Haigh — Earliest Inscribed Monuments. 44-> 



Annnianus, then, speaks of the unceasing ravages of the British 

 provinces, on the part of the Picts, Saxons, Scots, and Attacots, 

 a. d. 364, and of the Dicaledones and Yecturiones, Scots and Attacots, 

 continuing these ravages, a. d. 368. During the interval Severuswas 

 sent to Britain, but replaced immediately by Jovinus. The intelli- 

 gence he sent home was so alarming, that it was felt that none but a 

 general of the very highest character could be entrusted with the di- 

 rection of affairs in Britain, and Theodosius was sent. Landing at 

 Bichborough, a. d. 368, he marched towards London, then in immi- 

 nent danger, defeated several parties of marauding barbarians on the- 

 way, and entered the city triumphantly. So strong, however, was the 

 confederacy of the barbarians, that he was convinced it must be over- 

 come rather by craft than by force. He therefore applied himself first 

 to the plan of detaching from it those who had deserted from the- 

 Boman cause ; and great numbers were induced by his promises of 

 immunity to return to their allegiance. Thus he gradually strength- 

 ened himself during the winter. In the following spring he marched 

 northwards, overcame the barbarians, restored the cities and fortresses, 

 recovered for the empire the district between the Tyne and Forth,, 

 and named the province so recovered Yalentia, in honour of his master. 

 Claudius and Pacatius even assert that he was victorious by sea as well 

 as by land, and pursued the Picts, Scots, and Saxons, as far as the- 

 Orkneys. 



In order the better to understand the British narratives, and 

 establish their credibility, it will be necessary to recur to a somewhat 

 earlier period of the history. 



The Emperor Constantine had been assisted by three British 

 princes, Trahern, Leolinus, and Mauricius, in his struggle with 

 Maxentius. After his departure, one Octavius, with a few compa- 

 nions, conspired against and slew the Boman governors, was then 

 elected king by the Britons, and expelled the Imperial forces. Tra- 

 hern was sent against him ; defeated at first, he sailed to Scotland, 

 thence renewed his enterprize, and put Octavius to flight. This is 

 quite consistent with what we know from Boman sources. It is cer- 

 tain that British auxiliaries formed part of Constantine's forces in his 

 struggle for empire ; and after he found himself firmly seated on the 

 throne, Eusebius tells us that he passed over into Britain, and con- 

 quered it. So there must have been a rebellion in the interval, and 

 the British story merely supplies the names of the British chiefs who 

 assisted Constantine, of the rebel, and of the general who was sent to 

 oppose him. 



Octavius fled to Norway, and thence sent messengers to Britain, 

 instigating his partisans against Trahern, until one of them found an 

 opportunity of killing him. Then he ventured to return, routed the 

 Imperial forces, recovered the kingdom, and, by uniting the Picts and 

 Scots in firm alliance with the Britons, was enabled to maintain his- 

 independence until the reign of Gratian and Valentiniau. This 

 brings us to a.d. 364, the year of Valentinian's accession, as the 



