t j 36 ] 
His brother Quintillus , who had been left with 
fome forces in Italy, was proclaimed emperor there, 
and acknowledged by the fenate. But being informed, 
that the victorious army had eledted Aurelian , and 
perceiving that his own forces were inclined to aban- 
don him, he chofe to free himfelf from thole un- 
happy circumitances by a voluntary death (i). 
Aurelian was not forgetful of the war, which his 
predecelfor Claudius had defigned againlt Zenobia , 
whofe power daily grew more formidable, as fhe 
had then got polfefllon of Aegypt. However the dif- 
ficulty of the enterprize, and the great preparations 
neceffary for undertaking it, occafioned him to de- 
fer it near two years. But the vigorous manner, in 
which it was afterwards carried on by him, and the 
great fuccefs that attended it, are too well known to 
need a recital here. In the mean while Hetricus , 
who remained unmolelted, was conflantly imployed 
in fludying the welfare and profperity of the Gauls. 
And as both the fituation, and natural fertility, of 
the country are very well fuited to promote com- 
merce 3 thofe advantages were greatly improved by 
him, as well by repairing the roads, as making new 
ones, the overfight of which works was committed to 
his fon ; fome proofs whereof yet appear from in- 
fcriptions on the milliary pillars, eredted to mark 
out the diflance of the ways (2). The legends alfo 
upon fome of their coins, flruck in honor of Tetricus , 
plainly 
(1) T^ofunus, Lib. r. Zonaras, Annal. Tom. 1. p. 636. 
(2) One of thefe infcriptions is yet preferved at Rouen , in the 
houfe of Mr. Bigot. 
