CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN INDIA. 71 



the year 636, two Monks, who had long resided 

 there, returned to their native country ; and heing 

 at Constantinople, the Emperor Justinian sent fbr 

 them, to inquire into the nature and origin of silk, 

 and he prevailed upon them to go back to Sirhind, 

 in order to bring from thence the eggs of the real 

 silk butterfly. 



Theophilus, the famous Arian bishop,* was a 

 native of Dimis, now Diu in Gujrcit ; and, as he 

 was remarkably black, he was sirnamed the Blacka- 

 moor. His Hindu name was probably Deo-pa'l, 

 perfectly synonymous with Theophilus in Greek, 

 He flourished in the times of the great Constan- 

 TiNE, and of his sons; and he had been sent to 

 Constantinople with others as hostages. From this 

 circumstance it appears, that the inhabitants of 

 Gujrdt, who have been always famous as pirates, 

 had ill used the Roman traders. There was a great 

 trade carried on at that time to India, by tlie Ro- 

 mans ; and there Avas an annual fair held at BatnS, 

 for the vent o^ Lidian and Chinese commodities, and 

 there was a great concourse of merchants, many of 

 whom were settled there. It was situated at some 

 distance from the eastern bank of the Euphrates, and 

 nearly in the same latitude witli Jntioch. He was 

 very young wlien he was sent to Constantinople, 

 where he studied, became a Christian, and embraced 

 a monastic life. He was afterwards ordained a 

 bishop, and sent to Aiabia by Constantius, in 

 order to promote the interests of the Christian reli- 

 gion. He met with great opposition from the Jews, 



* See Philistorgius, Sozoinenes, &c. J 

 P 4 



