Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/347

 OF THE ROiVIAN EMPIRE. 329 During the long period of the reign of Constantius, c H A P. the provinces of the east were afflicted by the calami- ^^ ' ties of the Persian war. The irregular incursions of The Persian the light troops alternately spread terror and devasta- 33711360 tion beyond the Tigris, and beyond the Euphrates, from the gates of Ctesiphon to those of Antioch ; and this active service was performed by the Arabs of the desert, who were divided in their interest and aftec- tions ; some of their independent chiefs being enlisted in the party of Sapor, whilst otliers had engaged their doubtful fidelity to the emperor". The more grave and important operations of the war were conducted with equal vigour ; and the armies of Rome and Persia encountered each other in nine bloody fields, in two of which Constantius himself commanded in person". The event of the day was most commonly adverse to the Romans ; but in the battle of Singara, their impru- Battle of dent valour had almost achieved a signal and decisive ^.'"K^"^?' n^i • o c^ ■ A.D. 348. victory. The stationary troops of Singara retired on the approach of Sapor, who passed the Tigris over three bridges, and occupied near the village of Hilleh an advantageous camp, which, by the labour of his numerous pioneers, he surrounded in one day with a deep'ditch and a lofty rampart. His formidable host, when it was drawn out in order of battle, covered the it may be likewise observed, that the name of Antiochus is found a few years before in a civil office of inferior dignity. See Godefroy, Cod. Theod. torn. vi. p. 350. " Ammianus (xiv. 4.) gives a lively description of the wandering and predatory life of the Saracens, who stretclied from the confines of Assyria to the cataracts of the Nile. It appears from the adventures of INIalchus, which Jerome has related in so entertaining a manner, that the high road between Beraea and Edessa was infested by these robbers. See Hieronym. torn. i. p. 256. " We shall lake from Eutropius the general idea of the war : x. 10. A Persis enira multa et gravia perpessus, sspe captis oppidis, obsessis urbi- bus, caesis exercitibus, nuUumque ei contra Saporem prospernm prslium fuit, nisi quod apud Singaram, etc. This honest account is confirmed by the hints of Ammianus, Rufus, and Jerome. The two first orations of Julian, and the third oration of Libanius, exhibit a more flattering picture ; but the recantation of both those orators, after the death of Constantius, while it restores us lo the possession of the truth, degrades their own cha- racter, and that of the emperor. The commentary of Spanheim on the first oration of Julian is profusely learned. See likewise the judicious observa- tions of Tillemont, Hist, des Empereurs, torn. iv. p. 666.