ON INTRODUCED ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 103 



In " A. D. 379," after the death of Valens, Gratian appointed Theo- 

 dosius to rule over the Eastern portion of the Empire. 



In " A. D. 383," the death of Gratian took place ; and Valenti- 

 nian II., being supported by Theodosius, became the acknowledged 

 Roman Emperor. 



The formal Destruction of the temples, had not commenced in 

 "A. D. 384" (as appears from Libanius) : soon, however, orders of 

 Theodosius were directed against particular temples ; and these were 

 demolished by soldiers, aided by bands of fanatics. 



In "A. D. 390," the great temple of Serapis at Alexandria was 

 demolished. This building contained the Alexandrian Library (see 

 Tertullian Apolog. 18, and Orosius vi. 15). 



. On the death of Valentinian II., " A. D. 392," the Empire became 

 united under Theodosius ; now in the regular series, the fiftieth Roman 

 Emperor. 



In "A. D. 395," Theodosius, shortly before his death, divided the 

 Empire between his two sons, Arcadius and Honorius. This par- 

 tition proved to be final ; for the community of interest hitherto felt 

 in regard to foreign invasions, was at this time greatly weakened. 

 Arcadius thus became the head of the Byzantine branch of the Roman 

 Empire. 



According to Rhazes, The "khiar janbar," or Cassia fistula, is men- 

 tioned by Priscianus. — The medicinal use of the pods, is noticed by 

 Maserjawia, Ibn Masawia, Ibn Gnefith, Haly Abbas, Actuarius, and 

 Nicolaus Myrepsus : A. A. Elnabati, Ibn Baitar, and Belon, allude to 

 the presence of the tree in Egypt : where it is still common in gar- 

 dens; and where, nevertheless, there is a large importation of the 

 pods by the way of Yemen. 



In " A. D. 408," the accession of Theodosius II., the second Byzan- 

 tine emperor, took place. He zealously prosecuted the work of de- 

 molishing the temples of the ancient religion : a disastrous measure, 

 in respect to Monumental History. 



The "naphri" of the Coptic Version of Matthew xiii. 31, may be 

 compared with " el-nefyr," the current Egyptian name of the Datura 

 metel. — This plant was seen in Crete by Belon ; is figured by Matthioli ; 

 and was doubtless originally derived from India. The D. fastuosa, by 

 some writers considered as only a variety, was seen in Egypt by Delile. 



In "A. D. 450," the accession of Marcian, the third Byzantine em- 

 peror, took place. . . 



