficient to preserve the provinces beyond the Danube. He therefore abandoned Dacia to the warlike nations who were threatening it, and transplanted the friendly population to the right bank of the Danube. Probus, pursuing this policy, caused 100,000 Bastarnæ to cross the Danube, and to settle in the southern provinces, which had been depopulated in these contests. To the same districts he also transplanted the Francs and Saxons. But all these measures were ineffective to resist the perpetual advance of the enterprising Goths, becoming in every campaign better disciplined by their unceasing contests with the Roman armies, and by the education of their chieftains in the Roman service, during the intervals of peace. The ambition and spirit of the Gothic BOOK II. 376. Progress of nation increased with their improvements and power; and when Alaric appeared to lead them, they discovered themselves to be as superior to the Romans in their military qualities as they were in their political institutions, and in some of the moral virtues. In this year the western world had been alarmed by the irruption of the Huns." After swelling their army by the nations they conquered, they had rushed on the Gothic tribes. Unable to repulse the ferocious invaders, the Goths had precipitated themselves over the Danube. Stationed by the emperor Valens in Lower Mosia, the Goths revolted, penetrated into Thrace, defeated and killed their imperial benefactor, in 378, at Adrianople; and, from this disastrous day, never abandoned the Roman territory.10 At length Theodosius made an accommodation with them; a large portion of their warriors were taken into the imperial service, and a successful attempt was made to convert them to the Christian faith. Among the Goths who were allied to the Roman armies, Alaric passed his youth. Born in the island of Peuce 11, on the Euxine, of one of the principal families of the Goths 12, he had early abandoned the confined limits of his native soil, for the civilised The history of these Huns is ably abridged by Mr. Gibbon, vol. ii. p. 561.; he traces their unsuccessful contests with the Chinese, their divisions and emigrations, their conquests, the union of the Alani, and their wars upon the Goths. One of their ancient historians, Jornandes, c. 24., gives their execranda origine, that is, veneficarum cum immundis spiritibus congressu. M. de Guignes leads the way on their history. It was on the extensive steppe between the Dniester and the Bog, that Dr. Henderson, in 1821, saw those large male and female images hewn in stone, which these Mongolian Huns seem to have erected in this emigration; when they were driven over the Volga by the Sien-Pi in 374. "They are executed with considerable taste; the features, limbs, and ornaments being all distinctly marked. Some of them are erect; others in a sitting posture. They hold with both hands in front of their body a small box or pot; and are generally raised to some height above the stone that forms the pedestal by which they are supported. They were found on the tumuli." Hend. Biblical Researches, p. 267, 8. 10 Gibbon, ii. p. 591-617. Ib. 640. 11 Claud. de 6 Consul. Hon. p. 174. Peuce is an island at the mouth of the Danube, formed by two of its discharging torrents. Strabo, p. 211. Dionys. Periegetes, v. 301. 12 Jornandes says of Alaric, "Secunda nobilitas Baltharum quæ ex genere origo mirifica," &c. |