The history of the warres of the Emperour Justinian in eight books : of the Persian, II, Vandall, II, Gothicke, IV / written in Greek by Procopivs of Caesarea ; and Englished by Henry Holcroft, Knight.

CHAP. XVI.

THe next day the Goths thinking with ease to enter Rome, by reason of the great∣nesse of it; and the Romans defending it, were thus quartered. The city hath fourteen gates, and some posterns; but the Goths, unable to encompasse the whole circuit thereof, made ••ixe intrenchments, and infested the space of five Gates, from Porta Flaminia to Porta Praenestina. These were on this side the Tiber; But fearing least the enemy should take down Pons Milvius, and so exclude them from all from the river to the sea, and thereby might not feel the inconveniences of the Seige; they made a seventh Intrenchment on the other side of Tiber, in Nero's feilds; that they might have the sayd bridge in the midst between their Camps. And so they infested two gates more;* 1.1 Porta Aurelia (now named of Peter, the cheife of Christs Apostles, lying buried neer unto it) and the Gate beyond the Tiber. Thus they incompassed half the city; and being not cut off by the River, made the warre in what part of it they pleased. The Romans have built their walls on both sides the River, thus. The Tiber grown great, runnes a good space by the walls on this side of it, which stand by the Rivers side, upon Ground flat, and very assaultable. Opposite to them beyond the Tiber, is a * great hill, where stand the City mills; the water being brought by an Aquaeduct to the hill top, and from thence descending with much swiftnesse: which caused the ancient Romans to compasse this hill, and the Rivers banck neer it with a wall; that an Enemy might not demolish the mills, nor passe the River to assail the town walls; which with a bridge they joyned to this part; and building houses upon this ground beyond the Tiber, took the River into the midst of the City. The Goths also made deep ditches about their intrench∣ments; and casting the Earth inward, and therewith making the intrenchment very high, and pitching the top with multitude of stakes, they made their camps not in∣feriour to so many Castles. The Entrenchment in Nero's feilds Marcias comman∣ded, being come out of Gaule with his troops, and there quartered. The other were commanded by Vitigis, and five other; a Commander to every intrenchment. They cut also all the Aquaeducts, to cut off the cities water that way: they are fourteen in all, ancient works of brick; and so deep and broad, that a man on Horse back may ride in them. But Belisarius to guard the City used this order; himself had Porta Pincia∣na, and Porta Salaria standing to the right hand of it, because the wall there is very assaultable; and being opposite to the Enemy, the Romans were to sally there. He gave Porta Praenestina to Bessas, and to Constantianus Porta Flaminia (which stands to the left hand of Pinciana) and rammed up the gate with stones within, that it might not be opened; fearing the Enemies designs there, being close to one of their Entrenchments. The other gates he directed the commanders of the foot to guard. The Aquaeducts he fortified a good space, to avoyd mischeife that way from without. But the Aquaeducts being cut, they wanted water for their mills, and with beasts they could not worke, their scarce provisions of fodder (as in a siege) not sufficing for their horses of service. Belisarius to help this, tied cables before the bridge, that joyned to the City wall, from one banck of the river to the other, stretching them stiff, and fastning boats to them two foot asunder, where the stream from the arches

of the bridge ranne strongest; and putting into each boat a mill-stone, he hung the Engine between the boats which turns the Mill. Beneath these he tied other boats together in the same manner in a distance proportionable, fitting them with like En∣gines; and the stream being strong, and turning the Engins, set the Mill stones on worke, and grinded sufficient for the City. The Enemies informed hereof by fugitives, endeavored to spoil the Engins by throwing into the River great trees and bodies of Romans slain, and these being driven down with the stream, brake the Engins at first; but Belisarius had this remedy. He hung before the bridge iron chains a-cross the River, which stopt all that came down the stream; which men appointed drew up to the land; and this he did not only for the mills, but to prevent the Enemies entrance with boats through the bridge into the midst of the City. The Barbarians failing in their attempt gave it over, and the Romans made use of those mills, but for want of water were shut from their Baths; they had sufficient to drinke, those who dwelt far from the River having the commodity of wells. Their common sew∣ers they needed not secure, having all their mouthes into the River; and so impossible to be entred by the Enemy.

In the mean time among the Samnites, their boyes who kept their sheep, chusing two of the lustiest, and calling one Belisarius and the other Vitigis, caused them to wrestle. It was Ʋitigis chance to be thrown; whom the boyes in sport hung on a tree, and suddenly a wolfe appearing, they all ran away, and poor Ʋitigis after a long time hanging in great pain dyed. The Samnite upon this accident punisht not the boyes, but divining at the event, beleived that Belisarius would get the Victo∣ry.

Notes

• * 1.1

  It was called Porta Trium∣phalis, & Va∣ticana, and was next to Pons Trium∣phalis, Leand. in descrip. Italiae. Mons Jani∣culus it was called.