The history of Iustine taken out of the four and forty books of Trogus Pompeius contaning [sic] the affairs of all ages and countrys, both in peace and war, from the beginning of the world untill the time of the Roman emperors : together with the epitomie of the lives and manners of the Roman emperors from Octavius Augustus Cæsar to the Emperor Theodosius / translated into English by Robert Codrington ...

THE Two and fortyeth BOOK OF IVSTINE.

AFter the death of Mithridates King of the Parthians, Phra∣hartes his Son was made King, who when he determined to make War on Syria, to be re∣venged on Antiochus, who attempted the Parthians Kingdom, he was called back by the commotion of the Scythians to defend his own possessions; for the Scythians being sol∣licited with the promise of great rewards to help the Parthians against King Antiochus, they came with their Auxiliaries just when the War was ended; when they were denyed

their pay, to reproach them for their assistance which came so late, the Scythians grieving that they had made so great a march to so little purpose, when they desired that either their pay should be given them for their tra∣vel, or an Enemy with whom they might encounter, they had a proud answer returned them, whereat being incensed, they began to plunder the Borders of the Parthians. Phra∣hartes therefore advancing against the Scy∣thians, did leave one Hymerus for the de∣fence of his Kingdom, having obliged him by his love from the flower of his youth, who un∣mindful of the courtesies received, and whose substitute he was, did afflict the Babylonians and many other Cities with tyrannical cruelty. Phrahartes himself in this War did proudly and insolently deport himself towards the Army of the Grecians, whom he had then with him (having taken them prisoners in the War which he made against Antiochus) being al∣together unmindful that no Captivity could abate their spirits, and that the indignity of new injuries did more exasperate them. There∣fore in the battel when they perceived the Ar∣my of the Parthians deeply engaged, they re∣volted to the Enemy, and executed their long desired revenge on the Parthian Army, by their slaughter of them, and by the death of their King Phrahartes himself: In his place

his Uncle Artabanus was chosen King. The Scythians being contented with the Victory, having plundred their Country, return home. But Artabanus having made War upon the Inhabitants of Colchos, and received a wound in his arm, not long after deceased by the anguish of it.

His Son Mithridates did succeed him, whose Atchievements did gain him the same name of GREAT; for being enflamed with the emulation of the Acts of his Predecessors, he excelled their glories by the greatness of his vertues; he made many Wars with his neigh∣bours, where he shewed great demonstrations of his valour, and added many Nations to the Parthian Kingdom, and having made many prosperous Wars against the Scythians, he re∣venged the injuries of his Predecessors, and made War at last upon Artoadistes King of the Armenians.

But because we have here a passage opened to Armenia, we will in the first place derive its original from the first beginning; neither is it fit that it should be passed by in silence, it being so great a Kingdom, whose bounds, Parthia being excepted, doth exceed the mag∣nitude of any Kingdom whatsoever; for Ar∣menia lies open from Cappadocia towards the Caspian Sea eleven hundred miles in length; the latitude of it conteineth but seven hundred

onely: It was founded by Armenius the Companion of Jason the Thessalian, whom when King Pelias desired to have destroyed by reason of his excellent valour, thinking him dangerous to his Kingdom, he was command∣ed to be one of the adventurers into Colchos, to bring home the Fleece of the Ram, so famous amongst all Nations; the King hoping that he would be destroyed either by the length of the Expedition, or by war amongst the most barbarous of the Nations. Jason there∣fore, the report being spread abroad of that glorious expedition, when the most noble of the youth of the whole world did strive who first should come into that service, did com∣pose an Army of most excellent men, who were called Argonautae, whom after great at∣chievements, when he had brought back safe into Greece, they were with great force beaten from Thessaly by the Sons of Pelias; Jason therefore with a great multitude (who on the report of his glory, came daily out of all Na∣tions to him) his Wife Medea being his companion (whom having repudiated, he again in the commiseration of her banish∣ment did take into the participation of his Bed) and Medius his Stepson, begotten by Aegeus King of the Athenians, did return to Colchos, and restored there his Father-in-law driven from the Kingdom.

