[Footnote46:QuintusCurtiusl。x。c。9，paysanelegantcomplimenttotheemperoroftheday，forhaving，byhishappyaccession，extinguishedsomanyfirebrands，sheathedsomanyswords，andputanendtotheevilsofadividedgovernment。
Afterweighingwithattentioneverywordofthepassage，Iamofopinion，thatitsuitsbetterwiththeelevationofGordian，thanwithanyotherperiodoftheRomanhistory。Inthatcase，itmayservetodecidetheageofQuintusCurtius。ThosewhoplacehimunderthefirstCaesars，arguefromthepurityofhisstylebutareembarrassedbythesilenceofQuintilian，inhisaccuratelistofRomanhistorians。
Note:ThisconjectureofGibboniswithoutfoundation。ManypassagesintheworkofQuintusCurtiusclearlyplacehimatanearlierperiod。Thus，inspeakingoftheParthians，hesays，HincinParthicumperventumest，tuncignobilemgentem:nunccaputomniumquipostEuphratemetTigrimamnessitiRubromariterminantur。TheParthianempirehadthisextentonlyinthefirstageofthevulgaraera:tothatage，therefore，mustbeassignedthedateofQuintusCurtius。AlthoughthecriticssaysM。deSainteCroixhavemultipliedconjecturesonthissubject，mostofthemhaveendedbyadoptingtheopinionwhichplacesQuintusCurtiusunderthereignofClaudius。SeeJust。Lips。adAnn。Tac。ii。20。MichelleTellierPraef。inCurt。TillemontHist。desEmp。i。p。251。DuBosReflectionssurlaPoesie，2dPartie。TiraboschiStoriadella，Lett。Ital。ii。149。Examen。
crit。desHistoriensd'Alexandre，2ded。p。104，849，850。—G。
Thisinterminablequestionseemsasmuchperplexedasever。
ThefirstargumentofM。Guizotisastrongone，exceptthatParthianisoftenusedbylaterwritersforPersian。Cunzius，inhisprefacetoaneditionpublishedatHelmstadt，1802，
maintainstheopinionofBagnolo，whichassignsQ。CurtiustothetimeofConstantinetheGreat。Schmieder，inhisedit。Gotting。
1803，sumsupinthissentence，aetatemCurtiiignoraripalamest。—M。]
AsthethirdGordianwasonlynineteenyearsofageatthetimeofhisdeath，thehistoryofhislife，wereitknowntouswithgreateraccuracythanitreallyis，wouldcontainlittlemorethantheaccountofhiseducation，andtheconductoftheministers，whobyturnsabusedorguidedthesimplicityofhisunexperiencedyouth。Immediatelyafterhisaccession，hefellintothehandsofhismother'seunuchs，thatperniciousverminoftheEast，who，sincethedaysofElagabalus，hadinfestedtheRomanpalace。Bytheartfulconspiracyofthesewretches，animpenetrableveilwasdrawnbetweenaninnocentprinceandhisoppressedsubjects，thevirtuousdispositionofGordianwasdeceived，andthehonorsoftheempiresoldwithouthisknowledge，thoughinaverypublicmanner，tothemostworthlessofmankind。Weareignorantbywhatfortunateaccidenttheemperorescapedfromthisignominiousslavery，anddevolvedhisconfidenceonaminister，whosewisecounselshadnoobjectexceptthegloryofhissovereignandthehappinessofthepeople。ItshouldseemthatloveandlearningintroducedMisitheustothefavorofGordian。Theyoungprincemarriedthedaughterofhismasterofrhetoric，andpromotedhisfather—in—lawtothefirstofficesoftheempire。Twoadmirablelettersthatpassedbetweenthemarestillextant。Theminister，withtheconsciousdignityofvirtue，congratulatesGordianthatheisdeliveredfromthetyrannyoftheeunuchs，^47andstillmorethatheissensibleofhisdeliverance。Theemperoracknowledges，withanamiableconfusion，theerrorsofhispastconduct；andlaments，withsingularpropriety，themisfortuneofamonarch，fromwhomavenaltribeofcourtiersperpetuallylabortoconcealthetruth。^48
