andJulian，whosemindwasbiasedbysuperstitionandresentment，stigmatizestheseunnaturalalliancesbetweenhisowncousinswiththeopprobriousepithetOrat。vii。p。228。。Thejurisprudenceofthecanonshassincereceivedandenforcedthisprohibition，withoutbeingabletointroduceiteitherintothecivilorthecommonlawofEurope。Seeonthesubjectofthesemarriages，Taylor\'sCivilLaw，p。331。BrouerdeJureConnub。l。
ii。c。12。HericourtdesLoixEcclesiastiques，partiii。c。5。
Fleury，InstitutionsduDroitCanonique，tom。i。p。331。Paris，1767，andFraPaolo，IstoriadelConcilioTrident，l。viii。]
[Footnote52:JulianadS。P……Q。Athen。p。270chargeshiscousinConstantiuswiththewholeguiltofamassacre，fromwhichhehimselfsonarrowlyescaped。HisassertionisconfirmedbyAthanasius，who，forreasonsofaverydifferentnature，wasnotlessanenemyofConstantius，tom。i。p。856。Zosimusjoinsinthesameaccusation。Butthethreeabbreviators，EutropiusandtheVictors，useveryqualifyingexpressions:\"sinentepotiusquamjubente；\"\"incertumquosuasore；\"\"vimilitum。\"]
ThemassacreoftheFlavianracewassucceededbyanewdivisionoftheprovinces；whichwasratifiedinapersonalinterviewofthethreebrothers。Constantine，theeldestoftheCaesars，obtained，withacertainpreeminenceofrank，thepossessionofthenewcapital，whichborehisownnameandthatofhisfather。Thrace，andthecountriesoftheEast，wereallottedforthepatrimonyofConstantius；andConstanswasacknowledgedasthelawfulsovereignofItaly，Africa，andtheWesternIllyricum。Thearmiessubmittedtotheirhereditaryright；andtheycondescended，aftersomedelay，toacceptfromtheRomansenatethetitleofAugustus。Whentheyfirstassumedthereinsofgovernment，theeldestoftheseprinceswastwenty—one，thesecondtwenty，andthethirdonlyseventeen，yearsofage。^53
[Footnote53:Euseb。inVit。Constantin。l。iv。c。69。Zosimus，l。ii。p。117。Idat。inChron。SeetwonotesofTillemont，Hist。
desEmpereurs，tom。iv。p。1086—1091。ThereignoftheeldestbrotheratConstantinopleisnoticedonlyintheAlexandrianChronicle。]
WhilethemartialnationsofEuropefollowedthestandardsofhisbrothers，Constantius，attheheadoftheeffeminatetroopsofAsia，waslefttosustaintheweightofthePersianwar。AtthedeceaseofConstantine，thethroneoftheEastwasfilledbySapor，sonofHormouz，orHormisdas，andgrandsonofNarses，who，afterthevictoryofGalerius，hadhumblyconfessedthesuperiorityoftheRomanpower。AlthoughSaporwasinthethirtiethyearofhislongreign，hewasstillinthevigorofyouth，asthedateofhisaccession，byaverystrangefatality，hadprecededthatofhisbirth。ThewifeofHormouzremainedpregnantatthetimeofherhusband\'sdeath；andtheuncertaintyofthesex，aswellasoftheevent，excitedtheambitioushopesoftheprincesofthehouseofSassan。Theapprehensionsofcivilwarwereatlengthremoved，bythepositiveassuranceoftheMagi，thatthewidowofHormouzhadconceived，andwouldsafelyproduceason。Obedienttothevoiceofsuperstition，thePersiansprepared，withoutdelay，theceremonyofhiscoronation。
Aroyalbed，onwhichthequeenlayinstate，wasexhibitedinthemidstofthepalace；thediademwasplacedonthespot，whichmightbesupposedtoconcealthefutureheirofArtaxerxes，andtheprostratesatrapsadoredthemajestyoftheirinvisibleandinsensiblesovereign。^54Ifanycreditcanbegiventothismarvelloustale，whichseems，however，tobecountenancedbythemannersofthepeople，andbytheextraordinarydurationofhisreign，wemustadmirenotonlythefortune，butthegenius，ofSapor。Inthesoft，sequesterededucationofaPersianharem，theroyalyouthcoulddiscovertheimportanceofexercisingthevigorofhismindandbody；and，byhispersonalmerit，deservedathrone，onwhichhehadbeenseated，whilehewasyetunconsciousofthedutiesandtemptationsofabsolutepower。