Theyrushedwithfurytoseizethepersonoftheemperor；hisroyalthroneandgoldencouchwerepillagedbytheserudehands；
butthefaithfuldefenceofhisguards，whodiedathisfeet，allowedhimamomenttomountafleethorse，andtoescapefromtheconfusion。ThedisgracewhichhadbeenincurredbyatreacheroussurprisewassoonretrievedbythenumbersanddisciplineoftheRomans；andthecombatwasonlyterminatedbytheextinctionofthenameandnationoftheLimigantes。ThefreeSarmatianswerereinstatedinthepossessionoftheirancientseats；andalthoughConstantiusdistrustedthelevityoftheircharacter，heentertainedsomehopesthatasenseofgratitudemightinfluencetheirfutureconduct。HehadremarkedtheloftystatureandobsequiousdemeanorofZizais，oneofthenoblestoftheirchiefs。HeconferredonhimthetitleofKing；
andZizaisprovedthathewasnotunworthytoreign，byasincereandlastingattachmenttotheinterestsofhisbenefactor，who，afterthissplendidsuccess，receivedthenameofSarmaticusfromtheacclamationsofhisvictoriousarmy。^48
[Footnote47:TheeventsofthisQuadianandSarmatianwararerelatedbyAmmianus，xvi。10，xvii。12，13，xix。11]
[Footnote*:ReinesiusreadsWarrha，Warrha，Guerre，War。Wagnernoteasamm。Marcxix。ll。—M。]
[Footnote48:GentiSarmatarummagnodecoriconfidensapudeosregemdedit。AureliusVictor。InapompousorationpronouncedbyConstantiushimself，heexpatiatesonhisownexploitswithmuchvanity，andsometruth]
ChapterXIX:ConstantiusSoleEmperor。
PartIII。
WhiletheRomanemperorandthePersianmonarch，atthedistanceofthreethousandmiles，defendedtheirextremelimitsagainsttheBarbariansoftheDanubeandoftheOxus，theirintermediatefrontierexperiencedthevicissitudesofalanguidwar，andaprecarioustruce。TwooftheeasternministersofConstantius，thePraetorianpraefectMusonian，whoseabilitiesweredisgracedbythewantoftruthandintegrity，andCassian，dukeofMesopotamia，ahardyandveteransoldier，openedasecretnegotiationwiththesatrapTamsapor。^49^!Theseoverturesofpeace，translatedintotheservileandflatteringlanguageofAsia，weretransmittedtothecampoftheGreatKing；whoresolvedtosignify，byanambassador，thetermswhichhewasinclinedtogranttothesuppliantRomans。Narses，whomheinvestedwiththatcharacter，washonorablyreceivedinhispassagethroughAntiochandConstantinople:hereachedSirmiumafteralongjourney，and，athisfirstaudience，respectfullyunfoldedthesilkenveilwhichcoveredthehaughtyepistleofhissovereign。Sapor，KingofKings，andBrotheroftheSunandMoon，suchweretheloftytitlesaffectedbyOrientalvanity，
expressedhissatisfactionthathisbrother，ConstantiusCaesar，hadbeentaughtwisdombyadversity。AsthelawfulsuccessorofDariusHystaspes，Saporasserted，thattheRiverStrymon，inMacedonia，wasthetrueandancientboundaryofhisempire；
declaring，however，thatasanevidenceofhismoderation，hewouldcontenthimselfwiththeprovincesofArmeniaandMesopotamia，whichhadbeenfraudulentlyextortedfromhisancestors。Healleged，that，withouttherestitutionofthesedisputedcountries，itwasimpossibletoestablishanytreatyonasolidandpermanentbasis；andhearrogantlythreatened，thatifhisambassadorreturnedinvain，hewaspreparedtotakethefieldinthespring，andtosupportthejusticeofhiscausebythestrengthofhisinvinciblearms。