S i6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



cific commercial nations of Arabia, deeply funk into Greek 

 degeneracy. 



PhineAs, a prince of that nation from Medina, having 

 beat St Aretas, the Governor of Najiran, began to perfecute 

 the Chriftians by a new fpecies of cruelty, by ordering cer- 

 tain furnaces, or pits full of fire, to be prepared, into which 

 he threw as many of the inhabitants of Najiran as refufed 

 to renounce Chriftianity. Among thefe was Aretas, fo call- 

 ed by the Greeks, Aryat by the Arabs, and Hawaryat, which 

 fignifies the evangelical, by the Abyflinians, together with 

 ninety of his companions. Mahomet, in his Koran, men- 

 tions, this tyrant by the name of the Mailer of the; fiery pit^ 

 without either condemning or praifing the execution ; only 

 faying, * the fufFerers fhall be witnefs againft him at the 

 lafl day.' 



Justin, the Greek Emperor, was then employed in an 

 unfuccefsful war with the Perfians, fo that he could not 

 give any afllftance to the afflicted Chriftians in Arabia, but 

 in the year 522 he fent an embaffy to Caleb,, or Elefbaas, 

 king of Abymnia, intreating him to interfere in favour of 

 the Chriftians of Najiran, as he too was of the Greek church. 

 On the Emperor's firft requeft, Caleb fent orders to Abreha, 

 Governor of Yemen, to march to the amftance of Aretas, the 

 fon of him who was burnt, and who was then collecting 

 troops. Strengthened by this reinforcement, the young fol- 

 dier did not think proper to delay the revenging his father's 

 death, till the arrival of the Emperor ;. but having come 

 up with Phineas, who was ferrying his troops over an arm 

 of the fea, he entirely routed them, and obliged their prince r 

 for fear of being, taken, to fwim with his horfe to the near- 

 eft 