After that he made great Wars against the neighbours, and added to the Kingdom of his Father-in-law, divers Cities that were taken, to take away the injury of the former War, in which he both took by force his daughter Medea, and killed Aeg••alus the Son of Aetas, and part of them he distributed to the people whom he had brought with him to serve him in his Wars: He was the first of all men who subdued that part of the world, Hercules and Bacchus excepted, who were said to be the Conquerors and the Kings of all the East. To some of the people he assigned Phrygius and Ansistratus to be their Gene∣rals, who were the drivers of the Chariot of Castor and Pollux; he made a league also with the Albanians, who having followed Hercules out of the Mount Albania in Italy after he had slain Geryon, did drive his Cattel through Italy, and who being mindful from whence they derived their Original, did in the War of Mithridates salute the Army of Cneius Pompeius by the name of brethren. All the East therefore did erect Temples and constitute Divine Honours to him, which many years afterwards, Parmenio Lieutenant General under Alexander the Great did command to be pulled down and abolished, that no name in the East should be of more ve∣neration then the name of Alexander himself.

After the death of Jason, Medus was the emulator of his vertues, who in the honour of his Mother Medea, did build a City, and called it after her name, and founded the Kingdom of the Medes after his own name, in the Majesty whereof the Empire after∣wards did a long time flourish. The A∣mazonians are near unto the Albani∣ans whose Queen Thalestris desired for ge∣neration to have the carnal knowledge of Alexander the Great, as we finde it asserted by several Authors. Armenius also being himself a Thessalian, and one in the number of Jasons Captains, having recollected a considerable party that wandred up and down after the death of Jason, did plant Armenia, from whose Hills the River Tygris doth first flow but with small beginnings, and after some space she hides her self under Earth, through which running undiscovered for the space of five and twenty miles, she sheweth again her self, and appears a great and violent River in the Country of Sophone, from whence falling down, is received into the waters of Euphrates.

But Mithridates King of the Parthians, after the war of Armenia, was expelled by the Senate from the Parthian Kingdom, by reason of his cruelty: His brother Horodes having possessed himself of the vacant King∣dom, did for a long time besiege Babylonia,

whither Mithridates fled, and at last com∣pelled the Inhabitants, being oppressed by fa∣mine, to surrender themselves; and Mithri∣dates of his own accord in confidence of the contiguity of his blood, did deliver himself unto the power of Horodes. But Horodes taking him to be rather an enemy then his brother, did in his own presence command him to be slain. After this he made War upon the Romans, and overthrew Crassus the Roman General, with his Son, and all the Roman Army. His Son Pacocus having performed great atchieve∣ments in Syria, and being sent to pursue the relicts of the Roman Army, was called back into Parthia, being suspected by his Father, in whose absence the Army of the Parthians being left in Syria, were slain by Cassius the Quaestor of Crassus, with all their Cap∣tains.

This being performed, not long after there did arise the Civil Wars of the Romans be∣twixt Caesar and Pompey, in which the Par∣thians took the part of Pompey, both by reason of their association with him in the war with Mithridates, & because of the death of Cras∣sus, whose Son they heard did side with Caesar, and who they doubted not would thoroughly revenge his Fathers death, if Caesar were the Conqueror; Therefore Pompey and all his party being overcome, they afterwards sent

their Auxiliaries to Cassius and Brutus a∣gainst Augustus and Antonius; and after the end of that war, having entred into a league with Labienus, they made desolate with their Armies both Syria and Asia, and being as high in their resolutions as their numbers, they assaulted the Camp of Ven∣tidius; who after Cassius, in the absence of Pacorus did overthrow the Parthian Armie; but Ventidius having dissembled a fear, did a long time contain himself within the Camp, and permitted the Parthians for a while to insult; who being insolent and secure, he at the last did send forth one part of the legions against them, who charging upon them with great courage, did utterly rout them; Pa∣corus conceiving that his flying men had drawn along after them the Roman legions to pursue them, did set upon the Camp of Ventidius, supposing it to be destitute of de∣fenders; whereupon Ventidius sallying forth with the other part of the legions, did cut off the whole Armie of the Parthians, with the King Pacorus himself; neither did the Parthians in any war receive a greater wound then in that battail.