Narses，whowasendowedwiththemostpoliteandamiablemanners，endeavored，asfaraswasconsistentwithhisduty，tosoftentheharshnessofthemessage。^50BoththestyleandsubstancewerematurelyweighedintheImperialcouncil，andhewasdismissedwiththefollowinganswer:\"Constantiushadarighttodisclaimtheofficiousnessofhisministers，whohadactedwithoutanyspecificordersfromthethrone:hewasnot，however，aversetoanequalandhonorabletreaty；butitwashighlyindecent，aswellasabsurd，toproposetothesoleandvictoriousemperoroftheRomanworld，thesameconditionsofpeacewhichhehadindignantlyrejectedatthetimewhenhispowerwascontractedwithinthenarrowlimitsoftheEast:thechanceofarmswasuncertain；andSaporshouldrecollect，thatiftheRomanshadsometimesbeenvanquishedinbattle，theyhadalmostalwaysbeensuccessfulintheeventofthewar。\"AfewdaysafterthedepartureofNarses，threeambassadorsweresenttothecourtofSapor，whowasalreadyreturnedfromtheScythianexpeditiontohisordinaryresidenceofCtesiphon。Acount，anotary，andasophist，hadbeenselectedforthisimportantcommission；andConstantius，whowassecretlyanxiousfortheconclusionofthepeace，entertainedsomehopesthatthedignityofthefirstoftheseministers，thedexterityofthesecond，andtherhetoricofthethird，^51wouldpersuadethePersianmonarchtoabateoftherigorofhisdemands。ButtheprogressoftheirnegotiationwasopposedanddefeatedbythehostileartsofAntoninus，^52aRomansubjectofSyria，whohadfledfromoppression，andwasadmittedintothecouncilsofSapor，andeventotheroyaltable，where，accordingtothecustomofthePersians，themostimportantbusinesswasfrequentlydiscussed。^53Thedexterousfugitivepromotedhisinterestbythesameconductwhichgratifiedhisrevenge。HeincessantlyurgedtheambitionofhisnewmastertoembracethefavorableopportunitywhenthebravestofthePalatinetroopswereemployedwiththeemperorinadistantwarontheDanube。HepressedSaportoinvadetheexhaustedanddefencelessprovincesoftheEast，withthenumerousarmiesofPersia，nowfortifiedbytheallianceandaccessionofthefiercestBarbarians。TheambassadorsofRomeretiredwithoutsuccess，andasecondembassy，ofastillmorehonorablerank，wasdetainedinstrictconfinement，andthreatenedeitherwithdeathorexile。
[Footnote49:Ammian。xvi。9。]
[Footnote*:InPersian，Ten—schah—pour。St。Martin，ii。177。—
M。]
[Footnote50:Ammianusxvii。5transcribesthehaughtyletter。
ThemistiusOrat。iv。p。57，edit。Petav。takesnoticeofthesilkencovering。IdatiusandZonarasmentionthejourneyoftheambassador；andPeterthePatricianinExcerpt。Legat。p。58
hasinformedusofhisbehavior。]
[Footnote51:Ammianus，xvii。5，andValesiusadloc。Thesophist，orphilosopher，inthatagethesewordswerealmostsynonymous，wasEustathiustheCappadocian，thediscipleofJamblichus，andthefriendofSt。Basil。EunapiusinVit。
Aedesii，p。44—47fondlyattributestothisphilosophicambassadorthegloryofenchantingtheBarbariankingbythepersuasivecharmsofreasonandeloquence。SeeTillemont，Hist。
desEmpereurs，tom。iv。p。828，1132。]
[Footnote52:Ammian。xviii。5，6，8。ThedecentandrespectfulbehaviorofAntoninustowardstheRomangeneral，setshiminaveryinterestinglight；andAmmianushimselfspeaksofthetraitorwithsomecompassionandesteem。]
