278 The Empire. R. O 
slingers across a river, which induced the Romans to ford it, 
and make a great slaughter of those who attempted to defend 
its banks on the opposite side. The enemy, anticipating a 
pursuit, retired, having previously left some bodies of archers, 
covered by a squadron of horse, to skirmish with the Romans 
as if they designed to stop their progress. The Romans, with 
inconsiderate valour, attacking this forlorn hope, pursued 
them among a chain of barren mountains; where they found 
themselves unexpectedly blocked up on every side. However, 
they continued fighting, notwithstanding the disadvantage 
of the place; but the enemy prudently declined engaging, 
not willing to leave that victory to chance, which they 
expected from delay. At length, the excessive heat of the 
inclosed situation, long-continued fatigue, and a violent 
thirst, totally disheartened the Roman legions: they could 
neither fight nor retreat. In this deplorable exigence, while 
sorrow and despair were their only companions, Aurelius ran 
through their ranks, and in vain endeavoured to rekindle 
their hopes and their courage. Nothing was heard but 
groans and lamentations; nothing seen but marks of terror 
and desolation. At this dreadful juncture, and just as the 
barbarians were ready to fall upon them, we are assured, by 
some writers, that the solemn prayers of a Christian legion 
then serving among them, produced such a fall of rain, as 
instantly refreshed the fainting army. The same clouds also 
which brought the Romans such seasonable relief, at the 
same time discharged such a terrible storm of hail, accom¬ 
panied with thunder, against the enemy, as astonished and 
confounded them; and made them an easy prey to the 
renovated courage of the legions of Aurelius. 
Such are the circumstances of an engagement, acknow¬ 
ledged by pagan as well as Christian writers, only with this 
difference, that the latter ascribe the victory to their own, 
the former to the prayers of their emperor. Aurelius, how¬ 
ever, seemed so sensible of miraculous assistance, that he 
immediately relaxed the persecutions against the Christians, 
and w'rote to the senate in favour of their religion. After 
many violent conflicts, the barbarians sent to sue for peace; 
p.nd obtained conditions more or less severe, as the emperor 
found them more or less disposed to revolt. But while 
Aurelius was engaged in making final arrangements in this 
quarter, a fresh rebellion called him to the defence of his 
dominions at home. 
Avidius Cassius was one of the emperor’s most favourite 
generals, and had been chiefly instrumental in obtaining the 
Roman successes in Parthia. His principal merit seemed to 
consist in his restoring the old discipline, and in pretending 
a violent regard for the commonwealth in its ancient form, 
But, in fact, all his seeming regard for freedom, was only to 
seize upon the liberties of his country for his own aggrandise¬ 
ment. Wherefore, finding the eastern army willing to sup¬ 
port his pretensions, he proclaimed himself emperor in Syria. 
One of his chief artifices to procure popularity was,hisgiving 
out that he was descended from the famous Cassius, who had 
conspired against Caesar; and, like him, he pretended, that 
his aims were for the re-establishment of the commonwealth 
of Rome. He also caused it to be rumoured that Aurelius 
was dead, to whose memory he affected to shew the greatest 
respect. By such pretences, he united a large body of men 
under his command, and, in a short time, brought all the 
countries from Syria to Mount Taurus under his subjection. 
These preposterous beginnings served to increase the em¬ 
peror’s activity, but not his apprehensions. He prepared to 
oppose him without any marks of uneasiness for the event; 
telling his soldiers, “ that he would freely yield his empire 
to Avidius, if it should be judged conducive to the public 
good; for, as to his own part, the only fruits he had from 
exaltation, were incessant labour and fatigue.” 
In the mean time, Avidius strained every nerve to lure 
partisans, and in particular he endeavoured to win over the 
Greeks; but the love which all mankind bore the good em¬ 
peror, frustrated his expectations in this quarter; and from 
ibis moment the tide of his fortune seemed to turn. Hi? 
M E. The Empire. 
officers and soldiers soon began to regard him with contempt; 
and at last slew him, in less than four months after their re¬ 
volt. His head was brought to the emperor, who received 
it with regret, and ordered it an honourable interment. The 
rest of the conspirators were treated with great lenity; some 
few were banished, but recalled soon after. 
Aurelius next visited Athens, where he conferred many 
honours on the inhabitants, and established professors in all 
the sciences, with munificent salaries for the encouragement 
of learning. Upon his landing in Italy, he quitted his 
soldier's habit, as also did his army, and made his entry 
into Rome in the gown which was usually worn in peace. 
As he had been absent almost eight years, he distributed to 
each citizen eight pieces of gold, and remitted all the debts 
due to the treasury for sixty years past. At the same time 
he nominated his son Commodus to succeed him in the 
empire, and made him a partner in his triumphal entry. 
He then retired for some time to a country seat, where he 
expected, in the decline of life, to rest from future toils; but 
news was soon brought him, that the Scythians, and other 
barbarous nations of the north, were again in arms, and in¬ 
vading the empire with furious impetuosity. He, therefore, 
once more resolved to expose his aged person in the defence’ 
of his country, and made speedy preparations to oppose the 
barbarians. He requested the senate, for the first time, to 
advance money out of the public treasury; and though 
it was in his power to take what sums he thought proper 
without their consent, yet he would not violate an apparent 
right. 
In the progress of his campaigns he fought several battles, 
and generally prevailed by his prudence and courage. He 
built many forts, and so disposed his garrisons, as to keep 
all his barbarous neighbours in awe ; but in the third year 
of the war, he was seized with the plague at Vienna, and 
died in the fifty-ninth year of his age, having reigned nine¬ 
teen years and some days. 
■Commodus mounted, A. D. 181, the throne, with a par¬ 
tiality gained by his father’s merits. But though he owed 
the empire to the adoption of Aurelius, many were of opinion, 
that he was the spurious issue of a gladiator; the wanton 
character of his mother Faustina, having, perhaps, given rise 
to the report. He was now about nineteen years of age; 
his person was comely and robust: he was expert in all 
manly exercises; and threw the javelin, and shot from the 
bow with such wonderful address, as almost exceeds credi¬ 
bility. 
Happy had it been for mankind, had he cultivated the 
mental exercises with as much attention as those of the body. 
His whole reign, however, is but a tissue of wantonness and 
folly, cruelty and injustice, rapacity and corruption. 
Though he behaved well for a short time after his 
accession, the levity of his temper, and the corrupt example 
of his favourite companions, soon led him to the basest and 
meanest pursuits. He went with his associates to taverns, 
and brothels ; spent the day in feasting, and the night in the 
most abominable debaucheries. He sometimes went about 
the markets in a frolic, with small wares as a petty chapman; 
sometimes he imitated a horse-courser, and at other times 
drove his own chariot in the habit of a slave. 
The principal objects of his favour were also the compa¬ 
nions of his pleasures or the ministers of his cruelty. He 
took little care of the government, committing all the conduct 
of it to one Perennius, a person chiefly remarkable for his 
avarice and cruelty. In consequence of the enormities of 
this minister, a conspiracy was formed against Commodus in 
the beginning of his reign, in which his sister Lucilla, with 
her husband Pompeianus, were principally concerned. The 
person employed to kill'the emperor was one Quintianus, 
who, coming up to him in a dauntless manner, and holding 
up his dagger, cried out, “ The senate sends thee this." But 
this unguarded manner of proceeding frustrated his aim ; for 
one of the. guards instantly seizing his arm, prevented the 
fatal blow, and he soon after made a discovery of all his 
accomplices. 