[Footnote47:Hist。August。p。161。Fromsomehintsinthetwoletters，Ishouldexpectthattheeunuchswerenotexpelledthepalacewithoutsomedegreeofgentleviolence，andthattheyoungGordianratherapprovedof，thanconsentedto，theirdisgrace。]
[Footnote48:DuxituxoremfiliamMisithei，quemcausaeloquentiaedignumparentelasuaputavit；etpraefectumstatimfecit；postquod，nonpuerilejametcontemptibilevidebaturimperium。]
ThelifeofMisitheushadbeenspentintheprofessionofletters，notofarms；yetsuchwastheversatilegeniusofthatgreatman，that，whenhewasappointedPraetorianPraefect，hedischargedthemilitarydutiesofhisplacewithvigorandability。ThePersianshadinvadedMesopotamia，andthreatenedAntioch。Bythepersuasionofhisfather—in—law，theyoungemperorquittedtheluxuryofRome，opened，forthelasttimerecordedinhistory，thetempleofJanus，andmarchedinpersonintotheEast。Onhisapproach，withagreatarmy，thePersianswithdrewtheirgarrisonsfromthecitieswhichtheyhadalreadytaken，andretiredfromtheEuphratestotheTigris。Gordianenjoyedthepleasureofannouncingtothesenatethefirstsuccessofhisarms，whichheascribed，withabecomingmodestyandgratitude，tothewisdomofhisfatherandPraefect。Duringthewholeexpedition，Misitheuswatchedoverthesafetyanddisciplineofthearmy；whilsthepreventedtheirdangerousmurmursbymaintainingaregularplentyinthecamp，andbyestablishingamplemagazinesofvinegar，bacon，straw，barley，andwheatinallthecitiesofthefrontier。^49ButtheprosperityofGordianexpiredwithMisitheus，whodiedofaflux，notwithoutverystrongsuspicionsofpoison。Philip，hissuccessorinthepraefecture，wasanArabbybirth，andconsequently，intheearlierpartofhislife，arobberbyprofession。Hisrisefromsoobscureastationtothefirstdignitiesoftheempire，seemstoprovethathewasaboldandableleader。Buthisboldnesspromptedhimtoaspiretothethrone，andhisabilitieswereemployedtosupplant，nottoserve，hisindulgentmaster。Themindsofthesoldierswereirritatedbyanartificialscarcity，createdbyhiscontrivanceinthecamp；andthedistressofthearmywasattributedtotheyouthandincapacityoftheprince。Itisnotinourpowertotracethesuccessivestepsofthesecretconspiracyandopensedition，whichwereatlengthfataltoGordian。Asepulchralmonumentwaserectedtohismemoryonthespot^50wherehewaskilled，neartheconfluxoftheEuphrateswiththelittleriverAboras。^51ThefortunatePhilip，raisedtotheempirebythevotesofthesoldiers，foundareadyobediencefromthesenateandtheprovinces。^52
[Footnote49:Hist。August。p。162。AureliusVictor。PorphyriusinVitPlotin。ap。Fabricium，Biblioth。Graec。l。iv。c。36。
ThephilosopherPlotinusaccompaniedthearmy，promptedbytheloveofknowledge，andbythehopeofpenetratingasfarasIndia。]
[Footnote50:AbouttwentymilesfromthelittletownofCircesium，onthefrontierofthetwoempires。
Note:NowKerkesia；placedintheangleformedbythejunctureoftheChaboras，oralKhabour，withtheEuphrates。
ThissituationappearedadvantageoustoDiocletian，thatheraisedfortificationstomakeitthebutwarkoftheempireonthesideofMesopotamia。D'Anville。Geog。Anc。ii。196。—G。ItistheCarchemishoftheOldTestament，2Chron。xxxv。20。ler。
xlvi。2。—M。]
[Footnote51:TheinscriptionwhichcontainedaverysingularpunwaserasedbytheorderofLicinius，whoclaimedsomedegreeofrelationshiptoPhilip，Hist。August。p。166；butthetumulus，ormoundofearthwhichformedthesepulchre，stillsubsistedinthetimeofJulian。SeeAmmianMarcellin。xxiii。