[Footnote53:Thiscircumstance，asitisnoticedbyAmmianus，servestoprovetheveracityofHerodotus，l。i。c。133，andthepermanencyofthePersianmanners。IneveryagethePersianshavebeenaddictedtointemperance，andthewinesofShirazhavetriumphedoverthelawofMahomet。BrissondeRegnoPers。l。ii。
p。462—472，andVoyagesenPerse，tom，iii。p。90。]
Themilitaryhistorian，^54whowashimselfdespatchedtoobservethearmyofthePersians，astheywerepreparingtoconstructabridgeofboatsovertheTigris，beheldfromaneminencetheplainofAssyria，asfarastheedgeofthehorizon，coveredwithmen，withhorses，andwitharms。Saporappearedinthefront，conspicuousbythesplendorofhispurple。Onhislefthand，theplaceofhonoramongtheOrientals，Grumbates，kingoftheChionites，displayedthesterncountenanceofanagedandrenownedwarrior。ThemonarchhadreservedasimilarplaceonhisrighthandforthekingoftheAlbanians，wholedhisindependenttribesfromtheshoresoftheCaspian。Thesatrapsandgeneralsweredistributedaccordingtotheirseveralranks，andthewholearmy，besidesthenumeroustrainofOrientalluxury，consistedofmorethanonehundredthousandeffectivemen，inuredtofatigue，andselectedfromthebravestnationsofAsia。TheRomandeserter，whoinsomemeasureguidedthecouncilsofSapor，hadprudentlyadvised，that，insteadofwastingthesummerintediousanddifficultsieges，heshouldmarchdirectlytotheEuphrates，andpressforwardswithoutdelaytoseizethefeebleandwealthymetropolisofSyria。ButthePersianswerenosooneradvancedintotheplainsofMesopotamia，thantheydiscoveredthateveryprecautionhadbeenusedwhichcouldretardtheirprogress，ordefeattheirdesign。Theinhabitants，withtheircattle，weresecuredinplacesofstrength，thegreenforagethroughoutthecountrywassetonfire，thefordsoftheriverswerefortifiedbysharpstakes；
militaryengineswereplantedontheoppositebanks，andaseasonableswellofthewatersoftheEuphratesdeterredtheBarbariansfromattemptingtheordinarypassageofthebridgeofThapsacus。Theirskilfulguide，changinghisplanofoperations，thenconductedthearmybyalongercircuit，butthroughafertileterritory，towardstheheadoftheEuphrates，wheretheinfantriverisreducedtoashallowandaccessiblestream。
Saporoverlooked，withprudentdisdain，thestrengthofNisibis；
butashepassedunderthewallsofAmida，heresolvedtotrywhetherthemajestyofhispresencewouldnotawethegarrisonintoimmediatesubmission。Thesacrilegiousinsultofarandomdart，whichglancedagainsttheroyaltiara，convincedhimofhiserror；andtheindignantmonarchlistenedwithimpatiencetotheadviceofhisministers，whoconjuredhimnottosacrificethesuccessofhisambitiontothegratificationofhisresentment。
ThefollowingdayGrumbatesadvancedtowardsthegateswithaselectbodyoftroops，andrequiredtheinstantsurrenderofthecity，astheonlyatonementwhichcouldbeacceptedforsuchanactofrashnessandinsolence。Hisproposalswereansweredbyageneraldischarge，andhisonlyson，abeautifulandvaliantyouth，waspiercedthroughtheheartbyajavelin，shotfromoneofthebalistae。ThefuneraloftheprinceoftheChioniteswascelebratedaccordingtotheritesofthecountry；andthegriefofhisagedfatherwasalleviatedbythesolemnpromiseofSapor，thattheguiltycityofAmidashouldserveasafuneralpiletoexpiatethedeath，andtoperpetuatethememory，ofhisson。
[Footnote54:Ammian。lxviii。6，7，8，10。]
