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. I.

THUS were the Romane Affayres in Affrick. But I proceed to the Gothick Warre; First, touching in a word what happened to the Goths and Italians before this Warre. When Zeno was Emperour of Constantinople, Augustus held the Westerne Dominion, whom by a diminitive, the Romans called Augustulus, because he received the Em∣pire being yet a Boy, which his Father Orestes, a very wise man, did administer. The Romans sometime before had drawne to their ayde Skirrians and Alans, and other Gothick Nations; from whence they came to suffer those things from Alaricus, and Attalus formerly related. As the Barbarians grew strong, the Roman Souldi∣ers were under-valued; and by these New-comers under colour of ayds, they were tir••nnyzed, and forced impudently to many things: And in Conclusion they demanded of Ores••es all the Lands in Italy to be divided, and to have a third part allotted them, and refusing to do it, they killed him. There was among them one Odoacer, one of the Life-guard to the Emperour, who promised to satisfie their de∣mands, if they would place him in the Governement: † so hee usurped, permitting the Emperour to live still a private man, without other harme: Hee gave the third part of the Lands to the Barbarians, and so made them sure his own, and established his Tyranny for ten yeares together. About the same time the Goths, planted in Thrace by the Emperour, rebelled against the Romans under Theodoricus, a Patritian, and advanced in Constantinople to the Consul••ship: Zeno, skilfull at a present accommodation, advised Theodoricus to go into Italy, to fight with Odoacer, and to get for himself and the Gothes the Dominion of the West; it being better for him (being a Senator) to beat out the Tyrant, and raign in Rome and Italy,

then to runne a hazard by contending with the Emperour. Theodoricus liked his Counsell and went into Italy with all the Goths, putting their Wives and Children in Waggons, and all the Goods they could carry. They could not crosse the Jonian Gulfe, wanting ships, but compassed the Gulfe, and passed by the Taulantians, and other Nations. Odoacer and his people opposed them, and were beaten in many Bat∣tells: then they shut themselves up in Ravenna with their Prince, and in other strong Towns. All the Townes the Goths took in by Siege, save the Castle of Caesina, about thirty seven miles distant from Ravenna, and Ravenna it selfe, where Odoacer was; which they could not get by Force nor Composition. It is scituate in an open Champian, at the bottome of the Jonian gulfe, distant only a quarter of a mile from the Sea. Ravenna is hard of accesse for an Army by Sea or Land; no ships can land upon the shore, by reason of a shelve of almost foure miles lying before it, which keepes the Sayler far from the Coast, though it seem neer at first. Neither is it ap∣proachable by an Army of Foot, by reason of the River Poe, (by some called Eri∣danus) which descends from the mountaines of Gaule; and of other navigable Ri∣vers and Lakes, compassing the City with waters, where happens a dayly wonder. The sea each morning rises a dayes journey into the Land, and makes it navigable; and at evening draws home her waters, and spoyles the passage. Such as are to im∣port to the City Merchandize, or to export the same, towe their ships to the place where the water uses to make a Passage, and there stay for a Floud; which coming, by little and little they float their Vessells, and steere away.

This happens all along that coast to Aquileia, but not alwayes alike: when the Light of the moon is little, the tyde is weak, and after the first halfe moon to the o∣ther, the course of the floud is stronger.

But Theodorick and the Goths spent three yeares in the Siege of Ravenna, and were wearied with it, aswell as Odoacer and his men, who were also prest with wants: So that by the mediation of the Bishop of Ravenna, they came to an accord, that Theodorick and Odoacer should remaine in Ravenna upon equall tearmes. This for a while was observed; but Theodorick (as he sayd) finding him plotting against him, invited him to a Feast, and killed him; and gaining so the Barbarian Enemyes surviving, he had the sole Dominion of the Goths and Italians. He did not assume the Habit, or Style of Emperour of the Romans, but continued the name of Rex, as the Barbarians call their Rulers. In the government of his Subjects he had all the Ornaments of a true King; being zealous of Justice, and maintaining the Lawes; guarding also the Province from the Neighbouring Barbarians, and attaining to a great heighth of wisdome and valour. He never did Injury to his Subjects, nor suffered others, that practised such things: Onely he distributed to the Goths the Lands by Odoacer allotted for his Partizans. So that he was in repute an Usurper; but in Effect a true Prince, no lesse then those, who have successively beene graced with that Dignity. The Goths and Italians loved him exceedingly, and not accor∣ding to the ordinary Humour; for in States, men have severall Inclinations, and while things are as they would have them, they are pleased with the present Go∣vernment; but if otherwise, they are male-content.

Notes

• Anno Do∣mini 479.
• These were sea∣ted in Alba∣nia, now, up∣on the Gulfe of Venice, neer unto Epida∣mus, now Durazzo.