Hisminoritywasexposedtothealmostinevitablecalamitiesofdomesticdiscord；hiscapitalwassurprisedandplunderedbyThair，apowerfulkingofYemen，orArabia；andthemajestyoftheroyalfamilywasdegradedbythecaptivityofaprincess，thesisterofthedeceasedking。ButassoonasSaporattainedtheageofmanhood，thepresumptuousThair，hisnation，andhiscountry，fellbeneaththefirsteffortoftheyoungwarrior；whousedhisvictorywithsojudiciousamixtureofrigorandclemency，thatheobtainedfromthefearsandgratitudeoftheArabsthetitleofDhoulacnaf，orprotectorofthenation。^55
[Footnote54:Agathias，wholivedinthesixthcentury，istheauthorofthisstory，l。iv。p。135，edit。Louvre。HederivedhisinformationfromsomeextractsofthePersianChronicles，obtainedandtranslatedbytheinterpreterSergius，duringhisembassyatthatcountry。ThecoronationofthemotherofSaporislikewisementionedbySnikard，Tarikh。p。116，andD\'HerbelotBibliothequeOrientale，p。703。]
[Footnote*:TheauthoroftheZenut—ul—Tarikhstates，thattheladyherselfaffirmedherbeliefofthisfromtheextraordinarylivelinessoftheinfant，anditslyingontherightside。Thosewhoaresageonsuchsubjectsmustdeterminewhatrightshehadtobepositivefromthesesymptoms。Malcolm，Hist。ofPersia，i83。—M。]
[Footnote55:D\'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrientale，p。764。]
[Footnote*:Gibbon，accordingtoSirJ。Malcolm，hasgreatlymistakenthederivationofthisname；itmeansZoolaktaf，theLordoftheShoulders，fromhisdirectingtheshouldersofhiscaptivestobepiercedandthendislocatedbyastringpassedthroughthem。Easternauthorsareagreedwithrespecttotheoriginofthistitle。Malcolm，i。84。GibbontookhisderivationfromD\'Herbelot，whogivesboth，thelatterontheauthorityoftheLeb。Tarikh。—M。]
TheambitionofthePersian，towhomhisenemiesascribethevirtuesofasoldierandastatesman，wasanimatedbythedesireofrevengingthedisgraceofhisfathers，andofwrestingfromthehandsoftheRomansthefiveprovincesbeyondtheTigris。
ThemilitaryfameofConstantine，andtherealorapparentstrengthofhisgovernment，suspendedtheattack；andwhilethehostileconductofSaporprovokedtheresentment，hisartfulnegotiationsamusedthepatienceoftheImperialcourt。ThedeathofConstantinewasthesignalofwar，^56andtheactualconditionoftheSyrianandArmenianfrontierseemedtoencouragethePersiansbytheprospectofarichspoilandaneasyconquest。TheexampleofthemassacresofthepalacediffusedaspiritoflicentiousnessandseditionamongthetroopsoftheEast，whowerenolongerrestrainedbytheirhabitsofobediencetoaveterancommander。BytheprudenceofConstantius，who，fromtheinterviewwithhisbrothersinPannonia，immediatelyhastenedtothebanksoftheEuphrates，thelegionsweregraduallyrestoredtoasenseofdutyanddiscipline；buttheseasonofanarchyhadpermittedSaportoformthesiegeofNisibis，andtooccupyseveralofthemostimportantfortressesofMesopotamia。^57InArmenia，therenownedTiridateshadlongenjoyedthepeaceandglorywhichhedeservedbyhisvalorandfidelitytothecauseofRome。^!ThefirmalliancewhichhemaintainedwithConstantinewasproductiveofspiritualaswellasoftemporalbenefits；bytheconversionofTiridates，thecharacterofasaintwasappliedtothatofahero，theChristianfaithwaspreachedandestablishedfromtheEuphratestotheshoresoftheCaspian，andArmeniawasattachedtotheempirebythedoubletiesofpolicyandreligion。ButasmanyoftheArmeniannoblesstillrefusedtoabandonthepluralityoftheirgodsandoftheirwives，thepublictranquillitywasdisturbedbyadiscontentedfaction，whichinsultedthefeebleageoftheirsovereign，andimpatientlyexpectedthehourofhisdeath。Hediedatlengthafterareignoffifty—sixyears，andthefortuneoftheArmenianmonarchyexpiredwithTiridates。