Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 1.djvu/407

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. S83 sels should never be unworthy of a Roman general, CHAP, the successor of the brave Aurelian *'. ^^^' Whilst the deceased emperor was making prepara- The Alani tions for a second expedition into the east, he had aYd ^re^T* negociated with the Alani, a Scythian people, who pulsed by pitched their tents in the neighbourhood of the lake Moeotis. Those barbarians, allured by presents and subsidies, had promised to invade Persia with a nu- merous body of light cavalry. They were faithful to their engagements ; but when they arrived on the Ro- man frontier, Aurelian was already dead, the design of the Persian war was at least suspended, and the generals who, during the interregnum, exercised a doubtful authority, were unprepared either to receive or to oppose them. Provoked by such treatment, which they considered as trifling and perfidious, the Alani had recourse to their own valour for their pay- ment and revenge ; and as they moved with the usual swiftness of Tartars, they had soon spread themselves over the provinces of Pontus, Cappadocia, Cilicia, and Galatia. The legions, who from the opposite shores of the Bosphorus could almost distinguish the flames of the cities and villages, impatiently urged their ge- neral to lead them against the invaders. The conduct of Tacitus was suitable to his age and station. He convinced the barbarians of the faith, as well as of the power of the empire. Great numbers of the Alani, appeased by the punctual discharge of the engage- ments which Aurelian had contracted with them, relin- quished their booty and captives, and quietly retreated to their own deserts beyond the Phasis. Against the remainder who refused peace, the Roman emperor waged in person a successful war. Seconded by an army of brave and experienced veterans, in a few weeks he delivered the provinces of Asia from the terror of the Scythian invasion 1 Hist. August, p. 228. ' Vopiscus in Hist. August, p. 230 j Zosimus, 1. i. p. 57 ; Zonaras, 1. xii. p. 637. Two passages in the life of Probus (p. 236. 238.) convince me, that these Scythian invaders of Pontus were Alani. If we may believe