5。]
[Footnote52:AureliusVictor。Eutrop。ix。2。Orosius，vii。20。
AmmianusMarcellinus，xxiii。5。Zosimus，l。i。p。19。Philip，whowasanativeofBostra，wasaboutfortyyearsofage。
Note:NowBosra。ItwasoncethemetropolisofaprovincenamedArabia，andthechiefcityofAuranitis，ofwhichthenameispreservedinBeledHauran，thelimitsofwhichmeetthedesert。D'Anville。Geog。Anc。ii。188。AccordingtoVictor，inCaesar。，PhilipwasanativeofTracbonitisanotherprovinceofArabia。—G。]
Wecannotforbeartranscribingtheingenious，thoughsomewhatfancifuldescription，whichacelebratedwriterofourowntimeshastracedofthemilitarygovernmentoftheRomanempire。"WhatinthatagewascalledtheRomanempire，wasonlyanirregularrepublic，notunlikethearistocracy^53ofAlgiers，^54wherethemilitia，possessedofthesovereignty，createsanddeposesamagistrate，whoisstyledaDey。Perhaps，indeed，itmaybelaiddownasageneralrule，thatamilitarygovernmentis，insomerespects，morerepublicanthanmonarchical。Norcanitbesaidthatthesoldiersonlypartookofthegovernmentbytheirdisobedienceandrebellions。Thespeechesmadetothembytheemperors，weretheynotatlengthofthesamenatureasthoseformerlypronouncedtothepeoplebytheconsulsandthetribunes?Andalthoughthearmieshadnoregularplaceorformsofassembly；thoughtheirdebateswereshort，theiractionsudden，andtheirresolvesseldomtheresultofcoolreflection，didtheynotdispose，withabsolutesway，ofthepublicfortune?
Whatwastheemperor，excepttheministerofaviolentgovernment，electedfortheprivatebenefitofthesoldiers?
[Footnote53:CantheepithetofAristocracybeapplied，withanypropriety，tothegovernmentofAlgiers?Everymilitarygovernmentfloatsbetweentwoextremesofabsolutemonarchyandwilddemocracy。]
[Footnote54:ThemilitaryrepublicoftheMamelukesinEgyptwouldhaveaffordedM。deMontesquieuseeConsiderationssurlaGrandeuretlaDecadencedesRomains，c。16ajusterandmorenobleparallel。]
"WhenthearmyhadelectedPhilip，whowasPraetorianpraefecttothethirdGordian，thelatterdemandedthathemightremainsoleemperor；hewasunabletoobtainit。Herequestedthatthepowermightbeequallydividedbetweenthem；thearmywouldnotlistentohisspeech。HeconsentedtobedegradedtotherankofCaesar；thefavorwasrefusedhim。Hedesired，atleast，hemightbeappointedPraetorianpraefect；hisprayerwasrejected。Finally，hepleadedforhislife。Thearmy，intheseseveraljudgments，exercisedthesuprememagistracy。"Accordingtothehistorian，whosedoubtfulnarrativethePresidentDeMontesquieuhasadopted，Philip，who，duringthewholetransaction，hadpreservedasullensilence，wasinclinedtosparetheinnocentlifeofhisbenefactor；till，recollectingthathisinnocencemightexciteadangerouscompassionintheRomanworld，hecommanded，withoutregardtohissuppliantcries，thatheshouldbeseized，stripped，andledawaytoinstantdeath。Afteramoment'spause，theinhumansentencewasexecuted。^55
[Footnote55:TheAugustanHistoryp。163，164cannot，inthisinstance，bereconciledwithitselforwithprobability。HowcouldPhilipcondemnhispredecessor，andyetconsecratehismemory?Howcouldheorderhispublicexecution，andyet，inhisletterstothesenate，exculpatehimselffromtheguiltofhisdeath?Philip，thoughanambitioususurper，wasbynomeansamadtyrant。SomechronologicaldifficultieshavelikewisebeendiscoveredbytheniceeyesofTillemontandMuratori，inthissupposedassociationofPhiliptotheempire。
