Chap. IL 
of the East Indies. 
4N 
SECTION IX. 
Whe Hifiory of the Indian Trade, as carried on through Egypt by the Red Sea, under the 
Romans ; the Manner of its Efiabli foment ; the Profits drawn therefrom ; and the Difi 
coveries made in Confequence of this Commerce . 
I . The Romans little addicted to Maritime Affairs before the fecond Panic War, and incited thereto chiefly 
by the Deflre of deflroying Carthage. 2. The Progrefs of their Naval Power , till they became Mafters of 
the Sea. 3. The extraordinary Eftablijhments of Auguftus, for the Support of the Maritime Force of the 
Roman Empire. 4. His Maxims for the Government of Egypt, confldered as inviolable Laws by the fuc-* 
reeding. Emperors 3 and contributed greatly to the Prefervation of the Province, f. An Account of the 
Expedition of iElins Gallus into Arabia, the many Difficulties he met with therein 3 and the Confequence s 
which it produced. 6 . The Ethiopians invade Egypt 5 are repulfed by Publius Petronius, the Roman 
' Prefect , who penetrated as far as Nepata, the Capital of Ethiopia. 7. The Fame of Auguftus reaching 
the Indies, Poms fends Ambajfadors to defire his Friendfhip. 8. The Hifiory of this Commerce continued to 
the End of the Reign of Vefpafian, including the Embafjies of Indian Princes. 9. An exact Defcription of 
the annual Fleets f'ent within this Penod t to the Indies 5 the Nature of their Voyages 3 the Sums employed 
in them , and the Profit. 10. Obfervations upon the State of that Commerce , within this Period 3 and on 
the Objections raifed againft it by Pliny. 1 1 .Of the new Chanels of Trade opened from Egypt by the Ro- 
mans, within the Compafs of this Period 3 and the Advantages derived from them. 
1. ^ i 1 H A T we may fully enter into the Wifdom of 
that Policy fhewn by the Romans , in the Ma- 
JL. nagement of the Affairs of Egypt , and more 
efpecially of the Trade to the Indies , which they improved 
to the higheft Degree poffible, considering the State of 
Maritime Affairs in thofe Days, it will be neceffary to fay 
fomething of the Rife and Progrefs of their Naval Power, 
which did not make any great Figure in the World, till 
the Beginning of the fecond Punic War. Before that 
Time, jihey had fhewed a very trivial, or fcarce any, At- 
t tention thereto, either becaufe they were then wholly occu- 
; pied in extending their Dominions by Land 3 or, that the 
firft Misfortunes they had experienced on their own Coafts, 
difgufted them in refpebt to a Trade, where all Things are 
: expofed to Chance, and where there is perpetual Danger : 
But as their Genius led them to perfevere, in Support of 
■ whatever they once difcerned to be certainly and incon- 
r teftably ufeful, they no longer abandoned Maritime Af- 
fairs, when they found, that it was poffible to reconcile them 
, with their Views and Interefts : And one may fafely fay* 
t that it was to Carthage , the Haughtinefs and Obftinacy of 
which gave them fo much Trouble, that they were chiefly 
indebted for this Obligation a . 
When therefore the Senate of Rome took, at laft, the 
fatal Refolution of razing that City to its very Foundations, 
the Conful C. M. Figulus made the following Harangue, 
by their Order, to the Carthaginians : 4 It is the Sea, the 
‘ mighty Power you have acquired thereon, the Trea- 
‘ fares you have drawn from thence, that have haftened 
j ‘ y°ar Fall. It is the Sea, and the Powers that you pof- 
| ‘ fefs thereon, that tempted you to feize Sardinia , Sicily , 
‘ Spain 3 that feduced you to break your Treaties of 
* Peace 3 to pillage our Merchant Ships 3 and to endea- 
‘ v °ur to hide your Crimes, by drowning thofe you found 
4 on board them. In one Word, it has been your perfect 
4 Knowledge of Maritime Affairs, made you regard no- 
4 thing elfe 5 and led you to place your Glory in commit- 
4 ting fuch mifehievous Ads, as hitherto we have not been 
4 in a Condition, nor had the Power, to puniffi b .’ 
