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. XII. With new engins of batterie Constantius shaketh the walls of Amida, and with ma∣ny assaults redoubled, in sundry sorts wearieth as well his owne people, as the Persians besieged.

THe tenth day therefore, after the assault began, when our mens hope grew worse than it was, so that they were set all in heavinesse, thought good it was to bring over that huge frame of a Ram, which the Persi∣ans in times past, after they had by the batterie thereof rased Antiochia brought from thence, and left at Carras: which being on a sodain seene, and most artificially set together and fitted accordingly, daunted the hearts of the besieged so, as that they had fallen in manner to the last remedie of yeelding, but that they tooke heart againe, and prepared to oppose some meanes against this terrible and menacing engin. Neither after this gave our men over one jot to adventure rashly, or to advise politikely: For whiles this old Ram, beeing unjoynted and taken in peeces, for easier carriage, was a setting in order and readinesse, with all cunning and strength of man, notwithstanding the exceeding force and firme resolution of the defendants, the peeces of ordnance were still defended: neverthelesse with a number of stones and bullets sent out of slings on both sides, many were killed, and still the mounts and bulwarkes waxed greater, and quickly rose to a mightie height: so that the siege grew more fierce and hoter every day than other; and many of our men lost their lives in the place: for that, fighting in the sight of the Emperour in hope of rewards, and taking off their helmets from their heads, because they might the sooner be knowne, they were with the cunning shot of the enemies archers overthrowne: and therefore tending watch and ward both night and day they stood more wary on both parts, and did their devoir. And now by this time the Persians, seeing the banks & terraces brought up to a mightie height, and with∣all the huge ram aforesaid, after which there followed also other smaller engins of that kind, were stricken with a wonderful horror, and did what they possibly could with might and maine to burne them all: and albeit they ceased not to fling heaps and bals of wild-fire, and shoot fiery darts, yet they laboured in vaine; for that most of the timber peeces were covered all over with skins and hayre clothes throughly wet; others againe well smeared with alum, that the fire might glide off without doing harme. But the Romans bringing them forward with great force and valor, though with much difficutlie, yet defended and saved them: and in an earnest de∣sire they had to win the towne, they set nought by imminent and present dangers: and on the other side the defendants of the wals, when the greatest Ram above said came toward them, ready to shake downe the tower that stood against it, by a subtle deuise ensnared the yron front that it beareth out before (and in truth it resembleth a Rammes head) with long ropes on either side, and so held it fast, that by retur∣ning backe againe it should not gather new strength, nor be able with thicke jurres and pushes, forcibly to strike the walls to any purpose: and withall they powred downe scalding hot pitch. The engins also being advanced forward, stood along time carrying upon them huge stones, to batter the walls, and other casting wea∣pons. Now, when the mounts without were raysed still higher, the defendants fearing their destruction was at hand, unlesse they tooke the better heed, ran head∣long into a most bold and adventurous action: and in a sodaine sally, issuing by

numbers out at the gates, and setting upon the formost of our men, threw with all their might upon the Ram, fire-brands and yron buckets loden with fire. But after a skirmish valiantly performed with doubtfull fortune, most of them prevailing nought, were driven backe within the wals: and anon from the mounts which the Romans had erected, the same Persians as they stood upon their bulwarkes were assayled with arrowes, slings-shot, and fiery darts; which flying among the roofes and curtaines of the towers, for the most part went by, or glaunced in vaine, and did no hurt, for that there were some of purpose readie to quench them. And when on both sides the fighting men grew to be fewer, and the Persians were driven to utmost dispaire, but that they found better meanes, they eftsoons gave the attempt with greater care and diligence to sally out of their fortifications: and so the mul∣titude breaking suddenly forth, among our armed souldiers, some appointed there were of purpose, who carried greater store of fire than those before, and threw yron skuttles full of flaming fire upon the timber frames, stickes also and twigges, with other dry fewell, very apt to take fire. And for that the exceeding blacke clouds of smoake tooke away all sight, when the trumpet sounded the battaile, the legions in good array marched on a quicke pace; and as the heat of skirmish grew still by lit∣tle and little, by that time they came to buckle at hand-strokes, all the foresaid engines at once were on a light fire, and in manner burnt, save only that greater one than the rest, which, being halfe burnt, after the ropes were plucked away, that were cast upon it from the wals and held it fast, with much adoe, and by the forcible strai∣ning of strong men, was drawne forth of the fire. But when the darkenesse of the night made an end of the skirmish, our souldiers rested not long, but beeing refre∣shed with small food and short sleepe, they rose at the call of their captaines, and re∣moved their munitions far from the wall, providing to fight more close and short along the high bastiles or countermures, which now that they were finished over∣topped the walls: and that the defendants might easily be driven from off the wals, upon the very top of the said bastiles were planted two Balists, for feare of which it was verily thought, that not one of the enemies could so much as put up his head and looke out before him. These meanes being sufficiently provided, a little be∣fore the twy-light of the morning appeared, three battailons of our men in good array advancing, with the crests of their helmets bending forward in threatning wise, together with a number that carried ladders, attempted to giue an assault up∣on the wals: And now as the armor clattered, and the trumpets resounded, fighting on both sides joyntly with semblable heat and eagrenesse, they made a venturous conflict of it: which as it did spread still more and more, the Romans, perceiuing that the Persians hid their heads for feare of the engines of artillery placed upon the mounts, did beat upon the walls with the ram, and then with mattocks, pickaxes, yron crowes, and ladders, they approched: meane while on both sides flew the ca∣sting dartes thicke. But that which troubled and annoyed the Persians much more than all the rest, was the sundrie shot discharged from the Balists, running as it were through loope holes and grates from the bastiles newly raysed: Whereupon, sup∣posing now that they were come to the last cast, they ran resolutely upon the daun∣ger of death: and thus having parted betweene them the severall charges to fight upon the point of any extremitie that should happen, and leaving those behind that should keepe the walls, a strong companie of them secretly setting open a posterne gate, issued forth, with others following behind, that closely carried fire with them. And whiles the Romans one while presse hard upon them that reculed, another

while receive those that of themselves charge them, they that carried the fire pans creeping softly and stooping low by the ground, conveied light burning coles within the ioynts of one of the fabricks raised upon boughes of divers trees, reeds, and bundels of canes, which so soone as the drie fewell had caught fire, were burnt: but our souldiers, together with their peeces of ordnance untouched, were depar∣ted first in danger enough.