[Footnote*:TheseperhapswerethebarbaroustribeswhoinhabitthenorthernpartofthepresentSchirwan，theAlbaniaoftheancients。Thiscountry，nowinhabitedbytheLezghis，theterroroftheneighboringdistricts，wasthenoccupiedbythesamepeople，calledbytheancientsLegae，bytheArmeniansGheg，orLeg。ThelatterrepresentthemasconstantalliesofthePersiansintheirwarsagainstArmeniaandtheEmpire。Alittleafterthisperiod，acertainSchergirwastheirking，anditisofhimdoubtlessAmmianusMarcellinusspeaks。St。Martin，ii。
285。—M。]
TheancientcityofAmidorAmida，^55whichsometimesassumestheprovincialappellationofDiarbekir，^56isadvantageouslysituateinafertileplain，wateredbythenaturalandartificialchannelsoftheTigris，ofwhichtheleastinconsiderablestreambendsinasemicircularformroundtheeasternpartofthecity。TheemperorConstantiushadrecentlyconferredonAmidathehonorofhisownname，andtheadditionalfortificationsofstrongwallsandloftytowers。Itwasprovidedwithanarsenalofmilitaryengines，andtheordinarygarrisonhadbeenreenforcedtotheamountofsevenlegions，whentheplacewasinvestedbythearmsofSapor。^57Hisfirstandmostsanguinehopesdependedonthesuccessofageneralassault。Totheseveralnationswhichfollowedhisstandard，theirrespectivepostswereassigned；thesouthtotheVertae；thenorthtotheAlbanians；theeasttotheChionites，inflamedwithgriefandindignation；thewesttotheSegestans，thebravestofhiswarriors，whocoveredtheirfrontwithaformidablelineofIndianelephants。^58ThePersians，oneveryside，supportedtheirefforts，andanimatedtheircourage；andthemonarchhimself，carelessofhisrankandsafety，displayed，intheprosecutionofthesiege，theardorofayouthfulsoldier。Afteranobstinatecombat，theBarbarianswererepulsed；theyincessantlyreturnedtothecharge；theywereagaindrivenbackwithadreadfulslaughter，andtworebellegionsofGauls，whohadbeenbanishedintotheEast，signalizedtheirundisciplinedcouragebyanocturnalsallyintotheheartofthePersiancamp。
Inoneofthefiercestoftheserepeatedassaults，Amidawasbetrayedbythetreacheryofadeserter，whoindicatedtotheBarbariansasecretandneglectedstaircase，scoopedoutoftherockthathangsoverthestreamoftheTigris。Seventychosenarchersoftheroyalguardascendedinsilencetothethirdstoryofaloftytower，whichcommandedtheprecipice；theyelevatedonhighthePersianbanner，thesignalofconfidencetotheassailants，andofdismaytothebesieged；andifthisdevotedbandcouldhavemaintainedtheirpostafewminuteslonger，thereductionoftheplacemighthavebeenpurchasedbythesacrificeoftheirlives。AfterSaporhadtried，withoutsuccess，theefficacyofforceandofstratagem，hehadrecoursetotheslowerbutmorecertainoperationsofaregularsiege，intheconductofwhichhewasinstructedbytheskilloftheRomandeserters。Thetrencheswereopenedataconvenientdistance，andthetroopsdestinedforthatserviceadvancedundertheportablecoverofstronghurdles，tofilluptheditch，andunderminethefoundationsofthewalls。Woodentowerswereatthesametimeconstructed，andmovedforwardsonwheels，tillthesoldiers，whowereprovidedwitheveryspeciesofmissileweapons，couldengagealmostonlevelgroundwiththetroopswhodefendedtherampart。
Everymodeofresistancewhichartcouldsuggest，orcouragecouldexecute，wasemployedinthedefenceofAmida，andtheworksofSaporweremorethanoncedestroyedbythefireoftheRomans。Buttheresourcesofabesiegedcitymaybeexhausted。
