156 THE EARLY HISTORY OF SILK. 



to that jealous people, without attaining the end in 

 view ; bo that, for several centuries, Persia became 

 the medium of communication between China and 

 Rome. 



In the third century, the profligate Heliogabalus 

 had an upper garment made entirely of silk. And, 

 in the end of that centuiy, the Emperor Aurelian, 

 who was famous for his economy and prudence, 

 refused the entreaties of his empress, who was de- 

 sirous of possessing a robe of silk, alleging, as an 

 excuse, that it could only be obtained for it weight 

 in gold. 



Persia continued long to reap the benefit of the 

 commerce of silk, which, for the two succeeding 

 centuries, continued in high demand by the luxu- 

 rious Romans. 



The Romans having commenced hostilities against 

 the Persians, in the reign of the Emperor Justinian, 

 that monarch tried to procure for his subjects Chinese 

 luxuries, through the medium of Elasbaan, King 

 of Axuma, and of Homerites, governor of Arabia 

 Felix. But these princes wanted entei-prise to enable 

 them properly to fulfil their commercial engage- 

 ments, which caused the price of silk to rise so high 

 in Constantinople, that few could afford to purchase 

 so costly an article. In this state of things, the 

 Phoenicians were anxious to continue their supplies 

 of silken fabrics, but the impolitic rapacity of the 

 Emperor Justinian nearly ruined the traffic, by im- 



