the tribune, was conducted at midnight into the innermost apartments of the palace. But what must have been his surprise and disappointment, when, instead of finding the emperor lying dead, as he expected, he beheld the room lighted up with torches, and Seve'rus surrounded by his friends, prepared in array to receive him. 11. Being asked by the emperor, with a stern countenance, what had brought him there at that unseasonable time, he ingenuously confessed the whole, entreating forgiveness for what he had intended. 12. The emperor seemed inclined to pardon; but Caracalla, his son, who from the earliest age showed a disposition to cruelty, ran him through the body with his sword. 13. After this, Seve'rus spent a considerable time in isiting some cities in Italy, permitting none of his officers to sell places of trust or dignity, and distributing justice with the strictest impartiality. He then undertook an expedition into Britain, where the Romans were in danger of being destroyed, or compelled to fly the province. After appointing his two sons, Caracal'la and Ge'ta, joint successors in the empire, and taking them with him, he landed in Britain, A.D. 208, to the great terror of such as had drawn down his resentment. 14. Upon his progress into the country, he left his son Ge'ta in the southern part of the province, which had continued in obedience, and marched, with his son Caracal'la, against the Caledo'nians. 15. In this expedition, his army suffered prodigious hardships in pursuing the enemy; they were obliged to hew their way through intricate forests, to drain extensive marshes, and form bridges over rapid rivers; so that he lost fifty thousand men by fatigue and sickness. 16. However, he surmounted these inconveniences with unremitting bravery, and prosecuted his successes with such vigour, that he compelled the enemy to beg for peace; which they did not obtain without the surrender of a considerable part of their country. 17. It was then that, for its better security, he built the famous wall, which still goes by his name, extending from Solway Frith on the west, to the German Ocean on the east. He did not long survive his successes here, but died at York, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, after an active, though cruel reign of about eighteen years. 18. Caracal'la and Ge'ta, his sons, being acknowledged 1 Caracal'la was merely a nickname, in consequence of his having as emperors by the army, began to show a mutual U.C. hatred to each other, even before their arrival at 964. Rome. But this opposition was of no long con- A.D. tinuance; for Caracal'la, being resolved to govern alone, furiously entered Ge'ta's apartment, and, followed by ruffians, slew him in his mother's arms'. 211. 19. Being thus sole emperor, he went on to mark his course with blood. Whatever was done by Domi'tian or Ne'ro, fell short of this monster's barbarities'. 20. His tyrannies at length excited the resentment of Macri'nus, the commander of the forces in Mesopota'mia, who employed one Martial, a man of great strength, and a centurion of the guards, to despatch him. 21. Accordingly, as the emperor was riding out one day, near a little city called Carræ3, he happened to withdraw himself privately, upon a natural occasion, with only one page to hold his horse. This was the opportunity Martial had so long and ardently desired: when, running to him hastily, as if he had been called, he stabbed the emperor in the back, and killed him instantly. 22. Having performed this hardy attempt, he, with apparent unconcern, returned to his troop; but, retiring by insensible degrees, he endeavoured to secure himself by flight. His companions, however, soon missing him, and the page giving information of what had been done, he was pursued by the German horse, and cut in pieces. 23. During the reign of this execrable tyrant, which continued six years, the empire was every day declining; the soldiers were entirely masters of every election; and as there were various armies in different parts, so there were as many interests opposed to each other. 24. The soldiers, after remaining without an em- U.C. peror two days, fixed upon Macri'nus, who took all 970. possible methods to conceal his being privy to Cara- A.D. cal'la's murder. The senate confirmed their choice 217. introduced a kind of short cassock, called in the Gaulish language, by that name among the Romans. His real name was Bassia'nus. 1 His murderer afterwards ordered that he should be worshipped as a god. 2 Being offended by the Alexan'drians, he commanded them to be put to the sword, without distinction of sex, age, or condition; every house was filled with carcasses, and the streets were obstructed with dead bodies: this was merely in revenge for some lampoons which they had published against him. 3 This place is ever memorable for the defeat and death of Cras'sus. shortly after; and likewise that of his son Diadumenia nus, whom he took as a partner in the empire. 25. Macri'nus was fifty-three years old when he entered upon the government. He was of obscure parentage: some say by birth a Moor, who, by the mere gradation of office, being made first prefect of the prætorian bands, was now, by treason and accident, called to fill the throne. 