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and was marlccJ by tlic flames of Nice ami Nicomrdia, 

 v.Uicli they wantonly burnt. Tlic tliird naval cxpcclitiim 

 of the Goths conlilk-d of 500 fail of tnuifports, containin;^ 

 about 15,000 warriors. Tliey now itetTed tluir dollrnctivc 

 coiirfe from the Cimmerian to the Thracian Bofphorus ; 

 and were carried to the lake of the Proponti<;. Their 

 landing un the little ifland of Cyzicns was followed by tlie 

 rnin of that ancient and noble city. They thenee ifTned 

 through the narrow palfage of the Hellefpont, and purfiicd 

 their winding navigation amidil the numerous idands fcat- 

 tered over the Archipelago, or ^gcan fea. At length the 

 Gotliic fleet ancliored in the port of Piraus, five miles from 

 Athens, ravaged Greece, and caufed the rage of war, both 

 by land and ita, to fpread from the caftern point of Sunium, 

 t,i the wcilenicoaft of Epirus, advancing within fight of Italy. 

 The indolent Gall enus was rouftd ; the emperor appeared in 

 a.ms; and his pref.nce contributed to check the ardour 

 •.f the enemy. Some of the numerous Gothic hoft broke 

 ::ito Moeiia, for the purpofc of forcing their way over the 

 i)anube to their fettlements in the Ukraine. Others re- 

 turned on board their ^efiels, and re-tracing their courfe 

 through the Hellefpont and the Bofphorus, and findnig them- 

 felves fecure within the bafun of the Euxine, landed at 

 Anchialus, in Thrace, near the loot of mount Hxmiuis, ;:nd 

 refrof.icd themfelves by the ufc of thofe pleafant and falutary 

 hot -baths. AmiJll their devaftations, we may felecl the 

 deftruttion of the famous temple of Diana at Ephefus, 

 ■which they burnt in their third naval invafion. It is alfo 

 faid, that they threatened to dellroy all the libraries of 

 Athens, but were prevented from executing their menace 

 by the profound obfervation of one of their chiefs, that as 

 long as the Greeks were addicted to the fl;udy of books, 

 they would never a;)ply themielves to the exercife of arms. 

 Under the reign of Claudius, A. D. 269, the Gotl'.s eul- 

 Icfted an armament more formidable than any that had )'et 

 iffued from the Euxine. On the banks of the Niefter they 

 conftrucled a fleet of 2000, or even of 6000 veflcls, which, 

 in their patlage through the Bofphorus, encountered various 

 difailcrs. However, they made feveral defcents on the 

 coafts, both of Europe and Afia. But difcontent and 

 divjfion arofe in the fleet, and fome of their chiefs deferted 

 them, and failed away towards Crete and Cyprus : the 

 main body, neverthelels, purlued their courie, anchored at 

 the foot of mount Atlios, and aflaulted the city of Theffa- 

 lonica. Tlieir attacks were foon interrupted by the rapid 

 approach of Claudius. The Goths, eager for a general 

 engagement, relinquiflied the fiege of ThcfTalonica ; and 

 with this view, leaving their navy at the foot of mount 

 Athos, traverfed the hills of Macedonia. Claudius was 

 dillrefled, but at the fame time firm and determined. The 

 event exceeded even his own expectations, as well as thofe 

 of the world ; and having gained fignal victories, and deli- 

 vered the empire from this holl of barbarians, he was diilin- 

 guilhed by pollerity under the glorious appellation of the 

 Gothic Claudius. The decifive battle was fought near 

 NailTus, a city of Dardania. The war was afterwards 

 diffufed over the provinces of Mocfia, Thrace, and Mace- 

 donia, and the luperior talents of tlie emjieror generally 

 enfured the fuccefs of his arms. The Goths fuifered to 

 fueh a degree, that a felect body of their youth was received 

 among the Imperial troops, the remainder was fold into 

 fervitude, and the female captives were io numerous, that 

 every foldier appropriated to himfelf two or three women. 

 To complete the difailcrs of the Goths, their fleet was 

 either taken or funk, fo that their retreat was thus inter- 

 cepted. Aurelian, the fuccefl'or of Claudius, dillinguilhed 

 liimleM" dining the Gothic war, and, at lait, put an end to 



T II S. 



it by a lading and beneficial treaty The Gothic nation 

 engaged to iupply the armies of Rome with a body of 

 2000 auxiliaries, conlilli?i;T entirely of cavalry, and, in return. 

