Idea of the Conduct of the Emperors towards the They neglected the Christians as a Sect of Jews In Illyricum and the Eaft under Galerius and Maximin Reign of Claudius. Defeat of the Goths. Victories, UNDER the deplorable reigns of Valerian and Gallienus, the empire was oppreffed and almost destroyed by the foldiers, the tyrants, and the barbarians. It was faved by a feries of great princes, who derived their obfcure origin from the martial provinces of Illyricum. Within a period of about thirty years, Claudius, Aurelian, Probus, Diocletian and his colleagues, triumphed over the foreign and domeftic enemies of the ftate, re eftablished, with the military difcipline, the ftrength of the frontiers, and deferved the glorious title of Reftorers of the Roman world. Vol. II. A CHAP. XI. CHAP. XI. Aureolus invades Italy, is defeated and befieged at Milan. A. D. 268. The removal of an effeminate tyrant made way for a fucceffion of heroes. The indignation of the people imputed all their calamities to Gallienus, and the far greater part were, indeed, the confequence of his diffolute manners and careless adminiftration. He was even deftitute of a fenfe of honour, which fo frequently supplies the abfence of public virtue; and as long as he was permitted. to enjoy the poffeffion of Italy, a victory of the barbarians, the loss of a province, or the rebellion of a general, feldom difturbed the tranquil courfe of his pleasures. At length, a confiderable army, ftationed on the Upper Danube, invested with the Imperial purple their leader Aureolus; who difdaining a confined and barren reign over the mountains of Rhætia, paffed the Alps, occupied Milan, threatened Rome, and challenged Gallienus to difpute in the field the fovereignty of Italy. The emperor, provoked by the infult, and alarmed by the inftant danger, fuddenly exerted that latent vigour, which fometimes broke through the indolence of his temper. Forcing himself from the luxury of the palace, he appeared in arms at the head of his legions, and advanced beyond the Po to encounter his competitor. The corrupted name of Pontirolo ftill preferves the memory of a bridge over the Adda, which, during the action, must have proved an object of the utmost importance to both armies. The Rhætian ufurper, after receiving a total defeat and a dangerous wound, retired into Milan. The fiege of that great city. was immediately formed; the walls were battered I |