The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume 1 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853 edition. Excerpt: ...procurator of Mauritania. The alarmed senate appointed Balbinus and Maximus Papienus emperors, and intrust the latter with the conduct of the war against Maximin. On his march Maximin was stopped near Aquileia, by want of provisions and the melting of the snow, and began the siege of that place at the end. of April. Papienus collected his forces at Ravenna. The soldiers of Maximin, irritated by the resistance of Aquileia, assassinate him and his son, probably about the middle of May. On this Papienus returned to Rome, and governed jointly with Balbinus. At the close of July they were murdered, and the younger Gordian placed alone on the throne. (Eokhel, de Doct. Num. Vet., tom, vii., p. 295.)--Guizot. Velleius Paterculus, L 2, c. 24. The president de Montesquieu (in his dialogue between Sylla and Eucrates) expresses the sentiments of the dictator, in a spirited, and even a sublime manner. his strength in the sieges of the principal cities of Italy, which they had plentifully stored with men and provisions from the deserted country. Aquileia received and withstood the first shock of the invasion. The streams that issue from the head of the Hadriatic gulf, swelled by the melting of the winter snows, opposed an unexpected obstacle to the; arms of Maximin. At length, on a singular bridge, constructed with art and difficulty, of large hogsheads, he transported his army to the opposite bank, rooted up the beautiful vineyards in the neighbourhood of Aquileia, demolished the suburbs, and employed the timber of the buildings in the engines and towers, with which, on every side, he attacked the city. The walls, fallen to decay during the security of a long peace, had been hastily repaired on this sudden emergency; but the firmest defence of...