ROMAN EMPIRE. 



397 



Roman 

 Empire. 



171 11. C. 



Irruption of 



iinbri 

 nil Tcu- 



and also 

 the Cnnbri 

 with iiu- 

 metue 

 slaughter, 

 99 J3. C. 



the heada of Gracchus and Fulvius. Gracchus fled to 

 tin Trmple of Diana, where he was murdered, and 

 his body, along with that of Fulvius, thrown into the 

 Tiber* 



Tin-si- intestine commotions, fermented by the ambi- 

 tion of demagogues, and in which no Roman patriot 

 was concerned, were unexpectedly checked by a horde 

 of l>.-irbarians from the north of Kurope. 



The (.'iinbri and Teutones, who inhabited the south- 

 ern shores of the Baltic, left their own country in 

 search of more genial settlements. Being repulsed by 

 the Boii, a tribe of Gauls who lived near the Ilercy- 

 nian forest, they were thus driven towards the lloman 

 provinces. The consul, Papirius Carbo, advanced 

 against them with a powerful army, but he sustained 

 a signal defeat, and was obliged to seek for shelter in 

 the neighbouring forests. The victorious Cimbri car- 

 ried their devastations into Transalpine Gaul, and after 

 remaining there five or six years, they defeated another 

 Roman army under the Consul Silanus. The Roman 

 empire was now threatened with total destruction, and 

 a new army was sent out under the Consul Mallius, 

 and the Proconsul S. Caepio. In consequence of a 

 quarrel between these two generals, they divided their 

 army, and thus exposed it to the most imminent dan- 

 ger. A detachment of Mallius' army was cut off by 

 the Cimbri ; and as soon as the disunion between the 

 two generals became known to their enemies, it was 

 resolved that the camp of Csepio should be attacked by 

 the Cimbri, and that of Mallius by the Gauls. In both 

 these attacks the assailants were successful, and no 

 fewer than 80,000 of the citizens and allies of Rome, 

 with 40,000 attendants, perished in these unfortunate 

 engagements ; and it is said that only ten men and the 

 two generals themselves were left to carry the sad in- 

 telligence to Rome. The Cimbri destroyed all their 

 spoil, threw the gold and silver into the Rhone, drown- 

 ed the horses of the Romans, and put to death all the 

 prisoners. The consternation which this terrible over- 

 throw occasioned, called forth all the energies of Rome. 

 Every citizen capable of bearing arms was called into 

 the field, fencing-masters were introduced into the Ro- 

 man camp, and a powerful army was quickly raised, 

 and placed under the command of the celebrated Ma- 

 rius. The first object of the Roman general was to 

 meet the Ambrones and Teutones, who were march- 

 ing into Italy over the western Alps. Having fallen in 

 with this immense army, he defeated them with great 

 slaughter, and is said to have left dead on the field no 

 fewer than 100,000, whose bones were used to fence 

 the vineyards of the peasantry. 



The Cimbri had by this time entered Italy. The 

 tioops of Catullus and Sylla., intimidated by their ter- 

 rible aspect, fled before them ; and had the barbarians 

 not waited for the arrival of the Teutones they might 

 have easily taken possession of Rome. By this delay 

 Alarms had time to unite his forces with those of Catul- 

 lus and Sylla, of which he received the chief command. 

 This little army of 52,300 men, did not hesitate to at- 

 tack the Cimbri, >who, when drawn up in a square, are 

 said to have extended over thirty furlongs. The Cimbri 

 had tied themselves together with cords fastened to 

 their bells, to prevent them from flying. The Romans 

 soon threw them into disorder, and, unable to quit one 

 another, they were butchered in such crowds, that 

 120,000 were left on the field. Having taken 6'0,000 

 prisoners, the Romans had to contend with the Cim- 

 brian women, who defended their camp with the ut- 

 most ferocity and valour. 



No sooner was Rome delivered from this swarm 

 of barbarians, than she began to suffer from her own 

 domestic commotions. Murius, embracing the cause of 

 the Plebeian faction, associated himself with Apuleius 

 and Glaucia : An open rebellion took place, and tran- 

 quillity was not restored till Apuleius and Glaucia, 

 with a number of their adherents, were massacred. 



The privileges of a Roman citizen having been used 

 by many of the Italians in Rome, and a consider- 

 able preponderance thus given to the popular faction* 

 a law was passed which compelled all those pretended 

 citizens to quit Rome. The Italian states resented 

 this hasty step, and the Mar&i, Samnites, Campaninns, 

 and Lucanians, &c. revolted from Rome, and form- 

 ed themselves into a republic. 



In this manner arose the Social war, in which the SocklWar. 

 Romans were defeated in almost every engagement. 

 In order to divide their enemies, a law was enacted by 

 which all the Italian states, whose alliance with Rome 

 was unquestionable, should be entitled to the privileges 

 of Roman citizens. Several of the allied powers were 

 thus detached from the general cause ; and the com- 

 mand of the Roman armies having been intrusted to 

 Sylla, the Social war was speedily brought to a conclu- 

 sion. 



That union of parties which one common danger ge- dnl wmr 

 nerally effects, never fails to be dissolved on the resto- * )etween 

 ration of tranquillity. Marius and Sylla, who had fought en" 1 * ""* 

 bravely in the same ranks, were now opposed to each j/ 99. 

 other as political rivals, the former supported by the 

 plebeian, and the latter by the patrician interest. In 

 conjunction with the tribune Sulpitius, Marius excited 

 such disturbances, that Sylla was forced to retire from 

 Rome. Marius was now appointed general against 

 Mithridates king of Pontus ; but the soldiers refused to 

 march under any other leader than Sylla, and a civil 

 war immediately took place. Sylla entered Rome 

 sword in hand, Marius was forced to retire ; and a re- 

 ward was offered for his head and for that of Sulpitius, 

 and several of their adherents. Sulpitius was seized, 

 and put to death. Marius made his escape ; and such 

 was the cruelty with which Sylla exercised the power 

 which he now obtained, that he made himself odious 

 to the senate as well as to the people. Cinna, a violent 

 abettor of the interests of Marius, being chosen consul, 

 summoned Sylla to answer for his cruelties. Sylla, 

 however, thought it prudent to march for Asia, and left 

 his country enveloped in the flames of discord which 

 he had contributed to raise. 



Marius was now recalled from Africa, and having 

 landed in Italy, he was joined by numbers of slaves, 

 and men of ruined fortunes, who soon composed a for- 

 midable army. Cinna, whom the senate had expelled 

 from Rome, raised another army among the Italian 

 states. Sertorius headed a third army, and, as their 

 adherents daily increased, a fourth army was put under 

 the command of Papirius Carbo. The senate, after 

 making an idle attempt at resistance, was obliged to 

 open the gates to the combined troops. A guard of 

 slaves, organised by Marius for the purposes of revenge, 

 received orders to assassinate all whose salutes he did 

 not return ; and these bloody commands were executed 

 to a great extent. Thus privileged to murder, these 

 wretches abandoned themselves to every kind of vice, 

 and Cinna and Sertorius found it necessary to put them 

 all to the sword. The four chiefs, with the exception 

 of Sertorius, entered into a resolution to butcher all the 

 senators who were obnoxious to the popular faction. 

 A general slaughter now commenced. The heada of 



