ThefavorableinstantwasimprovedbytheactivityofClaudius。

　　Herevivedthecourageofhistroops，restoredtheirranks，andpressedthebarbariansoneveryside。FiftythousandmenarereportedtohavebeenslaininthebattleofNaissus。Severallargebodiesofbarbarians，coveringtheirretreatwithamovablefortificationofwagons，retired，orratherescaped，fromthefieldofslaughter。II。Wemaypresumethatsomeinsurmountabledifficulty，thefatigue，perhaps，orthedisobedience，oftheconquerors，preventedClaudiusfromcompletinginonedaythedestructionoftheGoths。ThewarwasdiffusedovertheprovinceofMaesia，Thrace，andMacedonia，anditsoperationsdrawnoutintoavarietyofmarches，surprises，andtumultuaryengagements，aswellbyseaasbyland。WhentheRomanssufferedanyloss，itwascommonlyoccasionedbytheirowncowardiceorrashness；butthesuperiortalentsoftheemperor，hisperfectknowledgeofthecountry，andhisjudiciouschoiceofmeasuresaswellasofficers，assuredonmostoccasionsthesuccessofhisarms。Theimmensebooty，thefruitofsomanyvictories，consistedforthegreaterpartofcattleandslaves。AselectbodyoftheGothicyouthwasreceivedamongtheImperialtroops；theremainderwassoldintoservitude；andsoconsiderablewasthenumberoffemalecaptives，thateverysoldierobtainedtohissharetwoorthreewomen。Acircumstancefromwhichwemayconclude，thattheinvadersentertainedsomedesignsofsettlementaswellasofplunder；sinceeveninanavalexpedition，theywereaccompaniedbytheirfamilies。III。Thelossoftheirfleet，whichwaseithertakenorsunk，hadinterceptedtheretreatoftheGoths。

　　AvastcircleofRomanposts，distributedwithskill，supportedwithfirmness，andgraduallyclosingtowardsacommoncentre，forcedthebarbariansintothemostinaccessiblepartsofMountHaemus，wheretheyfoundasaferefuge，butaveryscantysubsistence。Duringthecourseofarigorouswinterinwhichtheywerebesiegedbytheemperor\'stroops，famineandpestilence，desertionandthesword，continuallydiminishedtheimprisonedmultitude。Onthereturnofspring，nothingappearedinarmsexceptahardyanddesperateband，theremnantofthatmightyhostwhichhadembarkedatthemouthoftheNiester。

　　[Footnote13:Hist。August。inClaud。Aurelian。etProb。

　　Zosimus，l。i。p。38—42。Zonaras，l。xii。p。638。Aurel。VictorinEpitom。VictorJuniorinCaesar。Eutrop。ixll。Euseb。inChron。]

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