CHAP.

Tumult at

ger Gordi

an is de clared Cx

far.

30

After the fenate had conferred on Maximus VII. and Balbinus an equal portion of the confular Rome. and tribunitian powers, the title of Fathers of The youn- their country, and the joint office of Supreme Pontiff, they afcended to the Capitol, to return thanks to the gods, protectors of Rome ". The folemn rites of facrifice were disturbed by a sedition of the people. The licentious multitude neither loved the rigid Maximus, nor did they fufficiently fear the mild and humane Balbinus. Their increasing numbers furrounded the temple of Jupiter; with obftinate clamours they afferted their inherent right of confenting to the election of their fovereign; and demanded, with an apparent moderation, that, besides the two emperors chosen by the fenate, a third should be added of the family of the Gordians, as a just return of gratitude to thofe princes who had facrificed their lives for the republic. At the head of the city-guards, and the youth of the equeftrian order, Maximus and Balbinus attempted to cut their way through the feditious multitude. The multitude, armed with sticks and ftones, drove them back into the Capitol. It is prudent to yield when the conteft, whatever may by the iffue of it, must be fatal to both parties. A boy, only thirteen years of age, the grandfon of the elder, and nephew of the younger, Gordian, was produced to the people, invefted with the ornaments and title of Cæfar. The tumult was appeafed by this easy condefcenfion; and the two emperors, as foon as they had been peaceably

acknowledged in Rome, prepared to defend СНАР. Italy against the common enemy.

Whilft in Rome and Africa revolutions fucceeded each other with fuch amazing rapidity, the mind of Maximin was agitated by the moft furious paffions. He is faid to have received the news' of the rebellion of the Gordians, and of the decree of the fenate against him, not with the temper of a man, but the rage of a wild beast; which, as it could not discharge itself on the dif tant fenate, threatened the life of his fon, of his friends, and of all who ventured to approach his perfon. The grateful intelligence of the death of the Gordians, was quickly followed by the afsurance that the fenate, laying afide all hopes of pardon or accommodation, had fubftituted in their room two emperors, with whofe merit he could not be unacquainted. Revenge was the only confolation left to Maximin, and revenge could only be obtained by arms. The ftrength of the legions had been affembled by Alexander from all parts of the empire. Three fuccessful campaigns against the Germans and the Sarmatians, had raised their fame, confirmed their discipline, and even increased their numbers, by filling the ranks with the flower of the barbarian youth. The life of Maximin had been spent in war, and the candid feverity of hiftory cannot refuse him the valour of a foldier, or even the abilities of an experienced general experienced general ". It might naturally be expected, that a prince of fuch a character, instead of fuffering the rebellion to

Q &

VII.

Maximin prepares to fenate and their em

attack the

perors

VII.

CHAP. gain ftability by delay, should immediately have marched from the banks of the Danube to those of the Tyber, and that his victorious army, inftigated by contempt for the fenate, and eager to gather the fpoils of Italy, should have burned with impatience to finish the eafy and lucrative conqueft. Yet as far as we can truft to the obfcure chronology of that period ", it appears that the operations of fome foreign war deferred the Italian expedition till the ensuing fpring. From the prudent conduct of Maximin, we may learn that the favage features of his character have been exaggerated by the pencil of party, that his paffions, however impetuous, fubmitted to the force of reafon, and that the barbarian poffeffed fomething of the generous fpirit of Sylla, who fubdued the enemies of Rome, before he fuffered himself to revenge his private injuries ".

Marches

A. D. 238.

33

When the troops of Maximin, advancing in into Italy. excellent order, arrived at the foot of the Julian February. Alps, they were terrified by the filence and defolation that reigned on the frontiers of Italy. The villages and open towns had been abandoned on their approach by the inhabitants, the cattle was driven away, the provifions removed, or destroyed, the bridges broke down, nor was any thing left which could afford either shelter or fubfiftence to an invader. Such had been the wife orders of the generals of the fenate; whofe defign was to protract the war, to ruin the army of Maximin by the slow operation of famine, and to confume his ftrength in the fieges of the principal cities of

1

Italy, which they had plentifully stored with men and provifions from the deserted country. Aquileia received and withstood the firft shock of the invafion. The ftreams that iffue from the head of the Hadriatic gulf, fwelled by the melting of the winter fnows", oppofed an unexpected obftacle to the arms of Maximin. At length, on a fingular bridge, conftructed with art and difficulty, of large hogsheads, he transported his army to the oppofite bank, rooted up the beautiful vineyards in the neighbourhood of Aquileia, demolished the fuburbs, and employed the timber of the buildings in the engines and towers, with which on every fide he attacked the city. The walls, fallen to decay during the fecurity of a long peace, had been haftily repaired on this fudden emergency; but the firmeft defence of Aquileia confifted in the constancy of the citizens; all ranks of whom, instead of being difmayed, were animated by the extreme danger, and their knowledge of the tyrant's unrelenting temper. Their courage was fupported and directed by Crifpinus and Menophilus, two of the twenty lieutenants of the senate, who, with a small body of regular troops, had thrown themselves into the befieged place. The army of Maximin was repulfed on repeated attacks, his machines destroyed by showers of artificial fire; and the generous enthufiafm of the Aquileians was exalted into a confidence of fuccefs, by the opinion, that Belenus, their tutelar deity, combated in person in the defence of his diftreffed worship

pers 35

CHAP.

VII.

Siege of

Aquileia

СНАР.

Maximus.

The emperor Maximus, who had advanced as VII. far as Ravenna, to fecure that important place, Conduct of and to haften the military preparations, beheld the event of the war in the more faithful mirror of reafon and policy. He was too fenfible, that a fingle town could not refift the perfevering efforts of a great army; and he dreaded, left the enemy, tired with the obftinate refiftance of Aquileia, should on a fudden relinquish the fruitless fiege, and march directly towards Rome. The fate of the empire and the cause of freedom must then be committed to the chance of a battle; and what arms could he oppose to the veteran legions of the Rhine and Danube? Some troops newly levied among the generous but enervated youth of Italy; and a body of German auxiliaries, on whofe firmnefs, in the hour of trial, it was dangerous to depend. In the midst of thefe juft alaims, the ftroke of domeftic confpiracy punished the crimes of Maximin, and delivered Rome and the fenate from the calamities that would furely have attended the victory of an enraged barbarian.

Murder of Maximin and his

fon.

A. D. 238.

April.

The people of Aquileia had fcarcely experienced any of the common miseries of a fiege, their magazines were plentifully fupplied, and feveral fountains within the walls affured them of an inexhauftible refource of fresh water. The foldiers of Maximin were, on the contrary, exposed to the inclemency of the season, the contagion of disease, and the horrors of famine. The open country was ruined, the rivers filled with the slain, and polluted with