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 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 55 vasion of the Goths and Huns^ which soon afterwards shook the foundations of the Roman empire, exposed the provinces of Asia to the arms of Sapor. But the decUning age, and perhaps the infirmities, of the monarch suggested new maxims of tranquiUity and moderation. His death, which happened in the full ad. sso maturity of a reign of seventy years, changed in a moment the 379']™™*'^ court and councils of Persia ; and their attention was most pro- bably engaged by domestic troubles, and the distant efforts of a Cannanian war.^^^ The remembrance of ancient injuries was lost in the enjoyment of peace. The kingdoms of Armenia and The treaty Iberia were permitted, by the mutual, though tacit, consent of a.S^^^4 both empires, to resume their doubtful neutrality. In the first years of the reign of Theodosius, a Persian embassy arrived at Constantinople, to excuse the unjustifiable measures of the former reign ; and to offer, as the tribute of friendship, or even of respect, a splendid present of gems, of silk, and of Indian elephants.^^2 In the general picture of the affairs of the East under the Adventures reign of Valens, the adventures of Para form one of the mostof Ajmenia^ striking and singular objects. The noble youth, by the per- suasion of his mother Olympias, had escaped through the Per [Pharandzem] sian host that besieged Artogerassa, and imploi'ed the protection [a.d. 367] of the emperor of the East. By his timid councils, Para was alternately supported, and recalled, and restored, and betrayed, [restored The hopes of the Ai'menians were sometimes raised by the presence of their natural sovereign ; and the ministers of Valens were satisfied that they preserved the integrity of the public faith, if their vassal was not suffered to assume the diadem and title of King. But they soon repented of their own rashness. They were confounded by the reproaches and threats of the Persian monarch. They found reason to distrust the cruel and inconstant temper of Para himself, who sacrificed, to the slightest suspicions, the lives of his most faithful servants; and[A.D. 371] held a secret and disgraceful correspondence with the assassin of his father and the enemy of his country. Under the specious i''^ Artaxerxes was the successor and brother (^/le cousin-german) of the great Sapor; and the gfuardian of his son Sapor III. (Agathias, 1. iv. p. 136, edit. Louvre [c. 26, p. 263, ed. Bonn] ). See the Universal History, vol, xi. p. 86, 161. The authors of that unequal work have compiled the Sassanian dynasty with erudition and diligence : but it is a preposterous arrangement to divide the Roman and Oriental accounts into two distinct histories. [The first year of Ardeshir, successor of Sapor, was reckoned from 19 Aug. 379, Noldeke, Gesch. der Perser und Araber, &c. , p. 418. For dates of his successors see Appendix 5.] ^■*3 Pacatus in Panegyr. Vet. xii. 22, and Orosius, 1. vii. c. 34. Ictumque turn foedus est, quo universus Oriens usque ad nunc (a.d. 416) tranquillissime fruitur.