ROME. 



formed the firft object of his attention, after which he en- 

 deavoured, but without perfecution, to undermine and ex- 

 tinguilh the Chriftian religion. To avenge the injuries which 

 the empire had fuftained from the Perfians, Julian inarched 

 into the heart of Afia, and in an engagement, though 

 crowned with victory, he was (lain at the age of thirty-one, 

 after a reign of three years. 



Jovian, a captain of the guards, was chofen to fucceed 

 Julian, who purchafed his lafe retreat by the ignominious 

 furrender of five provinces. His reign, of feven months only, 

 was mild and equitable, and he rettored the Chriftians to all 

 their privileges as fubjects. 



Valentinian was chofen emperor by the army on the death 

 of Jovian, who affociated with himfelf in the empire his 

 brother Valens, to whom he gave the dominion of the 

 Eaitern provinces, referving to himfelf the Weftern. Valen- 

 tinian favoured the Chriftian faith, but did not periecute its 

 adverfaries, which was very unlike the conduct of Valens, 

 who, intemperately fupporting the Arian doctrine, let whole 

 provinces in a flame, and drew upon the empire a fwarm of 

 invaders, in the difguife of friends and allies, but who, in the 

 end, entirely fubverted it. Thefe were the Goths, who, 

 migrating from Scandinavia, had, in the fceo::d century, 

 fettled on the banks of the Palus Mxotis, and thence gra- 

 dually extended their territory. In the reign of Valens they 

 poffeffed themfelves of Dacia, and were known by the till - 

 tinct appellation of Oftrogoths and Vifigoths, or Eaitern 

 and Weftern Goths. Valentinian died on an expedition 

 againlt the Alemanni, and was fucceeded in the empire of 

 the Weft by Gratian, his eldeft fon, a youth of fixteen years 

 of age. Valens was the fcourge of his people. The Huns, 

 of Tartar or Siberian origin, now poured down on the pro- 

 vinces both of the Ealt and Welt. The Goths fled bei 

 them. The Vifigoths were allowed by Valens to fettle in 

 Thrace ; the Oftrogoths alked the like liberty, and, being 

 refufed, forced their way into the lame province. Valens 

 gave them battle at Adrianople ; his army was defeated, and 

 he himfelf flain in the engagement. The Goths, unreiifted, 

 ravaged Achaia and Pannonia, and were feveral tunes within 

 light of the walls of Conftantinoplc. 



Gratian took Theodofius as his colleague, who, on the 

 early death of his ailociate, and minority of his fon Valen- 

 tinian II., governed with great ability both the Eaitern and 

 Weftern empire. Theodoiius obtained the furname of Great, 

 and having reigned till A.D. 395, he died, leaving two 

 ions, Arcadius and Honorius, aligning to them leparate 

 fovereignties. Arcadius was proclaimed emperor of the 

 Eaft, and Honorius emperor of the Weft. The Eaitern em- 

 pire comprehended Alia Minor, Arabia, Syria, Egypt, 

 Eibya, and the feveral regions on the Danube. The Weftern 

 empire included Italy, Spain, France, Britain, Germany, 

 Pannonia, and Africa. The Eaitern empire fubfilted many 

 ages, but the Weftern foon became the prey of barbarians. 



It may be obferved, tint the reign of Theodoiius was 

 fignaliied by the downfall of Paganifm, and the full ellablith- 

 ment of the Chriftian religion in tiie Roman empire : for, 

 from the time of Numa to that of Gratian, the Romans pre- 

 ferved the regular tuccefiion of the feveral facerdotal col- 

 leges, the pontiffs, augurs, veftals, flamens, &c. whole au- 

 thority, though weakened in the latter ages, was itill pro- 

 tected by the laws. Even the Chriftian emperors held, like 

 their Pagan predecefl'ors, the office ot pontifex maximus. 

 Gratian was the firft who refufed that ancient dignity as a 

 profanation. In the time of Theodoiius, the caufe of Chrif- 

 tianity and Paganifm was lolemnly debated in the Roman 

 fenate ; Chnttianity was triumphant, and the lenate iiiued a 

 decree for the abolition of Paganifm, the deftruction of 



which in the capital was foon followed by its extinction in 

 the provinces. 