Note:Wenckendeavorstoreconcilethesediscrepancies。HesupposesthatGordianwasledaway，anddiedanaturaldeathinprison。ThisisdirectlycontrarytothestatementofCapitolinusandofZosimus，whomheadducesinsupportofhistheory。Heismoresuccessfulinhisprecedentsofusurpersdeifyingthevictimsoftheirambition。Sitdivus，dummodononsitvivus。—M。]
ChapterVII:TyrannyOfMaximin，Rebellion，CivilWars，DeathOfMaximin。
PartIII。
OnhisreturnfromtheEasttoRome，Philip，desirousofobliteratingthememoryofhiscrimes，andofcaptivatingtheaffectionsofthepeople，solemnizedtheseculargameswithinfinitepompandmagnificence。SincetheirinstitutionorrevivalbyAugustus，^56theyhadbeencelebratedbyClaudius，byDomitian，andbySeverus，andwerenowrenewedthefifthtime，ontheaccomplishmentofthefullperiodofathousandyearsfromthefoundationofRome。Everycircumstanceoftheseculargameswasskillfullyadaptedtoinspirethesuperstitiousmindwithdeepandsolemnreverence。Thelongintervalbetweenthem^57
exceededthetermofhumanlife；andasnoneofthespectatorshadalreadyseenthem，nonecouldflatterthemselveswiththeexpectationofbeholdingthemasecondtime。Themysticsacrificeswereperformed，duringthreenights，onthebanksoftheTyber；andtheCampusMartiusresoundedwithmusicanddances，andwasilluminatedwithinnumerablelampsandtorches。
Slavesandstrangerswereexcludedfromanyparticipationinthesenationalceremonies。Achorusoftwenty—sevenyouths，andasmanyvirgins，ofnoblefamilies，andwhoseparentswerebothalive，imploredthepropitiousgodsinfavorofthepresent，andforthehopeoftherisinggeneration；requesting，inreligioushymns，thataccordingtothefaithoftheirancientoracles，theywouldstillmaintainthevirtue，thefelicity，andtheempireoftheRomanpeople。^58ThemagnificenceofPhilip'sshowsandentertainmentsdazzledtheeyesofthemultitude。Thedevoutwereemployedintheritesofsuperstition，whilstthereflectingfewrevolvedintheiranxiousmindsthepasthistoryandthefuturefateoftheempire。
[Footnote56:Theaccountofthelastsupposedcelebration，thoughinanenlightenedperiodofhistory，wassoverydoubtfulandobscure，thatthealternativeseemsnotdoubtful。Whenthepopishjubilees，thecopyoftheseculargames，wereinventedbyBonifaceVII。，thecraftypopepretendedthatheonlyrevivedanancientinstitution。SeeM。leChais，LettressurlesJubiles。]
[Footnote57:Eitherofahundredorahundredandtenyears。
VarroandLivyadoptedtheformeropinion，buttheinfallibleauthorityoftheSybilconsecratedthelatter，CensorinusdeDieNatal。c。17。TheemperorsClaudiusandPhilip，however，didnottreattheoraclewithimplicitrespect。]
[Footnote58:TheideaoftheseculargamesisbestunderstoodfromthepoemofHorace，andthedescriptionofZosimus，1。l。
ii。p。167，&c。]
SinceRomulus，withasmallbandofshepherdsandoutlaws，fortifiedhimselfonthehillsneartheTyber，tencenturieshadalreadyelapsed。^59Duringthefourfirstages，theRomans，inthelaboriousschoolofpoverty，hadacquiredthevirtuesofwarandgovernment:bythevigorousexertionofthosevirtues，andbytheassistanceoffortune，theyhadobtained，inthecourseofthethreesucceedingcenturies，anabsoluteempireovermanycountriesofEurope，Asia，andAfrica。Thelastthreehundredyearshadbeenconsumedinapparentprosperityandinternaldecline。Thenationofsoldiers，magistrates，andlegislators，whocomposedthethirty—fivetribesoftheRomanpeople，weredissolvedintothecommonmassofmankind，andconfoundedwiththemillionsofservileprovincials，whohadreceivedthename，withoutadoptingthespirit，ofRomans。Amercenaryarmy，leviedamongthesubjectsandbarbariansofthefrontier，wastheonlyorderofmenwhopreservedandabusedtheirindependence。Bytheirtumultuaryelection，aSyrian，aGoth，oranArab，wasexaltedtothethroneofRome，andinvestedwithdespoticpowerovertheconquestsandoverthecountryoftheScipios。
