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.

CHAP. III. Ammianus Marcellinus going about to describe the Gothes warre, first of all pre∣senteth unto us the limits, the auncient nations, provinces, and princi∣pall cities in his time of Thracia.

THus farre foorth it shall suffice that wee have digressed out of the way, now returne wee to the orderly processe of our Hystorie. Whiles these matters above said proceed thus in Gaule and Italie, new warres arose in Thracia. For Valens, as it seemed good unto his brother, whose advice he asked, and after whose will and plea∣sure he was wholly ruled, levied armes against the Gothes, moo∣ved thereto upon a good and just cause; namely, for that they sent aids to Procopi∣us, when he entred into civile warres. Meet it is therefore by way of a briefe digres∣sion to discourse as touching their originall and the situation of their countries. As for the description of Thracia, easie it were, if the auncient writers thereupon did accord: but for as much as their obscure varietie helpeth not a worke that profes∣seth truth, sufficient it shall be briefely to tell, what I have to mine owne remem∣brance seene. That these lands extended in times past a mightie way, as well in plaine and pleasant champian fields, as also in high hils, the ever-during authoritie of Homer doth shew, who faineth, That the two winds * 1.1 North-east and West do blow from thence: which either is a fabulous fiction, or else all those tracts that spred farre and wide abroad heretofore, and were appointed for savage nations, went all under the name of Thracia. And verily a part thereof was inhabited by the * 1.2 Scordisci farre removed now from the same provinces, a people cruell in times past and terrible, as auncient records beare witnesse; procuring the propitious fa∣vour of ⁱ Bellona and Mars by sacrificing of captives, and greedily drinking bloud out of mens skuls. By whose rigorous and rough dealing, the State of Rome after many foughten fields oftentimes sore troubled, lost at length their whole armie and leader both. But as now we see it, the same places shaped in manner of a crescent or new Moone, portray unto us the faire resemblance of a Theatre: In the very top whereof Westward, the straits of Succi, standing thicke with high and steepe hils, begin to open, dividing Thraciae and Dacia asunder: but that part on the left hand lying toward the North starres, is enclosed with the loftie mountains of * 1.3 Hę∣mus and the river Hister, whereas it runneth hard by Romane ground, and hath many cities, castles, and forts seated upon it. On the right hand, which is the South side thereof, are stretched out the craggie cliffes of Rhodope: and where the Sunne riseth, bounded it is with a narrow sea; against which as it runs with sur∣ging waters out of the Euxine sea, and passeth forward with reciprocall ebbes and flowes to the Aegean sea, there openeth a narrow partition of lands. Howbeit, out of the East angle it joyneth to the Macedonian marches by certaine narrow and steepe waies, which are tearmed Acontisma; hard by which lyeth the vale Arethu∣sa and a station, wherein is to be seene the sepulchre of Euripides that Poet famous for his loftie penning of Tragoedies: also * 1.4 Stagria, where wee have heard say Aristotle was borne, who (as Tully sayth) poureth from him a river of gold. These places also were in old time held by barbarous nations farre different in va∣rietie of manners and of language: among whom there is, beside others, mention

made of the Odrysae, as of people exceeding outragious and savage, so accusto∣med to the shedding of mens bloud, that when they want enemies to fight with, themselves at the very boord, after they have engorged themselves with meat and drinke, turne the edge and point of the sword one upon anothers bodie, as if they were strangers. But when our State was growne great, during the flouri∣shing government under Consuls, Marcus Didius with mightie resolution and constancie subdued these nations, untamed alwayes before time, and wandering licentiously without civilitie or lawes: Drusus reduced them within proper bounds of their owne; and Minutius, neere unto the river Februs, which runneth from the high hils of the Odrysae, in a battaile vanquished them: after whom, those that remained, were in a cruell battaile by Appius Claudius Proconsull utterly destroy∣ed. For the Romane navies were possessed of the townes standing upon Bospho∣rus and Propontis. After these came Lucullus, that noble warrior and conqueror, in place, who was the first of all others that strucke a battaile with that most bold and hardie nation of the Bessi; and in the same journey defeated the Haemimon∣tanes, that stoutly made resistance: who whiles he hovered over those parts, all Thracia throughout was reduced under the subjection of our auncestors. And in this manner, after many doubtfull battailes fought with the hazard of the Com∣monweale, sixe provinces were gained: among which, the first, which confineth afront upon the Illyrians, is by a speciall name called Thracia, adorned with two spatious cities, Philippopolis, called in old time Eumolpias, and Beroea. Next to it, Haemimontum hath in it * 1.5 Hadrianopolis, which was called Vscudama, and * 1.6 Anchialos, great cities: Then Mysia, where standeth Martianopolis, surnamed of Traianus the Emperour his sister: also * 1.7 Dorostorus, * 1.8 Nicopolis, and * 1.9 Odyssus: and hard unto it Scythia, wherein * 1.10 Dionysopolis, * 1.11 Tomi, and * 1.12 Calatis, are the townes of greatest name: And the last of all, Europe; which besides borough townes shineth againe with two cities, * 1.13 Apris, and Perinthus, called also by the posteritie ensuing Heraclea. Rhodopa, which is annexed unto this, hath Maximi∣anopolis, * 1.14 Maronea, and * 1.15 Aenus; which when Aeneas had built and left, he after wandering travailes a long time, by a perpetuall traine of prosperous Auspices ar∣rived in Italie. Now it is for truth knowne, as continuall rumors from time to time have bruited, that in manner all these countrey people, which in the regions afore∣said inhabite round about the high mountaines, outgoe us in health of bodie, and a certaine peculiar prerogative of long life. And this happeneth, as folke thinke, hereupon, for that they abstaine from feeding of many meats together, and by rea∣son that a continuall freshnesse of deaw with cold sprinklings bindeth and harde∣neth their bodies, they enjoy the sweetnesse of a purer ayre, and are besides the first of all that see the Sunne beames (which of their owne nature give and maintaine life) before they are infected with any corruption of earthly things. Having thus digested in order these matters, returne we to that which we began.

Notes

• * 1.1

  aquilonem, if you take it precisely.
• * 1.2

  Bofnachi, or Bossen.
• * 1.3

  Haemi••mentana celsitudines. Catena Mundi, & Monte Argentato. Pinet.
• * 1.4

  Macra. Niceta.
• * 1.5

  Hadrianopoli.
• * 1.6

  Anchialo.
• * 1.7

  Drista, or Dristra, or Dora.
• * 1.8

  Nicopoli Soph.
• * 1.9

  Vama Nigr.
• * 1.10

  Nerg Costald.
• * 1.11

  ••omisuar Ortel.
• * 1.12

  Pandalla. Nigr.
• * 1.13

  Ap••i Soph.
• * 1.14

  Marogna. Soph.
• * 1.15

  Oeno. Nigr.