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. XIIII. The Sarmatian slaves daring to ioyne battaile with the Romane armie, after ashort fight are discomfited, and by a very bloudie execution, within the space of halfe an houre utterly destroyed. After which overthrow, the rest who remained at home were cruelly dealt with.

THey came therefore, at the princes motion, with their in-bred pride and arrogance, to the hithermore banke of the river, not minding, as the end shewed, to doe that they were commaunded, but be∣cause they would not seeme to dread the presence and sight of our souldiors: where they stood in a stout and stubborne selfe-will, ma∣king plaine shew, that therfore they drew so neere, because they would reject what∣soever commaundement should be layed upon them. Which the Emperour see∣ing evidently that it might happen, having secretly divided his armie into many battailons, with quicke speed and expedition enclosed them, as they went, within the said battailons of his owne souldiors: and standing himselfe with some few upon an higher banke, and defended with a strength of his guard about him, hee mildly willed them not to be unruly. But they, wavering and doubtfull in mind, were distracted contrarie waies, whiles by wily craft and furious heat together they assayed to give battaile, but withall entermingled their prayers: and so providing to issue forth in a place neere unto them, and to charge upon our men, they cast for the nonce their shields a great way before them, that stepping forward by little and little to recover them, they might without any shew of fraud gaine ground by stealth. Now by this time the day was well spent, and grew toward evening: see∣ing then the declining of day-light put them in mind to make hast, our souldiors marched with their banners upright, and in a fierie heat advaunced against them. Who keeping close together, and drawing themselves into thicker rankes, bent all their force against the prince himselfe, standing (as hath beene said) on high: and that they did with menacing eyes and terrible words. This furious madnesse of theirs our armie for very anger could not endure, but (as they preassed hard and hote upon the Emperour, as hath beene said) with a battailon narrow and sharpe∣pointed before; which forme the simple and plaine souldiors use to tearme Caput porci, i. an Hogs head, gave them such a hote and violent charge, that they dis-ran∣ked their battaile. Thus on the right hand our footmen cut in pieces the compa∣nies of their footmen, and on the left our men of armes entred the nimble troupes of their horsemen. The Praetorian band that carefully guarded the Emperours person, affronted them in the very breast, and slew them downe right: soone after also as they fled, came upon their backes and killed them. And these Barbarians, as they were overthrowne and felled to the ground, such was their invincible contu∣macie and wilfulnesse, shewed by the horrible gnashing noise which they made, that they grieved not so much at their owne death, as at our mens joy and glad∣nesse. And beside those that were starke dead, a number of them having their ham strings cut, and thereby destitute of all meanes to flye, some with their right hands cut off, others againe unwounded verily, but crushed and squeezed under the weight of those that went over them, endured dolorous torments, without one word or grone given: neither was there one of them, who among those sun∣dry sorts of execution either craved mercie, or flung his weapon from him, or desi∣red

quicke dispatch by present death; but holding their weapons continually, thus piteously afflicted though they were, esteemed it a lesse fault to be overcome by the gorce of others, than convicted by the doome of their owne knowledge and conscience: yea, and they were heard otherwhiles grumbling and mumbling these words; That it was long of Fortune and not of thdir desert, that this befell unto them▪ Thus in the space of one halfe houre was the trhall of this battaile dispatched, and so many Barbarians lay dead at once upon the ground, as that it was the victorie a∣lone and nothing else which shewed there had bedne a field fought. Scarcely were yet these hostile nations defeated, when the neere kinsfolke and deere friends of them that were slaine, of both sexes and all ages one with another, were brought forth in routs and companies, plucked out of their poore and low cottages: who abandoning the pride of their former life, fell to the most humble and servile obse∣quiousnesse that might be. And thus againe within the compasse of a very small time, a man might see whole heapes of bodies slaine, and flockes of poore captives. Whiles this heat therefore of fighting, and the gaine withall of conquering pricked our men still forward, they rose up all at once, intending the destruction of those that either forsooke the field, or lay close hidden within their cottages. When our souldiors therefore, thirsting still after the bloud of Barbarians, were come to the places where they kept, downe they went with the light thatch, and hewed the men in pieces: neither was there any one of them, whom his cabbin, were it never so surely framed of strong timber-peeces, saved from danger of death. Finally, when as all was on a light fire, that none could lurke or lye hid any longer, now that all meanes of saving life were cut off, every one either perished obstinately consumed with fire, or avoiding the fire, if he went forth of dores, whiles he sought to decline that one kind of death, fell upon the enemies sword, and so was slaine. Yet some there were of them, who escaping both weapon and fire, as generall as it was, com∣mitted themselves to the streame of the river running hard by, in hope by skill in swimming to gaine the banke on the farther side: of whom, the most part sunke under the waves, and perished; some were shot in with arrowes, and so lost their lives; insomuch, as with abundance of bloud there shed, the streame of the river fomed and swelled againe. Thus by both elements, the armed anger and valour of the winners, made cleane worke and riddance of all. Decreed then it was, after this order taken aforesaid, That generally throughout, they should all loose both hope and comfort of life: and so, after their houses burnt, and whole families caried away, commaundement was given, That vessels should be gotten together, to search out those whom the farther banke of the river had severed from our armie: and foorth∣with, least the courage of the warriours should abate or wax coole, certaine nimble and lightly appointed skirmishers were put in boats, who being guided along the secret coasts of the countrey, met with all the lurking holes of the Sarmatians: who at the suddaine sight of them were deceived, namely, seeing them to be their owne countrey wherries and rowers whom they knew. But when by the glittering of the weapons afarre off, they perceived that was comming toward them which they fea∣red, they betooke themselves for refuge and safetie to their moorish and fennie grounds, whom the souldiors followed the more maliciously: and having killed the most of them, found a victorie there, where a man would have verily thought, they neither could keepe sure footing, nor would adventure upon any service.