26. He was opposed by the intrigues of Mosa, and her grandson Heliogab'alus; and being conquered by some seditious legions of his own army, he fled to Chalce'don where those who were sent in pursuit overtook him, and put him to death, together with his son Diadumenia ́nus, after a short reign of one year and two months. 27. The senate and citizens of Rome being obliged to U.C. submit as usual to the appointment of the army, 971. Heliogab'alus ascended the throne at the age of A.D. fourteen. His short life was a mixture of effeminacy, 218. lust, and extravagance. 28. He married six wives in the short space of four years, and divorced them all. He was so fond of the sex, that he carried his mother with him to the senate-house, and demanded that she should always be present when matters of importance were debated. He even went so far as to build a senate-house for women, appointing them suitable orders, habits, and distinctions, of which his mother was made president. 29. They met several times; all their debates turned upon the fashions of the day, and the different formalities to be used at giving and receiving visits. To these follies he added cruelty and boundless prodigality; he used to say, that such dishes as were cheaply obtained were scarcely worth cating. It is even said that he attempted to foretel what was to happen, by inspecting the entrails of young men; and that he chose the most beautiful youths throughout Italy to be slain for that horrid purpose. 30. However, his soldiers mutinying, as was now usual with them, they followed him to his palace, pursuing him from apartment to apartment, till at last he was found concealed in a privy. Having dragged him from thence through the streets, with the most bitter invectives, and despatched him, they attempted once more to squeeze his pampered body into a privy; but not easily effecting this, they threw it into the Tiber, with heavy weights, that none A city of Bithyn'ia, in Asia Minor, opposite to Constantinople. might afterwards find it, or give it burial. This was the ignominious death of Heliogab'alus, in the eighteenth year of his age, after a detestable reign of four years. Questions for Examination. 1. Who succeeded Didius Julianus ? 2. What was the character of Severus? 3. By what means did he strengthen his power 4. What were his first acts? 5. To whom did he commit the government in his absence? 6. What were his exploits? 7. How did Plautian conduct himself in his important post? 8. How was this treachery discovered? 9. How was this effected? 10. Did Plautian fall into the snare? 11. How did he act on the occasion? 12. Was he pardoned? 13. How did Severus next employ himself? 14. What were his first measures in Britain ? 15. Was it a difficult campaign? 16. Did he overcome these difficulties? 17. What famous work did he execute, and where did he die? 18. Who succeeded him, and how did the two emperors regard each other? 19. What was the conduct of Caracalla on thus becoming sole emperor? 20. Were these cruelties tamely suffered ? 21. How was this effected? 22. Did the assassin escape? 23. What was the state of the empire during this reign ? 24. Who succeeded Caracalla? 25. Who was Macrinus? 26. By whom was he opposed, and what was his fate? 27. How did Heliogabalus govern? 28. Give a few instances of his folly. 29. Did they enter into his views, and of what farther follies and vices was he guilty? 30. What was his end? His 1. HELIOGAB'ALUS was succeeded by Alexander, his cousingerman, who being declared emperor without opposition, U.C. the senate, with their usual adulation, were for con975. ferring new titles upon him: but he modestly deA.D. clined them all. 2. To the most rigid justice he 222. added the greatest humanity. He loved the good, and was a severe reprover of the lewd and infamous. accomplishments were equal to his virtues. cellent mathematician, geometrician, and musician; he was equally skilful in painting and sculpture; and in poetry few of his time could equal him. In short, such were his talents, and such the solidity of his judgment, that though. but sixteen years of age, he was considered equal in wisdom to a sage old man2. He was an ex 3. About the thirteenth year of his reign the Upper Germans, and other northern nations, began to pour down in immense swarms upon the more southern parts of the empire. They passed the Rhine and the Danube with such fury, that all Italy was thrown into the most extreme consternation. 4. The emperor, ever ready to expose his 1 A term generally applied to the children of brothers or sisters. 2 To compensate for the inexperience of extreme youth, he chose sixteen senators for his council, all men of known probity, and long versed in public affairs, by whose advice he constantly acted; he paid likewise the utmost deference to his mother Julia Mamme'a, and his grandmother Mæ'sa, both women of great understanding, experience, and honour. Alexander was considered one of the best princes ever seated on the throne. Artaxerx'es, king of Persia, having made irruptions upon some of the Roman provinces, Alexander marched against him, and after a successful war of four years, returned to Rome in triumph. Soon after this followed the incursions of the Germans into Illyr ́ia, Gaul, &c. |