ChamitchfollowsMosesofChorene，TheauthorityofGibbon。—M。]
[Footnote39:Ammian。xx。11。Athanasiustom。i。p。856says，ingeneralterms，thatConstantiusgavetohisbrother\'swidow，anexpressionmoresuitabletoaRomanthanaChristian。]
[Footnote40:Ammianusxxiii。2usesawordmuchtoosoftfortheoccasion，monuerat。MuratoriFabricius，Bibliothec。Graec。
tom。vii。p。86haspublishedanepistlefromJuliantothesatrapArsaces；fierce，vulgar，andthoughitmightdeceiveSozomen，l。vi。c。5mostprobablyspurious。LaBleterieHist。
deJovien，tom。ii。p。339translatesandrejectsit。
Note:St。Martinconsidersitgenuine:theArmenianwritersmentionsuchaletter，iii。37。—M。]
[Footnote*:ArsacesdidnotabandontheRomanalliance，butgaveitonlyfeeblesupport。St。Martin，iii。41—M。]
ThemilitarydispositionsofJulianwereskilfullycontrivedtodeceivethespiesandtodiverttheattentionofSapor。ThelegionsappearedtodirecttheirmarchtowardsNisibisandtheTigris。Onasuddentheywheeledtotheright；traversedthelevelandnakedplainofCarrhae；andreached，onthethirdday，thebanksoftheEuphrates，wherethestrongtownofNicephorium，orCallinicum，hadbeenfoundedbytheMacedoniankings。Fromthencetheemperorpursuedhismarch，aboveninetymiles，alongthewindingstreamoftheEuphrates，till，atlength，aboutonemonthafterhisdeparturefromAntioch，hediscoveredthetowersofCircesium，theextremelimitoftheRomandominions。ThearmyofJulian，themostnumerousthatanyoftheCaesarshadeverledagainstPersia，consistedofsixty—fivethousandeffectiveandwell—disciplinedsoldiers。Theveteranbandsofcavalryandinfantry，ofRomansandBarbarians，hadbeenselectedfromthedifferentprovinces；andajustpreeminenceofloyaltyandvalorwasclaimedbythehardyGauls，whoguardedthethroneandpersonoftheirbelovedprince。AformidablebodyofScythianauxiliarieshadbeentransportedfromanotherclimate，andalmostfromanotherworld，toinvadeadistantcountry，ofwhosenameandsituationtheywereignorant。TheloveofrapineandwaralluredtotheImperialstandardseveraltribesofSaracens，orrovingArabs，whoseserviceJulianhadcommanded，whilehesternlyrefusethepaymentoftheaccustomedsubsidies。
ThebroadchanneloftheEuphrates^41wascrowdedbyafleetofelevenhundredships，destinedtoattendthemotions，andtosatisfythewants，oftheRomanarmy。Themilitarystrengthofthefleetwascomposedoffiftyarmedgalleys；andthesewereaccompaniedbyanequalnumberofflat—bottomedboats，whichmightoccasionallybeconnectedintotheformoftemporarybridges。Therestoftheships，partlyconstructedoftimber，andpartlycoveredwithrawhides，wereladenwithanalmostinexhaustiblesupplyofarmsandengines，ofutensilsandprovisions。ThevigilanthumanityofJulianhadembarkedaverylargemagazineofvinegarandbiscuitfortheuseofthesoldiers，butheprohibitedtheindulgenceofwine；andrigorouslystoppedalongstringofsuperfluouscamelsthatattemptedtofollowtherearofthearmy。TheRiverChaborasfallsintotheEuphratesatCircesium；^42andassoonasthetrumpetgavethesignalofmarch，theRomanspassedthelittlestreamwhichseparatedtwomightyandhostileempires。Thecustomofancientdisciplinerequiredamilitaryoration；andJulianembracedeveryopportunityofdisplayinghiseloquence。
Heanimatedtheimpatientandattentivelegionsbytheexampleoftheinflexiblecourageandglorioustriumphsoftheirancestors。
