252 On the Peflilential Difeafes which 
for 300 talents, and fled, leaving unburied the carcafes of 
150,000 of his foldiery *. 
The hiftory of the latt of thofe peftilential difeafes, whieh 
are particularly felected for prefent confideration, deferves a 
longer and more attentive examination. Furnifhing excel- 
Jent illuftration of feveral important points in the hiftory of 
thefe diforders, the reader will doubtlefs excufe fuch preli- 
minary narration as may conduce to place it more fully be- 
fore him, 
The Roman army, under the command of Marcellus, de- 
camped from their ftation at Leontium, the modern Lentini, 
and, arriving at Syracufe, encamped at Olympia. After an 
unfuccefsful attenipt at negociation, thé city was befieged in 
due form; and the attack commenced on Hexapylon by 
Jand, and on Achradina by water. ‘But the Roman general 
was not fuccefsful at Syracufe, as he had been at Leontium: 
all his exertions were rendered nugatory by the talents of a 
fingle citizen; and the genius of Archimedes triumphed over 
the power of Rome, ; 
» * Rollin’s Ancient. Hiftory, Vol. I. p. 302,30 , 04 ~ De Non’s Tra- 
vels, p. 358,359, &c, Diodorus Siculus, Lib. xiv. p. 279—295- 
The Carthaginians feem to have been deftined to owe the defeat of 
many of their moft promifing enterprifes in Sicily to peftilential difeafes, 
Tp a former part of the fame war, whofe unhappy termination has been 
defcribed above, Hannibal, the predeceffor of Imilcon, laid fiege to the. | 
city of Agrigentum (Girgentj), in the fouth-weftern part of Sicily. For 
the purpofe of raifing a wall wirhout, which fhould overlook and command 
the city walls, he colleéted all rhe materials within bis reach, and, among 
the rcft, deftroyed, and ‘converted to this ufe, the tomhs ftanding round a 
city very ancient and | populos, and then containing 200,000 inhabitants. 
From the uncovering and difturbing of fo many dead bodies arofe a ter- 
rible peftilence, which carried off immenfe numbers of the Carthaginians, 
and the general himfelf. Aflicted at this dreadful mortality, the befieg- 
ers attributed it, with the fuperftition of the age, to the vengeance of,the 
gods, incenfed againft them for violating the repofe of the dead. The 
healthinefs of the fitu: ation, the feafon, and the thorough appointment and 
fupplics of the Carthagiman army, leave no room to doubt as to the real 
caufe of the ficknefe, which gradually es a but two remarks, of 
fome importance, are fulygefted by it. . The folly of modern nations, 
efpecially i in warm climates, in fuifering et interment of the dead within 
their cities, 2. Phe w itdom of fome ancient nations, in having a déad, as 
well asa living town. 
_ Neceflitated 