Of the Weftern Empire. — In the reigns of Arcadius and 

 Honorius, the Ions and fucceffors of Theodofius, the bar- 

 barian nations eftabliihed themfelves in the frontier province? 

 both of the Eaft and Welt. Theodoiius had committed the 

 government to Ruiiuus and Stilicho during the minority of 

 his fons : ot their fatal detentions the enemies of the empire 

 took every advantage. The Huns overfpread Armenia, 

 Cappadocia, and Syria. The Goths, under Alanc, ravaged 

 the borders of Italy, and laid waite Achaia to the Pelopon- 

 nefus. Arcadius purchafed an ignominious peace, by ceding 

 to Alaric the whole of Greece. This prince, now ityled 

 king of the Vifigoths, prepared to add Italy to his new do- 

 minions. He paffed the Alps, and was carrying all before 

 him, when he was defeated by Stilicho, then at the head of 

 the armies of Honorius. In the courle of a few months, a 

 torrent ot Goths breaking down upon Germany, forced the 

 nations whom they difpotleiled, viz. the Suevi, Alani, and 

 Vandals, to halten out of Italy. They joined their arms to 

 thofe of Alaric, who, being thus fuddenly reinforced, de- 

 termined to overwhelm Rome. Stilicho to ward oft the 

 threatened danger, promifed him, if he would retire, 40CO 

 pounds weight of gold, which engagement Honorius would 

 not ratify. Alaric was net to be trifled with, and he took 

 ample revenge by the iack and plunder of the city. He 

 was anxious to (pare the lives of the vanquiftied, and to pre- 

 ferve the ancient edifice from deftruction. This event hap- 

 pened in Auguft 410. Alaric had, as we have feen, ravaged 

 Greece, lome time before ; and Arcadius, more wife than his 

 brother, was contented to purchafe his friendfllip, by invert- 

 ing him with the mafter-generalihip of the Eaftern Illyricum. 

 He died within a week of the capture of Rome, and was fuc- 

 ceeded by Ataultus, or Adolphus, to whom Honorius gave 

 his filler Placidia in marriage, and, with her, ceded to his 

 .brother-in-law a large portion ot Spam. With thefe con-- 

 ceflious Adolphus was contented, and, having concluded a 

 peace, he retired into Gaul, A.D. 412. A great part of 

 what remained of Spain had before been occupied by the 

 Vandals. Honorius allowed, foon after, to the Burgun- 

 dians a juft title to their conquefts in Gaul. Thus the 

 Weftern empire was by degrees mouldering from under the 

 dominion of its ancient mailers. 



In the Eaft, Arcadius died in 408, leaving that empire 

 to his infant fon, Theodofius II., whofe fitter, Pulcheria, 

 fwayed the fceptre with prudence and talent during a go- 

 vernment of 40 years. Honorius died A.D. 423. The 

 laws of Arcadiiio and Honorius are, with very few excep- 

 tions, remarkable for their wildom and equity ; a lingular 

 circumftance, confidermg the perional character of thofe 

 princes, and evincing at leaft that they employed able 

 mmifters. 



In the reign of Valentinian III., the hordes from the 

 north of Europe again abandoned their own forelts and 

 mountains, in queft of new fettlements. Under the com- 

 mand of Attila (fee his article), they defeated the Ro- 

 man armies, A.D. 452, and threatened total deftruction to 

 the empire. He was for a time ably oppoled by JEtjus, 

 Valentinian's general ; the emperor himfelf being fliut up 

 in Rome by the armies of the barbarian, and at length com- 

 pelled to purchafe a peace. On the death of Attila, his 

 dominions were difmembered-by his fons, whole di{ ntions 

 pave a temporary relief to the declining empire. . len- 

 tinian was put to death by the guards ot his general JBtius, 

 A.D. 455. He was fucceeded by Maximus, who had ex- 

 cited the death of Valentinian, and who now married his 

 widow Eudoxia. Within three months of this event he 



was 