HeexcitedtheirresentmentbyalivelypictureoftheinsolenceofthePersians；andheexhortedthemtoimitatehisfirmresolution，eithertoextirpatethatperfidiousnation，ortodevotehislifeinthecauseoftherepublic。TheeloquenceofJulianwasenforcedbyadonativeofonehundredandthirtypiecesofsilvertoeverysoldier；andthebridgeoftheChaboraswasinstantlycutaway，toconvincethetroopsthattheymustplacetheirhopesofsafetyinthesuccessoftheirarms。Yettheprudenceoftheemperorinducedhimtosecurearemotefrontier，perpetuallyexposedtotheinroadsofthehostileArabs。AdetachmentoffourthousandmenwasleftatCircesium，whichcompleted，tothenumberoftenthousand，theregulargarrisonofthatimportantfortress。^43
[Footnote*:KirkesiatheCarchemishoftheScriptures。—M。]
[Footnote41:LatissimumflumenEuphratenartabat。Ammian。
xxiii。3Somewhathigher，atthefordsofThapsacus，theriverisfourstadiaor800yards，almosthalfanEnglishmile，broad。
Xenophon，Anabasis，l。i。p。41，edit。Hutchinson，withFoster\'sObservations，p。29，&c。，inthe2dvolumeofSpelman\'stranslation。IfthebreadthoftheEuphratesatBirandZeugmaisnomorethan130yards，VoyagesdeNiebuhr，tom。ii。p。335，
theenormousdifferencemustchieflyarisefromthedepthofthechannel。]
[Footnote42:Munimentumtutissimumetfabrepolitum，AboratheOrientalsaspirateChaborasorChabouretEuphratesambiuntflumina，velutspatiuminsularefingentes。Ammian。xxiii。5。]
[Footnote43:TheenterpriseandarmamentofJulianaredescribedbyhimself，Epist。xxvii。，AmmianusMarcellinus，xxiii。3，4，5，Libanius，Orat。Parent。c。108，109，p。332，333，Zosimus，l。iii。p。160，161，162Sozomen，l。vi。c。l，andJohnMalala，tom。ii。p。17。]
FromthemomentthattheRomansenteredtheenemy\'scountry，^44thecountryofanactiveandartfulenemy，theorderofmarchwasdisposedinthreecolumns。^45Thestrengthoftheinfantry，andconsequentlyofthewholearmywasplacedinthecentre，underthepeculiarcommandoftheirmaster—generalVictor。Ontheright，thebraveNevittaledacolumnofseverallegionsalongthebanksoftheEuphrates，andalmostalwaysinsightofthefleet。Theleftflankofthearmywasprotectedbythecolumnofcavalry。HormisdasandArinthaeuswereappointedgeneralsofthehorse；andthesingularadventuresofHormisdas^46arenotundeservingofournotice。HewasaPersianprince，oftheroyalraceoftheSassanides，who，inthetroublesoftheminorityofSapor，hadescapedfromprisontothehospitablecourtofthegreatConstantine。Hormisdasatfirstexcitedthecompassion，andatlengthacquiredtheesteem，ofhisnewmasters；hisvalorandfidelityraisedhimtothemilitaryhonorsoftheRomanservice；andthoughaChristian，hemightindulgethesecretsatisfactionofconvincinghisungratefulcountry，thanatoppressedsubjectmayprovethemostdangerousenemy。
Suchwasthedispositionofthethreeprincipalcolumns。ThefrontandflanksofthearmywerecoveredbyLucilianuswithaflyingdetachmentoffifteenhundredlight—armedsoldiers，whoseactivevigilanceobservedthemostdistantsigns，andconveyedtheearliestnotice，ofanyhostileapproach。Dagalaiphus，andSecundinusdukeofOsrhoene，conductedthetroopsoftherear—guard；thebaggagesecurelyproceededintheintervalsofthecolumns；andtheranks，fromamotiveeitherofuseorostentation，wereformedinsuchopenorder，thatthewholelineofmarchextendedalmosttenmiles。TheordinarypostofJulianwasattheheadofthecentrecolumn；butashepreferredthedutiesofageneraltothestateofamonarch，herapidlymoved，withasmallescortoflightcavalry，tothefront，therear，theflanks，whereverhispresencecouldanimateorprotectthemarchoftheRomanarmy。