Hislawfulheirwasdrivenintoexile，theChristianpriestswereeithermurderedorexpelledfromtheirchurches，thebarbaroustribesofAlbaniaweresolicitedtodescendfromtheirmountains；andtwoofthemostpowerfulgovernors，usurpingtheensignsorthepowersofroyalty，imploredtheassistanceofSapor，andopenedthegatesoftheircitiestothePersiangarrisons。TheChristianparty，undertheguidanceoftheArchbishopofArtaxata，theimmediatesuccessorofSt。GregorytheIlluminator，hadrecoursetothepietyofConstantius。Afterthetroubleshadcontinuedaboutthreeyears，Antiochus，oneoftheofficersofthehousehold，executedwithsuccesstheImperialcommissionofrestoringChosroes，thesonofTiridates，tothethroneofhisfathers，ofdistributinghonorsandrewardsamongthefaithfulservantsofthehouseofArsaces，andofproclaimingageneralamnesty，whichwasacceptedbythegreaterpartoftherebellioussatraps。ButtheRomansderivedmorehonorthanadvantagefromthisrevolution。Chosroeswasaprinceofapunystatureandapusillanimousspirit。Unequaltothefatiguesofwar，aversetothesocietyofmankind，hewithdrewfromhiscapitaltoaretiredpalace，whichhebuiltonthebanksoftheRiverEleutherus，andinthecentreofashadygrove；whereheconsumedhisvacanthoursintheruralsportsofhuntingandhawking。Tosecurethisingloriousease，hesubmittedtotheconditionsofpeacewhichSaporcondescendedtoimpose；thepaymentofanannualtribute，andtherestitutionofthefertileprovinceofAtropatene，whichthecourageofTiridates，andthevictoriousarmsofGalerius，hadannexedtotheArmenianmonarchy。^58
[Footnote56:SextusRufus，c。26，whoonthisoccasionisnocontemptibleauthority，affirms，thatthePersianssuedinvainforpeace，andthatConstantinewaspreparingtomarchagainstthem:yetthesuperiorweightofthetestimonyofEusebiusobligesustoadmitthepreliminaries，ifnottheratification，ofthetreaty。SeeTillemont，Hist。desEmpereurs，tom。iv。p。
420。]
[Footnote*:Constantinehadendeavoredtoallaythefuryoftheprosecutions，which，attheinstigationoftheMagiandtheJews，SaporhadcommencedagainsttheChristians。EusebVit。Hist。
Theod。i。25。Sozom。ii。c。8，15。—M。]
[Footnote57:Julian。Orat。i。p。20。]
[Footnote*:TiridateshadsustainedawaragainstMaximin。
causedbythehatredofthelatteragainstChristianity。ArmeniawasthefirstnationwhichembracedChristianity。Abouttheyear276itwasthereligionoftheking，thenobles，andthepeopleofArmenia。FromSt。Martin，SupplementtoLeBeau，v。i。p。78。
ComparePrefacetoHistoryofVartanbyProfessorNeumann，pix。
—M。]
[Footnote*:ChosroeswasrestoredprobablybyLicinius，between314and319。TherewasanAntiochuswhowaspraefectusvigilumatRome，asappearsfromtheTheodosianCode，l。iii。deinf。hisquaesubty。，in326，andfromafragmentofthesameworkpublishedbyM。AmedeePeyron，in319。HemaybeforethishavebeensentintoArmenia。St。M。p。407。[IsitnotmoreprobablethatAntiochuswasanofficerintheserviceoftheCaesarwhoruledintheEast?—M。]Chosroeswassucceededintheyear322
byhissonDiran。Diranwasaweakprince，andinthesixteenthyearofhisreign。A。D。337。wasbetrayedintothepowerofthePersiansbythetreacheryofhischamberlainandthePersiangovernorofAtropateneorAderbidjan。Hewasblinded:hiswifeandhissonArsacessharedhiscaptivity，buttheprincesandnoblesofArmeniaclaimedtheprotectionofRome；andthiswasthecauseofConstantine\'sdeclarationofwaragainstthePersians。—ThekingofPersiaattemptedtomakehimselfmasterofArmenia；butthebraveresistanceofthepeople，theadvanceofConstantius，andadefeatwhichhisarmysufferedatOskhainArmenia，andthefailurebeforeNisibis，forcedShahpourtosubmittotermsofpeace。Varaz—Shahpour，theperfidiousgovernorofAtropatene，wasflayedalive；Diranandhissonwerereleasedfromcaptivity；Diranrefusedtoascendthethrone，andretiredtoanobscureretreat:hissonArsaceswascrownedkingofArmenia。ArsacespursuedavacillatingpolicybetweentheinfluenceofRomeandPersia，andthewarrecommencedintheyear345。Atleast，thatwastheperiodoftheexpeditionofConstantiustotheEast。SeeSt。Martin，additionstoLeBeau，i。442。ThePersianshavemadeanextraordinaryromanceoutofthehistoryofShahpour，whowentasaspytoConstantinople，wastaken，harnessedlikeahorse，andcarriedtowitnessthedevastationofhiskingdom。Malcolm。84—M。]
