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. The violent Rhode into Mesopotamia of Nohodares the Persian, together with the Saracens: whose manners are lively depainted.

THe case thus standing in Isauria, whiles the king of the Persians was encumbred with the warres of borderers, and busie in driving from his owne confines and frontiers those most fierce and cruell nations, which of a certaine wavering and mutable mind, many times in hostile manner assaile him, and otherwhiles aid him when he warreth upon us: a certaine great lord and nobleman,

one named Nohodares, appointed so often as oportunity served to invade Mesopo∣tamia, searched with great care and diligence into all parts of our territories, ready to breake through with suddaine violence, wheresoever he could find convenient place. And for that all the tracts and quarters of Mesopotamia, which used often∣times to be disquieted, were kept safe with fore-fences and standing wards abroad, turning his journey on the left hand, he forelayd closely * 1.1 the utmost parts of * 1.2 Os∣druena, and entred upon a new device and stratageme, that little at any time had beene attempted, which if he might compasse, he would in manner of a lightning lay wast and consume all. Now the designe which he projected was after this sort. A borough towne there is named Batne in Anthemusia (built by the ancient Ma∣cedonians) not farre distant from the river * 1.3 Euphrates, and replenished with weal∣thy marchants; where ordinarily every yeare toward the beginning of September there meet at a solemne Mart or Fayre a multitude of people of all sorts and de∣grees, to buy and sell the commodities which the Indians and Seres send, toge∣ther with much other marchandize that usually is brought thither by land and sea. This countrey, the foresaid * 1.4 Captaine purposing to invade, during those daies ap∣pointed for this great concourse, and that by the way of the desarts, and greene bankes of the river * 1.5 Abora, being discovered and betrayed by his owne men, who in bodily feare for some foule and hainous fact committed, ran unto the Romane garrisons, went his way without any thing done, and afterwards sat still and stirred not. Howbeit, the Saracens, whom we are never to wish either for our friends or enemies, raunging up and downe over the countrey, whatsoever came in their way, in a small time spoyled and destroyed, like unto ravenous Gledes and Kites, which if they have spied any prey from on high, quickly in their flight snatch it up, or if they seize upon it, make no long stay. As touching whose manners, al∣though I well remember that I have related in the Acts of the Emperour Marcus, and divers times afterwards, yet will I now also briefely write somewhat of the same. Among these nations, whose beginning reacheth out unto the * 1.6 Cataracts ^h of Nilus, and to the confines of the * 1.7 Blemyae ⁱ, they be warriors and martiall men, all of like condition, halfe naked, clad as farre as their groine with painted or stained short cassockes, by the helpe of swift horses and slender gant cammels, raunging here and there, as well in peace, as in troublesome times: neither doth any of them ever lay hand to the plough, plant or dresse a tree, nor get his living by tillage of the ground, but wander alwaies they do from place to place, dissete farre and wide asun∣der, without house and home, without any abiding seat and positive lawes: neither can they any long time endure the same aire, nor the tract of one and the same soile ever pleaseth them: the manner of their life is alwayes in flight and flitting: and mercenarie wives they have, hired by covenant and upon condition for a time; and for a shew yet of matrimony, the wife that shall be, by way of dowry presen∣teth unto her husband a speare and a tent, after a certaine set day ready to depart from him, if she be so disposed. And uncredible it is, with what heat both sexes of them are given over to fleshly lust: and so long as they live, they use so to rove and scatter themselves abroad, that the woman wedded in one place, is brought to bed in another, and leadeth her children farre off, without any time at all per∣mitted of rest and quietnesse. They feed generally of Venison, and great plentie of milke, which is their chiefe sustenance: also of many kinds of hearbes, and what birds can be gotten by fowling: and for the most part we have seene them

altogether ignorant of the use either of corne or of wine. Thus much of a dan∣gerous and mischievous people. Now returne we to our proposed text.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••xtimas partes.
• * 1.2

  otherwise, Osi••e∣na.
• * 1.3

  Aferat, or ••rat.
• * 1.4

  Nohodares.
• * 1.5

  Giulap. in tabulis Geographicis. Hornuz. in Onu∣phrius.
• * 1.6

  or waterfals.
• * 1.7

  or Blemyes.