ThePersiansrepairedtheirlosses，andpushedtheirapproaches；
alargepreachwasmadebythebattering—ram，andthestrengthofthegarrison，wastedbytheswordandbydisease，yieldedtothefuryoftheassault。Thesoldiers，thecitizens，theirwives，theirchildren，allwhohadnottimetoescapethroughtheoppositegate，wereinvolvedbytheconquerorsinapromiscuousmassacre。
[Footnote55:ForthedescriptionofAmida，seeD\'Herbelot，BebliothequeOrientale，p。BibliothequeOrientale，p。108。
HistoiredeTimurBec，parCherefeddinAli，l。iii。c。41。AhmedArabsiades，tom。i。p。331，c。43。VoyagesdeTavernier，tom。i。
p。301。Voyagesd\'Otter，tom。ii。p。273，andVoyagesdeNiebuhr，tom。ii。p。324—328。Thelastofthesetravellers，alearnedandaccurateDane，hasgivenaplanofAmida，whichillustratestheoperationsofthesiege。]
[Footnote56:Diarbekir，whichisstyledAmid，orKaraAmid，inthepublicwritingsoftheTurks，containsabove16，000houses，andistheresidenceofapachawiththreetails。TheepithetofKaraisderivedfromtheblacknessofthestonewhichcomposesthestrongandancientwallofAmida。]
[Footnote*:InmyMem。Hist。surl\'Armenie，l。i。p。166，173，I
conceivethatIhaveprovedthiscity，stillcalled，bytheArmenians，Dirkranagerd，thecityofTigranes，tobethesamewiththefamousTigranocerta，ofwhichthesituationwasunknown。
St。Martin，i。432。OnthesiegeofAmida，seeSt。Martin\'sNotes，ii。290。FaustusofByzantium，nearlyacontemporary，Armenian，statesthatthePersians，onbecomingmastersofit，destroyed40，000housesthoughAmmianusdescribesthecityasofnogreatextent，civitatisambitumnonnimiumamplae。Besidestheordinarypopulation，andthosewhotookrefugefromthecountry，itcontained20，000soldiers。St。Martin，ii。290。
Thisinterpretationisextremelydoubtful。WagnernoteonAmmianusconsidersthewholepopulationtoamountonlyto—M。]
[Footnote57:TheoperationsofthesiegeofAmidaareveryminutelydescribedbyAmmianus，xix。1—9，whoactedanhonorablepartinthedefence，andescapedwithdifficultywhenthecitywasstormedbythePersians。]
[Footnote58:Ofthesefournations，theAlbaniansaretoowellknowntorequireanydescription。TheSegestans[Sacastene。St。
Martin。]inhabitedalargeandlevelcountry，whichstillpreservestheirname，tothesouthofKhorasan，andthewestofHindostan。SeeGeographiaNubiensis。p。133，andD\'Herbelot，BiblithequeOrientale，p。797。NotwithstandingtheboastedvictoryofBahram，vol。i。p。410，theSegestans，abovefourscoreyearsafterwards，appearasanindependentnation，theallyofPersia。WeareignorantofthesituationoftheVertaeandChionites，butIaminclinedtoplacethematleastthelattertowardstheconfinesofIndiaandScythia。SeeAmmian。
xvi。9。]
[Footnote*:KlaprothconsiderstherealAlbaniansthesamewiththeancientAlani，andquotesapassageoftheemperorJulianinsupportofhisopinion。TheyaretheOssetae，nowinhabitingpartofCaucasus。TableauxHist。del\'Asie，p。179，180。—M。
TheVertaearestillunknown。ItispossiblethattheChionitesarethesameastheHuns。Thesepeoplewerealreadyknown；andwefindfromArmenianauthorsthattheyweremaking，atthisperiod，incursionsintoAsia。TheywereoftenatwarwiththePersians。ThenamewasperhapspronounceddifferentlyintheEastandintheWest，andthispreventsusfromrecognizingit。St。Martin，ii。177。—M。]
ButtheruinofAmidawasthesafetyoftheRomanprovinces。