 Hi] ulatcd an uiidillurhcfd retreat, v.ith a regular market zi 

 far as the Danube, provided by the emjicror's care, but at 

 th:ir own cxpence. But the moll important rondition of 

 peace was undcrilood rather than exprelftd in the treaty. 

 j\urelian withdrew the Roman forces from Dacia, and 

 tacitly rLlinquilTicd that grvat province to the Go'.hs and 

 Va!idalj. I'liis proved, in the event, a wife meafure ; for, 

 after Dacia became an iBdcpciideiit Hate, it fecmed ai the 

 firmed barrier of the empire againll the invalions of tlie 

 favages of the North. 



About the year 27 ^, the fecond of the reign of Probus, the 

 Goths entered Thrace, andad\aiiced a.^fara;. lllyricum,layin^ 

 vvalle thecountry with fire and fword; lintasfuon as they heard 

 that tile emperor was marching againll them, they retreated 

 and left their booty behind them. In Illyricum, Probus wa» 

 met by deputies trom the Gothic n.itioiis, fuing for peace, 

 and lubmitting to his power. No further mention is made 

 of the Goths till the year 289, at whicli time Dioclcfian is 

 faid to have gained a complete victory over them. From 

 tliia viclury Dioclefian affumid the name of " Sarmaticus,'" 

 as appears from feveral ancient coins and ir:fcriptions. From 

 this year to tlie ijtii of Conihnitine. the Goths gave no dif- 

 turbance to the empire, being engaged in wars with 

 the neighbouring nations. As foon as the Goths- were dif- 

 engaged from other wars, they invaded the Roman empire; 

 but they were overcome by Contlantine in feveral battle?, 

 fought at Campana, in Paimonia, and at Margus and Bono- 

 nia, in Upper Mirfia. The emperor determined to chaflife 

 as well as to repuHe the infolent barbarians who had dared 

 to attack the territories of Rome, pafled the Danube, and 

 penetrated into the inmoil reccfles of Dacia ; and when he 

 had inflicted a fevere revenge, condelcended to give peace to 

 the fuppliant Goths, on condition that as often as they wcrR 

 required, tl.ey fliould fupply his army with a body of 40,303 

 foldiers. In the year 331, a war broke out between the 

 Goths and Sarmatians ; on which occation the latter had rc- 

 courfe to Conftantine, who was glad to embrace an oppor- 

 tunity of humbling that ferocious nation. In the firft a:tion 

 the barbarians gained the advantage; but the event of a 

 fecond and more fnccefsfnl artion, in April 332, retrieved 

 the honour of the Roman name. Near 100,000 of the enemy 

 were either put to the {w ord, or perilhed after th.e battle with 

 hunger and cold ; and this defeat was fo fignal, as to oblige 

 Alaric, king of the Goths, to fne for peace, and to deliver 

 hoilagcs to the eniperor, one of whom was his own fon. 

 The Goths not only continued quiet, but ferved the Ro- 

 mans with great fidehty, during the ivmaining part of Con- 

 ilantine's reign ; and in the reigns of Conllans, .lulian, 

 Trajan, and Valcntinian I. But iu the firft of Valcns, they 

 made inroads into Thrace, and laid walle that province. The 

 emperor purchafed their retreat for a ium of money. In 

 the following rear news was brought him to Bithynia, that 

 the Goths were again ready to break into I'ha-ace. When 

 Procopius revolted, and an"umcd the title of emperor, tlio 

 Goths efponfed liis caufe, and fent a body of troops to lii> 

 afTillance ; but before their arrival, he was defeated and put 

 to death. They, however, continued in t!ie territories of 

 the empire, committing great ravages in Thrace and Mccfia. 

 Valcns fent a lUong detachment againll them, and their re- 

 treat being cut off, they were obliged 10 lay down their 

 arms, and yield themfelves prifonors. After hoililitios which 

 lalled three years from 366 to 369, the barbarians fubmitted, 

 and thus appealed the irfentment of ^■alen;. After the ra- 

 tification of the treaty, Vnlens returned in triumph to Con- 

 2 i^ 2 llanlinople, 



