A. D. 198. 199 



rgnomlnious and dangerous elevation fixty-fix days, and then was exe- 

 cuted as a criminal in his own palace, 



198 — The Romans began now to employ their money, the finews of 

 war as well as of trade, in purchafing from the braver barbarians, as 

 their arrogance ftiled all the free nations in the world, a temporary for- 

 bearance of hoflilities, thereby enabling, as well as alluring, them to 

 renew their invafions with augmented vigour : and henceforth this hu- 

 miliating mode of making peace was often reforted to by the makers 

 of the world. Such a tribute was now paid by Lupus, the governor of the 

 north part of Roman Britain, to the Caledonians. [Digcji. L. xxviii, tit. 6.] 



208 — Severus, now fole mafter of the Roman empire, conld not reft 

 fatisfied with having conquered three rival emperors, deftroyed the un- 

 commonly ftro-ng and commercial city of Byzantium, and fubdued fe- 

 veral eaftern nations, unlefs by the total conquefl of Britaiii he could 

 add to his other titles that of Britannicus. He therefore tranfported 

 himfelf and his two fons with a prodigious army mto Britain, and next 

 year marched againft the Caledonians and Mge.i.ae, who wifely avoided 

 coming to a pitched battle, but led him into fo many fnares and diffi- 

 culties, that fifty, or according to others feventy, thoufand of his men 

 perifhed in ambufcades and Ikirmifhes, and by the multiplied hardfliips 

 of their march to fome part of the coimtry, which the writers of that 

 age call the extremity of Britain, The Caledonians, however, to get 

 rid of the enemy, confented to yield to him fome part, either of their 

 own country, or of iheir conquefts. Severus thereupon returned to 

 Eboraeum {TorK), now. apparently the chief city of Britain, and there 

 fixed his refidence, while his army v;as employed in building a new 

 wall acrofs the ifland (a". 210), 



The Caledonians foon after, refumed the pofleflion of the dift:ri<Sl, 

 which had been extorted from them ; whereupon Severus was fo pro- 

 voked, that he ordered Baffianus Antoninus, his oldeft fon, to march 

 into their country, and to flaughter every niian, woman, and child in 

 it. But the emperor dying foon after, his fon, more intent upon de- 

 ftroying his hated brother than the Caledonians, purchafed a peace from 

 them with the refignation of the lands in difpute. Bremenium (ap- 

 parently Rifingbam in Northumberland) on the eaft, and Blatum Eul- 

 gium, twelve * miles beyond Lugubalhum {Carltle) on the weft, fide of 

 the country, appear to have been fixed upon on this occafion as the 

 frontier pofts of the Roman empire in this ifland. 



It is very furpriling, that the knowlege of the Romans concerning . 

 Britain feems to have diminiftied in proportion as their opportunities of 

 knowing it increafed. Although it was alTuredly known to be an ifland 



* Twenty-four, according to Tome copies ; which ad<l to the difficulties attending one of the ob- 

 fcurcft parts of the Itinerary, fofar a« it cenccrns Britain. 