When these things were reported in Par∣thia, Horodes the father of Pacorus, who not long before had understood that all Sy∣ria was plundred, and Asia seized upon by

the Parthians, and who did glorie▪ that his Son Pacorus was a Conqueror of the Romans, being on a suddain informed both of the death of his Son, and the total destruction of the Armie, his grief was heightned into furie. For the space of many daies he would not speak to any, nor take any sustenance, nor utter any words at all, insomuch that he seem∣ed to be a dumb man. After many days, when grief had opened the passage of his voice, he called upon nothing but Pacorus; he seemed as if he both heard and saw Paco∣rus, and would stand still and speak as if he discoursed with him, and somtimes would la∣mentably condole him, being slain.

After a long time of sorrow, another af∣fliction did invade the miserable old man, which was to determine with himself, which of his thirtie Sons he should make King in the place of Pacorus.

He had many Concubines, on whom so great a number of children were begotten, and every one of them was importunate with him to make choice of her own Son; but the fate of Parthia did so ordain, (it being there a solemn custom to have Kings to be parri∣cides) rhat the most wicked of them all, Phrahartes by name, should be elected King, who no soo••ner was invested in his royaltie, but (as if he would not die a natural death,

and when he would have him) did kill his fa∣ther, and afterwards put to death his thirtie Brothers; neither did his guilt cease here; for perceiving that the Peers of the King∣dom were much incensed against him for his daily cruelties, he commanded his own Son, being almost of age, to be killed, that there should not one remain who might bear the name of a King.

Marke Antony made war upon him with sixteen gallant Legions, because he brought aide to Pompey and his partie, against Caesar and himself; but his Armie being sorely weakned by many encounters, he retreated from Parthia; by which victorie, Phrahartes being grown more insolent, when he determi∣ned many things cruelly against the people, he was driven into banishment by them; and having with repeated importunities for a long time wearied the neighboring Cities, and last of all the Scythians, he was by their great assistance restored unto his King∣dom.

In his absence the Parthians had constitu∣ted one Tyridates to be their King, who un∣derstanding of the advance of the Scythians, did flie with a great number of his friends to Caesar, making war at the same time in Spain, carrying with him as a pledge to Caesar, the youngest Son of Phrahartes, whom he took

away by force, being too negligently guard∣ed. Which being understood, Phrahartes sent presently Embassadors to Caesar, deman∣ding that his servant Tyridates and his Son should be restored to him.

Caesar having understood the Embassie of Phrahartes, and the desires of Tyridates, (for he desired also to be restored to the Kingdom) affirming that the Romans would have a Right to Parthia, if the Kingdom thereof should be at his disposing, did make answer, That he would neither deliver Tyridates to the Parthians, neither would he aide Tyridates against them.

And that it might appear that Caesar was not of that sullen temper, that they could prevail nothing at all upon him, he sent Phrahartes his Son without ransom, and al∣lowed Tyridates a large exhibition as long as he would continue with the Romans.

After this, the war in Spain being ended, when he came into Syria to compose the State of the East, Phrahartes was pos∣sessed with a great fear that he would make war against him.

Therefore the Captains over all Par∣thia, that were taken Prisoners in the Armies of Crassus, or of Antony, were re∣collected, and the Ensigns that were ta∣ken, were also sent back to Augustus;

with them the Sons and Nephews also of Phrahartes were given as pledges to Augustus; and Caesar prevailed more with the greatness of his Name, then another Emperor could have done by Arms.