2. I fhall not pretend, here, to run into a Detail of all 
the Expeditions entered into by the Romans , after the 
Punic Wars 3 and in which they fhewed fo extenfive a Ca- 
pacity, in the Conduit of their Arms 3 fo perfed a Pre- 
fence of Mind, in all Danger 3 and an Induftry fo happy in 
gaimng the Hearts of all People, and making themfelves 
•/willingly obeyed by thofe, whom they had rendered their 
Subjeds by Force. I fhall only obferve, that as all their 
jiEptei prizes had fome great End in View, fo they never 
' failed to keep great Fleets at Sea, under the Command of 
foie and experienced Captains. The Love of Glory, 
ambngft them, was the univerfai Paffion 3 and this it was, 
that induced them to think, that there was fomething low 
and indecent in all kind of Commerce. But Sentiments fo 
rigid foftened by Degrees ; and thefe very Romans , who 
would appear to conquer, merely to have an Opportunity 
of giving Examples of Probity, Difintereftednefs, and 
Moderation, began, at length, to vanquifh, in Order to 
procure the Delights and Commodities that they wanted 3 
and that they might adorn Italy with the Spoils, and ren- 
der her opulent, at the Expence of other Nations. 
The Ruin of Carthage , which, however, .was purchafed 
by Rivers of Blood, fubjeded to Rome all the reft of Africa 
which was of infinite Advantage, by fecuring to that proud 
City a conftant Supply of Corn 3 and the burning of Co- 
rinth^ which followed afterwards, finifhed the Demolition 
of Greece , and threw her into a Slavery fo much the more 
galling, as for fo long a Trad of Time fhe had been ufed 
to command c . 
With refped to the Conqueffs made by the Romans in 
Afia , they proved the Source of fuch immenfe Riches, as 
were little known to former Times 3 and, with thefe Riches, 
were introduced at Rome , and all the principal Cities of 
Italy ^ refined Luxury, a ftudied Elegance, which diffufed 
itfelf through all 3 and was alike vifiole in Buildings, Fur- 
niture, Drefs, Gardens, and the Appurtenances to the 
Table. The Love of Pleafure, that Pomp which ftrikes 
the Eye, and that Magnificence which captivates the Mind, 
baniffied the antient Severity of Manners 3 and the Romans 
became now more rich, more polite, more voluptuous 3 
difdained the humble Poverty of their Anceftors, and be- 
gan to form new Notions of Virtue. 
In this, undoubtedly, they were happy beyond all other 
Nations, that every new War not only led to new Con- 
quefts, but [taught them dikewife frefii Improvements in 
the Arts of Military and Nava! Armaments : And thus one 
Victory, by the Care and Skill they difoovered in improv- 
ing it, became the Means of obtaining many more. Thus, 
for Inftance, when Lucullus triumphed over Mithidrates y 
he caufed to be expofed, amongft the reft of the Spoils he 
had taken from him, one hundred and ten Prows of Gal- 
lies, fheathed with Copper. It is well known, that this it 
was, that heretofore conftituted the great Force of Ships of 
War, and rendered them terrible in the Day of Battle: 
And as thefe Prows were eafily taken off, they were, in the 
Day of Triumph, carried before the Viftor; who, befides, 
had his Temples adorned with a Crown, or Circle of Gold 3 
on which were emboffed the Prows and Poops of Gallies, 
intermingled one with another, which Crown was filled 
Navale 7 or Roftrak d . 
n 8 Polyb. Excerpt, lib. xxxiii. Line. Epitom. 
Carthaginians were long Mailers of the Sea, 
•exxiv. c. 2. JuJlin lib. xxxiy. c. 2. 
N D M Bs XXX* 
///. xlix. Fhr. lib. ii. profits , lib. iv. Entrap, lib. iy. b It is evident from this Speech, that the 
and tnatA^ was hnt lately fo < Li<v. Epitom. H. Floras, lib. ii. Paufanias in Achaicis. Plin. lib . 
ui i ,ayai Lrown j.ugu/lus bellowed on Agrippa, for his eminent Services performed at Sea. 
5 ' 3- E 