[Footnote59:ThereceivedcalculationofVarroassignstothefoundationofRomeanaerathatcorrespondswiththe754thyearbeforeChrist。ButsolittleisthechronologyofRometobedependedon，inthemoreearlyages，thatSirIsaacNewtonhasbroughtthesameeventaslowastheyear627CompareNiebuhrvol。i。p。271。—M。]
ThelimitsoftheRomanempirestillextendedfromtheWesternOceantotheTigris，andfromMountAtlastotheRhineandtheDanube。Totheundiscerningeyeofthevulgar，PhilipappearedamonarchnolesspowerfulthanHadrianorAugustushadformerlybeen。Theformwasstillthesame，buttheanimatinghealthandvigorwerefled。Theindustryofthepeoplewasdiscouragedandexhaustedbyalongseriesofoppression。Thedisciplineofthelegions，whichalone，aftertheextinctionofeveryothervirtue，hadproppedthegreatnessofthestate，wascorruptedbytheambition，orrelaxedbytheweakness，oftheemperors。Thestrengthofthefrontiers，whichhadalwaysconsistedinarmsratherthaninfortifications，wasinsensiblyundermined；andthefairestprovinceswereleftexposedtotherapaciousnessorambitionofthebarbarians，whosoondiscoveredthedeclineoftheRomanempire。
ChapterVIII:StateOfPersionAndRestorationOfTheMonarchy。
PartI。
OfTheStateOfPersiaAfterTheRestorationOfTheMonarchyByArtaxerxes。
WheneverTacitusindulgeshimselfinthosebeautifulepisodes，inwhichherelatessomedomestictransactionoftheGermansoroftheParthians，hisprincipalobjectistorelievetheattentionofthereaderfromauniformsceneofviceandmisery。FromthereignofAugustustothetimeofAlexanderSeverus，theenemiesofRomewereinherbosom—thetyrantsandthesoldiers；andherprosperityhadaverydistantandfeebleinterestintherevolutionsthatmighthappenbeyondtheRhineandtheEuphrates。Butwhenthemilitaryorderhadlevelled，inwildanarchy，thepoweroftheprince，thelawsofthesenate，andeventhedisciplineofthecamp，thebarbariansoftheNorthandoftheEast，whohadlonghoveredonthefrontier，boldlyattackedtheprovincesofadecliningmonarchy。Theirvexatiousinroadswerechangedintoformidableirruptions，and，afteralongvicissitudeofmutualcalamities，manytribesofthevictoriousinvadersestablishedthemselvesintheprovincesoftheRomanEmpire。Toobtainaclearerknowledgeofthesegreatevents，weshallendeavortoformapreviousideaofthecharacter，forces，anddesignsofthosenationswhoavengedthecauseofHannibalandMithridates。
Inthemoreearlyagesoftheworld，whilsttheforestthatcoveredEuropeaffordedaretreattoafewwanderingsavages，theinhabitantsofAsiawerealreadycollectedintopopulouscities，andreducedunderextensiveempires，theseatofthearts，ofluxury，andofdespotism。TheAssyriansreignedovertheEast，^1tillthesceptreofNinusandSemiramisdroppedfromthehandsoftheirenervatedsuccessors。TheMedesandtheBabyloniansdividedtheirpower，andwerethemselvesswallowedupinthemonarchyofthePersians，whosearmscouldnotbeconfinedwithinthenarrowlimitsofAsia。Followed，asitissaid，bytwomillionsofmen，Xerxes，thedescendantofCyrus，invadedGreece。