[Footnote58:Julian。Orat。i。p。20，21。MosesofChorene，l。
ii。c。89，l。iii。c。1—9，p。226—240。Theperfectagreementbetweenthevaguehintsofthecontemporaryorator，andthecircumstantialnarrativeofthenationalhistorian，giveslighttotheformer，andweighttothelatter。ForthecreditofMoses，itmaybelikewiseobserved，thatthenameofAntiochusisfoundafewyearsbeforeinacivilofficeofinferiordignity。SeeGodefroy，Cod。Theod。tom。vi。p。350。]
[Footnote*:Gibbonhasendeavored，inhisHistory，tomakeuseoftheinformationfurnishedbyMosesofChorene，theonlyArmenianhistorianthentranslatedintoLatin。Gibbonhasnotperceivedallthechronologicaldifficultieswhichoccurinthenarrativeofthatwriter。Hehasnotthoughtofallthecriticaldiscussionswhichhistextoughttoundergobeforeitcanbecombinedwiththerelationsofthewesternwriters。Fromwantofthisattention，Gibbonhasmadethefactswhichhehasdrawnfromthissourcemoreerroneousthantheyareintheoriginal。ThisjudgmentappliestoallwhichtheEnglishhistorianhasderivedfromtheArmenianauthor。IhavemadetheHistoryofMosesasubjectofparticularattention；anditiswithconfidencethatI
offertheresults，whichIinserthere，andwhichwillappearinthecourseofmynotes。InordertoformajudgmentofthedifferencewhichexistsbetweenmeandGibbon，Iwillcontentmyselfwithremarking，thatthroughouthehascommittedananachronismofthirtyyears，fromwhenceitfollows，thatheassignstothereignofConstantiusmanyeventswhichtookplaceduringthatofConstantine。Hecouldnot，therefore，discernthetrueconnectionwhichexistsbetweentheRomanhistoryandthatofArmenia，orformacorrectnotionofthereasonswhichinducedConstantine，atthecloseofhislife，tomakewaruponthePersians，orofthemotiveswhichdetainedConstantiussolongintheEast；hedoesnotevenmentionthem。St。Martin，noteonLeBeau，i。406。IhaveinsertedM。St。Martin\'sobservations，butImustadd，thatthechronologywhichheproposes，isnotgenerallyreceivedbyArmenianscholars，not，Ibelieve，byProfessorNeumann。—M。]
DuringthelongperiodofthereignofConstantius，theprovincesoftheEastwereafflictedbythecalamitiesofthePersianwar。^!TheirregularincursionsofthelighttroopsalternatelyspreadterroranddevastationbeyondtheTigrisandbeyondtheEuphrates，fromthegatesofCtesiphontothoseofAntioch；andthisactiveservicewasperformedbytheArabsofthedesert，whoweredividedintheirinterestandaffections；
someoftheirindependentchiefsbeingenlistedinthepartyofSapor，whilstothershadengagedtheirdoubtfulfidelitytotheemperor。^59Themoregraveandimportantoperationsofthewarwereconductedwithequalvigor；andthearmiesofRomeandPersiaencounteredeachotherinninebloodyfields，intwoofwhichConstantiushimselfcommandedinperson。^60TheeventofthedaywasmostcommonlyadversetotheRomans，butinthebattleofSingara，heirimprudentvalorhadalmostachievedasignalanddecisivevictory。ThestationarytroopsofSingara
retiredontheapproachofSapor，whopassedtheTigrisoverthreebridges，andoccupiednearthevillageofHillehanadvantageouscamp，which，bythelaborofhisnumerouspioneers，hesurroundedinonedaywithadeepditchandaloftyrampart。
