HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 41 



to recruit the army with slaves and gladiators. The land was laid waste. 

 The emperor contended with the enemy for thirteen years, with alternate 

 good and bad fortune, and even sold the furniture of his palace to meet the 

 expenses of the war. He died of the plague before the termination of the 

 contest, at Sirmium, on the Danube, 180 A.D. 



Under the ignorant and vicious Commodus, his son and successor, the 

 weakness of the empire increased, and became more percej^tible to 

 watchful neighbors. The Romans lost their spirit of freedom, exhibited the 

 most wanton profligacy, and cast off all fear of the gods. The soldiei*s, who 

 stood high in favor with the emperor, abused their influence, became mutinous, 

 changed the emperors at discretion, and were bribed into bestowing the 

 best offices on most unworthy persons. Party strife, invasions of the 

 barbarians, and revolutions of the oppressed provinces, alternately harassed 

 the country, whose power and wealth sank rapidly. 



In one hundred and twenty years, from 180-300 A.D., no less than 

 thirty-six emperors reigned over Rome. Of this number twenty-seven were 

 assassinated, three fell in battle, and only six died a natural death. 



At the close of this stormy period, the Roman people began to fear that 

 the gods had forsaken them for ever. Their appeals for mercy and succor 

 had all failed. Such a withdrawal of divine protection caused strong sus- 

 picion of the j)Ower of the old gods, and inclined them more and more towards 

 Christianity, which offered them more solace. The emperors and their 

 governors chastised with increasing severity the converts to the new 

 doctrine, until the course of conversion embraced the emperor himself. 

 Constantine made a public profession of Christianity, 323 A.D., and soon 

 after proclaimed it as the religion of the state. This emperor removed the 

 seat of government to Byzantium (330 A.D.), which he greatly enlarged 

 and beautified, naming it after himself, Constantinople, thus accelerating the 

 decline of imperious Rome. 



Constantine died, 337 A.D., and left the empire to his three sons, Con- 

 stantinus XL, Constantius, and Constans. Their avarice and jealousy soon 

 led to fraternal discord and war, of which their captains did not hesitate to 

 avail themselves to procure their own advancement. Constantius survived 

 his brothers, and raised Julian to the dignity of his co-regent, 356. Julian 

 prosecuted a successful war with the Greeks and Allemanni, and, on the 

 strength of his popularity, aspired successfully to the sole command. 

 Constantius turned his forces against him, but dying, Julian ascended the 

 throne, 261 A.D. 



Julian returned to Paganism, and tried to obstruct Christianity, but died 

 on an expedition against Persia (363). 



After Julian, followed in rapid succession, Jovian, Yalentinian L, and 

 his sons, Gratian and Yalentinian II. During their reigns, the throng of 

 people on the frontiers of the Roman empire increased. At the same 

 period, the Mongolian Huns emerged from the highlands of Central Asia, 

 and crossing the Yolga, pressed on in exhaustless multitudes, their irresistible 

 torrent sweeping all before it. Urged on by the swarms behind them, they 

 soon desolated the rich fields of the Ostrogoths, obliging the latter to fall 



213 



