DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4569#0018
io THE ANTIENT STATE
Claudius fucceeded him; a character fo amiable and fo different from his
prcdeceflbr, that he would probably have reftored happinefs and tranquility
to the empire, had he reigned long enough. c He a had the valour of
Sa«ha" ' Trajan, the piety of Antoninus, and the moderation of Auguftus;' vir-
tues which he indefatigably exerted in the publick fervice. The grand ob-
je£t of his attention was reformation. How difficult this task was, ap-
pears from the letter he wrote to the fenate immediately before that me-
morable victory which gave him the name of Gothicus.
zenobia While he was thus taken up by affairs nearer home, Zenobia finding a
%5TS Party f°r ner m Egypt, fupported by one Timogenes, fent Zabdas, an experi-
enced officer, who had fought under Odenathus, and attended her in all
her battles, to make the conqueft: of that country, to which ffie perhaps
claimed an hereditary right, as the defcendant of the Ptolemy's, their former
kings. He came to a battle with the Egyptians, the fuccefs of which
put him in poffeffion of that province, where he left a body of 5000
men, and returned to Palmyra.
This revolution happened in the abfence of Probus prasfecl: of Egypt,
who was then out upon a cruife againft the pyrates who infefted the neigh-
bouring feas. Upon the news of it he returned, and drove the Palmyrene
troops out of the country.
This fudden turn of affairs brought back Zabdas again with his army.
Probus engaged and beat him; but not content with this fuccefs, attempt-
ed to cut off the retreat of the Palmyrenes: Which proved fatal to him,
for having with that view got poffeffion of thofe heights near Babylon,
(which command the prelent town of Cairo) Timogenes, better ac-
quainted with the country, fhewed the Palmyrenes an unguarded road up
to that part, by which they furprifed and deftroyed his army. Probus
taken prifoner, and drove to defpair by the misfortunes his mifmanagement
had occafioned, killed himfelf, and Zenobia became miftrefs of Egypt.
Claudius refolved to march againft Zenobia about the latter end of the
fecond year of his reign; but was taken off by the plague at Syrmium in
Pannonia.
Aureiian. Aurelian was elected in his room by the army, and Quintillus brother to
the late emperor by the fenate; but the death of the latter in feventeen
days after he was proclaimed, prevented a competition, and Aurelian was
unanimoufly declared,
He was a mere foldier of fortune, and from the loweft rank in the army
rofe to be general of the cavalry: remarkable bodily ftrength, great cou-
rage, and an unwearied attention to military difcipline, were the virtues to
which he owed his rife. He was generous in rewarding, but quick and
always feverein punifhing; cruelty was his dangerous vice, and the more
fo, as he was creduloufly open to accufations. However, Rome got more
by his virtues than fheloftby his vices. Thediforders introduced by Gal-
lienus were but partly remedied by Claudius, and frill wanted a man of Au-
l Treb. Pollio. * Preferved in Treb. Pol. vit. Zenob.
relian's
His charafter
Claudius fucceeded him; a character fo amiable and fo different from his
prcdeceflbr, that he would probably have reftored happinefs and tranquility
to the empire, had he reigned long enough. c He a had the valour of
Sa«ha" ' Trajan, the piety of Antoninus, and the moderation of Auguftus;' vir-
tues which he indefatigably exerted in the publick fervice. The grand ob-
je£t of his attention was reformation. How difficult this task was, ap-
pears from the letter he wrote to the fenate immediately before that me-
morable victory which gave him the name of Gothicus.
zenobia While he was thus taken up by affairs nearer home, Zenobia finding a
%5TS Party f°r ner m Egypt, fupported by one Timogenes, fent Zabdas, an experi-
enced officer, who had fought under Odenathus, and attended her in all
her battles, to make the conqueft: of that country, to which ffie perhaps
claimed an hereditary right, as the defcendant of the Ptolemy's, their former
kings. He came to a battle with the Egyptians, the fuccefs of which
put him in poffeffion of that province, where he left a body of 5000
men, and returned to Palmyra.
This revolution happened in the abfence of Probus prasfecl: of Egypt,
who was then out upon a cruife againft the pyrates who infefted the neigh-
bouring feas. Upon the news of it he returned, and drove the Palmyrene
troops out of the country.
This fudden turn of affairs brought back Zabdas again with his army.
Probus engaged and beat him; but not content with this fuccefs, attempt-
ed to cut off the retreat of the Palmyrenes: Which proved fatal to him,
for having with that view got poffeffion of thofe heights near Babylon,
(which command the prelent town of Cairo) Timogenes, better ac-
quainted with the country, fhewed the Palmyrenes an unguarded road up
to that part, by which they furprifed and deftroyed his army. Probus
taken prifoner, and drove to defpair by the misfortunes his mifmanagement
had occafioned, killed himfelf, and Zenobia became miftrefs of Egypt.
Claudius refolved to march againft Zenobia about the latter end of the
fecond year of his reign; but was taken off by the plague at Syrmium in
Pannonia.
Aureiian. Aurelian was elected in his room by the army, and Quintillus brother to
the late emperor by the fenate; but the death of the latter in feventeen
days after he was proclaimed, prevented a competition, and Aurelian was
unanimoufly declared,
He was a mere foldier of fortune, and from the loweft rank in the army
rofe to be general of the cavalry: remarkable bodily ftrength, great cou-
rage, and an unwearied attention to military difcipline, were the virtues to
which he owed his rife. He was generous in rewarding, but quick and
always feverein punifhing; cruelty was his dangerous vice, and the more
fo, as he was creduloufly open to accufations. However, Rome got more
by his virtues than fheloftby his vices. Thediforders introduced by Gal-
lienus were but partly remedied by Claudius, and frill wanted a man of Au-
l Treb. Pollio. * Preferved in Treb. Pol. vit. Zenob.
relian's
His charafter