Hisformidablehost，whenitwasdrawnoutinorderofbattle，coveredthebanksoftheriver，theadjacentheights，andthewholeextentofaplainofabovetwelvemiles，whichseparatedthetwoarmies。Bothwerealikeimpatienttoengage；buttheBarbarians，afteraslightresistance，fledindisorder；unabletoresist，ordesiroustoweary，thestrengthoftheheavylegions，who，faintingwithheatandthirst，pursuedthemacrosstheplain，andcutinpiecesalineofcavalry，clothedincompletearmor，whichhadbeenpostedbeforethegatesofthecamptoprotecttheirretreat。Constantius，whowashurriedalonginthepursuit，attempted，withouteffect，torestraintheardorofhistroops，byrepresentingtothemthedangersoftheapproachingnight，andthecertaintyofcompletingtheirsuccesswiththereturnofday。Astheydependedmuchmoreontheirownvalorthanontheexperienceortheabilitiesoftheirchief，theysilencedbytheirclamorshistimidremonstrances；andrushingwithfurytothecharge，filleduptheditch，brokedowntherampart，anddispersedthemselvesthroughthetentstorecruittheirexhaustedstrength，andtoenjoytherichharvestoftheirlabors。ButtheprudentSaporhadwatchedthemomentofvictory。Hisarmy，ofwhichthegreaterpart，securelypostedontheheights，hadbeenspectatorsoftheaction，advancedinsilence，andundertheshadowofthenight；andhisPersianarchers，guidedbytheilluminationofthecamp，pouredashowerofarrowsonadisarmedandlicentiouscrowd。Thesincerityofhistory^61declares，thattheRomanswerevanquishedwithadreadfulslaughter，andthattheflyingremnantofthelegionswasexposedtothemostintolerablehardships。Eventhetendernessofpanegyric，confessingthatthegloryoftheemperorwassulliedbythedisobedienceofhissoldiers，choosestodrawaveiloverthecircumstancesofthismelancholyretreat。Yetoneofthosevenalorators，sojealousofthefameofConstantius，relates，withamazingcoolness，anactofsuchincrediblecruelty，as，inthejudgmentofposterity，mustimprintafardeeperstainonthehonoroftheImperialname。
ThesonofSapor，theheirofhiscrown，hadbeenmadeacaptiveinthePersiancamp。Theunhappyyouth，whomighthaveexcitedthecompassionofthemostsavageenemy，wasscourged，tortured，andpubliclyexecutedbytheinhumanRomans。^62
[Footnote*:ItwasduringthiswarthataboldflattererwhosenameisunknownpublishedtheItinerariesofAlexanderandTrajan，inordertodirectthevictoriousConstantiusinthefootstepsofthosegreatconquerorsoftheEast。TheformerofthesehasbeenpublishedforthefirsttimebyM。AngeloMaiMilan，1817，reprintedatFrankfort，1818。ItaddssolittletoourknowledgeofAlexander\'scampaigns，thatitonlyexcitesourregretthatitisnottheItineraryofTrajan，ofwhoseeasternvictorieswehavenodistinctrecord—M]
[Footnote59:Ammianusxiv。4givesalivelydescriptionofthewanderingandpredatorylifeoftheSaracens，whostretchedfromtheconfinesofAssyriatothecataractsoftheNile。ItappearsfromtheadventuresofMalchus，whichJeromhasrelatedinsoentertainingamanner，thatthehighroadbetweenBeraeaandEdessawasinfestedbytheserobbers。SeeHieronym。tom。i。p。
256。]
[Footnote60:WeshalltakefromEutropiusthegeneralideaofthewar。APersisenimmultaetgraviaperpessus，saepecaptis，oppidis，obsessisurbibus，caesisexercitibus，nullumqueeicontraSaporemprosperumpraeliumfuit，nisiquodapudSingaram，&c。ThishonestaccountisconfirmedbythehintsofAmmianus，Rufus，andJerom。ThetwofirstorationsofJulian，andthethirdorationofLibanius，exhibitamoreflatteringpicture；buttherecantationofboththoseorators，afterthedeathofConstantius，whileitrestoresustothepossessionofthetruth，degradestheirowncharacter，andthatoftheemperor。TheCommentaryofSpanheimonthefirstorationofJulianisprofuselylearned。SeelikewisethejudiciousobservationsofTillemont，Hist。desEmpereurs，tom。iv。p。656。]
[Footnote*:NowSinjar，ortheRiverClaboras。—M。]