a 7 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



this circtuhftaace'frbm Suetonius and Aurelius Victor*. A 

 comet had appeared in the war with Perfia, and was looked 

 upon by the Romans as a bad omen. Vefpafian laughed at 

 it, and faidyif it portended any ill it was to the king of Per- 

 fia, becaufe, like htm, it wore long hair. 



The diadem was, with the Perfians, a mark of royalty, as 

 with the Abyflinians, being compofed of the fame mate- 

 rials, and worn in the fame manner. The king of Abyilinia 

 wears it, while marching, as a mark of fovereignty, that 

 does not impede or incommode him, as any other heavier 

 ornament would do, efpecially in hot weather. This fillet 

 furrounds his head above the hair,' leaving the crown per- 

 fectly uncovered. It is an offence of thefirft magnitude for 

 any perfon, at this time, to wear any thing upon his head, 

 efpecially white, unlefs for Mahometans, who wear caps, 

 and over them a large white turban ; or for priefts, who 

 wear large turbans of muflin alfo, , 



This was the diadem of the Perfians, as appears from 

 Lucian f, who calls it a white fillet about the forehead. In 

 the dialogue between Diogenes and Alexander, the head is 

 faid to be tied round with a white fillet % ; and Favorinus, 

 fpeaking of Pompey, whofe leg was wound round with a 

 white bandage, fays, It is no matter on what part of the 

 body he wears a diadem. We read in Juflin j|, that Alexan- 

 der, leaping from his horfe,by accident wounded Lyfimachus 

 in the forehead with the point of his fpear, and the blood 



gulhed 



* Suet. Vefpas.cap. 23, Sex. Aurel. Viftor, cap. 23. t Lucian. de Votis ceu in Na~ 

 vigio, Efdras, lib. iii. % Vale*. Maxim, lib. vi. cap. 2. || Juftin lib. xv. 



