BOOK XXI.

THE JEWS UNDER THE BARBARIAN KINGS AND THE BYZANTINE EMPERORS.

Irruption and Conquests of the Barbarians-Trade of the JewsSlave Trade-Decrees of Councils-of Pope Gregory the First Conduct of the Christians to the Jews-Arian Kings of ItalyPope Gregory the First-State anterior to the Rise of Mahometanism in the Eastern Empire-Insurrections of the Samaritans —Laws of Justinian—Dispute about the Language in which the Law was to be read-State of the Jews in the Persian Dominions-Persecutions-Civil Contests-Conquest of Syria and Jerusalem by the Persians-Reconquest by the Emperor Heraclius.

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THE irruption of the Northern Barbarians during the latter half of the fourth to about the end of the fifth century, so completely disorganized the whole frame of society, that the condition of its humblest members could not but be powerfully influenced by the total revolution in the government, in the possession of the soil, and in the social character of all those countries which were exposed to their inroads. The Jews were widely dispersed in all the provinces on which the storm fell—in Belgium, along the course of the Rhine -in such parts of Germany as were civilized-in Gaul, Italy, and Spain. Of their original progress into these countries, history takes no notice; for they did not migrate in swarms, or settle in large bodies, but sometimes as slaves following the fortunes of their masters, sometimes as single enterprising traders, they travelled on and advanced as convenience or profit tempted, till they reached the verge of civilization. On them the successive inroads and conquests of the Barbarians fell much more lightly than on the native inhabitants. Attached to no fixed residence, with little interest in the laws and usages of the different provinces; rarely encumbered with landed property, or with immovable effects, sojourners, not settlers, denizens rather than citizens, they could retreat, before the cloud burst, to the more secure and peaceful dwellings of their brethren, and bear with them the most valuable portion of their

goods. True citizens of the world, they shifted their quarters, and found new channels for their trade as fast as the old were closed. But the watchful son of Israel fled to return again, in order that he might share in the plunder of the uncircumcised. Through burning towns and ravaged fields he travelled, regardless of the surrounding misery which enveloped those with whom he had no ties of attachment;-if splendid cities became a prey to the flames, or magnificent churches lay in ashes, his meaner dwelling was abandoned without much regret, and with no serious loss; and even his synagogue might perish in the common ruin, without either deeply wounding the religious feelings of the worshippers, who had no peculiar local attachment to the spot, or inflicting any very grievous loss on a community who could re-establish, at no great expense, their humble edifice. If, indeed, individuals experienced considerable losses, their whole trading community had great opportunities of reimbursement, which they were not likely to overlook or neglect in the wild confusion of property, which attended the conquests of the invaders. Where battles were fought, and immense plunder fell into the hands of the wandering Barbarians, the Jews were still at hand to traffic the worthless and glittering baubles with which ignorant savages are delighted, or the more useful, but comparatively cheap instruments and weapons of iron and brass, for the more valuable commodities, of which they knew not the price or the use. These, by the rapid and secret correspondence, which no doubt the Israelites had already established with their brethren in every

TRADE OF THE JEWS.

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quarter of the world, were transported into more peaceful and unplundered regions, which still afforded a market for the luxuries and ornaments of life. As to the particulars of this commerce, we have no certain information, as, in truth, the fact rests rather on inference than on positive data; but if it existed to the extent we believe, it must have been highly lucrative, when the venders were ignorant Barbarians, and the purchasers intelligent, and, probably, not over-scrupulous traders, well acquainted with the price which every article would bear in the different markets of the civilized world. Nor is it improbable, that by keeping alive the spirit of commerce, which might otherwise have become utterly extinct amid the general insecurity, the interruption of the usual means of communication, and the occupation of the roads by wild marauders, they conferred a great advantage on society, by promoting the civilization of these wild and warlike hordes. But we have ample evidence that one great branch of commerce fell almost entirely into the hands of the Jews, the internal slave-trade of Europe. It is impossible to suppose, but that this strange state of things must have inspired a sort of revengeful satisfaction into the mind of the zealous Israelite. While his former masters, or at least his rulers, the Christians, were wailing over their desolate fields, their ruined churches, their pillaged monasteries, their violated convents, he was growing rich amid the general ruin, and, perhaps, either purchasing for his own domestic service at the cheapest price, the fairest youths, and even high-born maidens, or driving his gangs of slaves to the different mar