The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

About this Item

Title
The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.
Author
Ammianus Marcellinus.
Publication
London :: Printed by Adam Islip,
An. 1609.
Rights/Permissions

To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.

Subject terms
Rome -- History -- Empire, 284-476 -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A06878.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A06878.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 14, 2024.

Pages

CHAP. X. The embassage of Sapor, for the concluding and confirmation of a peace: Iovianus for want of skilfull policie provideth badly for the Roman armie, and whatsoever the embassa∣dors of Sapor asked, without any strife he yeeldeth to. Vpon pledges on both sides taken that peace dishonourable to the Roman Empire and name, by a new and fraudulent practise of the Persians turned to the overthrow and undoing of ma∣ny. The Roman souldiors in wicker floats and boats made in hast, passe over the river Tigris, and notwith∣out their great losse and disadvantage escape with life.

HOwbeit the eternall power of the heavenly God was on our side: and the Persians, beyond all hope send first (as touching the trea∣tie and conclusion of a peace) their Orators, to wit, the * 1.1 Surena, and another noble Peere of the realme: for they also were out of conceit with themselves, as whom the Romans in all battailes welneere having the upper hand, afflicted sore everie day more than other. Now, the conditions that they tendered were verie hard, precise, and

Page 275

intricat. For, they pretended, That in regard of mortalitie and mens estate, their king a most mercifull Prince, was content, that the remaines of our armie should re∣turne, namely, if * 1.2 Caesar together with his principall counsellors, and great men a∣bout him performed such poynts as hee commaunded. To countermatch these, was Arintheus together with Salustius the Praefect sent: but whiles there was sit∣ting in consultation with sage advisement, what was to be done, foure dayes went over our heads, the which tormented and plagued us with hunger, and were unto us more grievous than any punishment whatsoever. Which respite of time, before these were sent, if the Prince had made his use of, and by little and little departed out of the enemies ground, certes he had reached to the strong garrison townes of Corduena, a countrey both plentifull and our owne, and besides, not above one hundred miles distant from the place wherein these affaires were treated of. Now, the king claimed hard and required to have his owne (as himselfe said) which long since Maximian had taken from him: but as it appeared in the handling, hee required for our ransome (as it were) and redemption, five countries beyond. Ti∣gris, to wit, Arzanena, Moxoena, and Zabdicena; likewise Rhehimena and Cor∣duena, with fifteene castles: also Nisibis, Singara, and Castra Maurorum, a strong hold of verie good importance. And whereas it had beene better to have fought ten fields, than that any one of these should be surrendred, yet the crew of flatterers came about the timorous Prince, buzzing and whispering in his eares the dread name of Procopius, who unlesse he made the more speedie returne, taking know∣ledge of Iulians death, would easily with the power of those unfoyled souldiors whom he had in his regiment, worke an alteration in the State, and proclaime him∣selfe Emperour, whiles there was none to make head against him. With these per∣nitious words iterated continually unto him, he grew enkindled, and without any farther hafting or holding off, delivered up all that was demaunded: after that with great ado he obtained thus much, That Nisibis and Singara, without the inhabi∣tants therein, should passe under the dominion of the Persians: also, that from the forts or holds which were to be alienated, the garrisons that were verie Romans should be suffered to revert into our hands. To these capitulations was added ano∣ther article also most mischievous & impious, namely, That after this composition passed, Arsaces, a friend unto us at all times, and a trustie confederat, we might not aid, if he craved it against the Persians. Which was devised for a twofold reason; partly, that the man might be punished, who at the Princes commaundement had wasted Chiliocomus; and partly, that there might remaine still some occasion of quarell, under colour whereof they might from time to time invade Armenia at their pleasure. Whereby it happened afterward, that the same Arsaces was taken prisoner alive, and the Parthians among these dissentions and troublous garboyles, went away with the greatest side of Armenia, confining upon the Medes, together with * 1.3 Artaxata. When this dishonourable decree was confirmed, to the end that during the cessation of armes, there should be nothing done contrarie to the cove∣nants, there were given on either side in shew of hostages, great persons of qualitie, to wit, on our part, Nevita, Victor, and Mellobaudes, Tribunes of notable and valiant bands: but on the other, Bineses, one of the ranke of the nobilitie, and other three Lords or Potentats of right good note. Thus after a peace for thirtie yeares was concluded, and the same surely ratified by the solemne complements of a religious othe, we returned another way, & because we avoided the places adjoining to the river, as comberous & rough, distressed we were for want of drinke and meat both.

Page 276

And so this peace graunted under colour of courtesie & humanitie, turned to the destruction of many; who being pinched with extreame hunger to their very last gaspe, and therefore secretly going before, were either for want of skill in swim∣ming swallowed up of the rivers streame; or els, if they passed and overcame the vi∣olence of the waves and came to the bankes, by the Saracenes or Persians (whom, as I said, the Germans had expelled a little before) killed like sheepe, or sent farre off to be sold as slaves. But when as the trumpets sounding together, openly gave signall of passing over the river, a wonder it was to see with what a heat every man rashly venturing upon all advantages of triall, & putting himselfe before all the rest, made hast to shun many fearefull dangers: whiles some sitting upon hurdles, made at all adventures, holding their horses as they swum on either hand; others upon bottles; and some again turning and winding divers waies in the point of necessitie, with crooked courses cut and pierced through the billowes and waves beating full against them. The Emperour himselfe with some few others, having crossed over in those small barkes which remained after the burning of the fleet, as I have shew∣ed, appointed the same vessels to passe to and fro betweene, untill we were all con∣veyed over. And in the end we came to the bankes on the further side (all save those that were drowned) through the gracious favor of the heavenly power, having by hard chaunces escaped out of jeopardie. Whiles we stood yet in feare of calami∣ties and troubles hanging over our heads, given we were to understand by there∣lation which our fore-riders made, That the Persians were making of a bridge farre out of our sight, to the end, that now after peace and covenants established, whiles the tempestuous stormes of warre were allayed, they might set upon our sickly and crasie folke as they went secure and fearelesse, as also our beasts, long wearied and tyred out of heart. But when they perceived how they were discovered, they relin∣quished this their wicked designe.

Notes

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.