ThecountrywhichtheytraversedfromtheChaboras，tothecultivatedlandsofAssyria，maybeconsideredasapartofthedesertofArabia，adryandbarrenwaste，whichcouldneverbeimprovedbythemostpowerfulartsofhumanindustry。JulianmarchedoverthesamegroundwhichhadbeentrodabovesevenhundredyearsbeforebythefootstepsoftheyoungerCyrus，andwhichisdescribedbyoneofthecompanionsofhisexpedition，thesageandheroicXenophon。^47\"Thecountrywasaplainthroughout，asevenasthesea，andfullofwormwood；andifanyotherkindofshrubsorreedsgrewthere，theyhadallanaromaticsmell，butnotreescouldbeseen。Bustardsandostriches，antelopesandwildasses，^48appearedtobetheonlyinhabitantsofthedesert；andthefatiguesofthemarchwerealleviatedbytheamusementsofthechase。\"Theloosesandofthedesertwasfrequentlyraisedbythewindintocloudsofdust；andagreatnumberofthesoldiersofJulian，withtheirtents，weresuddenlythrowntothegroundbytheviolenceofanunexpectedhurricane。
[Footnote44:BeforeheentersPersia，Ammianuscopiouslydescribesxxiii。p。396—419，edit。Gronov。in4to。theeighteengreatprovinces，asfarastheSeric，orChinesefrontiers，
whichweresubjecttotheSassanides。]
[Footnote45:Ammianusxxiv。1andZosimusl。iii。p。162，163ratelyexpressedtheorderofmarch。]
[Footnote46:TheadventuresofHormisdasarerelatedwithsomemixtureoffable，Zosimus，l。ii。p。100—102；Tillemont，Hist。
desEmpereurstom。iv。p。198。Itisalmostimpossiblethatheshouldbethebrotherfratergermanusofaneldestandposthumouschild:nordoIrecollectthatAmmianusevergiveshimthattitle。
Note:St。Martinconceivesthathewasanelderbrotherbyanothermotherwhohadseveralchildren，ii。24—M。]
[Footnote47:SeethefirstbookoftheAnabasis，p。45，46。
Thispleasingworkisoriginalandauthentic。YetXenophon\'smemory，perhapsmanyyearsaftertheexpedition，hassometimesbetrayedhim；andthedistanceswhichhemarksareoftenlargerthaneitherasoldierorageographerwillallow。]
[Footnote48:Mr。Spelman，theEnglishtranslatoroftheAnabasis，vol。i。p。51，confoundstheantelopewiththeroebuck，andthewildasswiththezebra。]
ThesandyplainsofMesopotamiawereabandonedtotheantelopesandwildassesofthedesert；butavarietyofpopuloustownsandvillageswerepleasantlysituatedonthebanksoftheEuphrates，andintheislandswhichareoccasionallyformedbythatriver。ThecityofAnnah，orAnatho，^49theactualresidenceofanArabianemir，iscomposedoftwolongstreets，whichenclose，withinanaturalfortification，asmallislandinthemidst，andtwofruitfulspotsoneitherside，oftheEuphrates。ThewarlikeinhabitantsofAnathoshowedadispositiontostopthemarchofaRomanemperor；tilltheyweredivertedfromsuchfatalpresumptionbythemildexhortationsofPrinceHormisdas，andtheapproachingterrorsofthefleetandarmy。Theyimplored，andexperienced，theclemencyofJulian，whotransplantedthepeopletoanadvantageoussettlement，nearChalcisinSyria，andadmittedPusaeus，thegovernor，toanhonorablerankinhisserviceandfriendship。ButtheimpregnablefortressofThiluthacouldscornthemenaceofasiege；andtheemperorwasobligedtocontenthimselfwithaninsultingpromise，that，whenhehadsubduedtheinteriorprovincesofPersia，Thiluthawouldnolongerrefusetogracethetriumphoftheemperor。Theinhabitantsoftheopentowns，unabletoresist，andunwillingtoyield，fledwithprecipitation；andtheirhouses，filledwithspoilandprovisions，wereoccupiedbythesoldiersofJulian，whomassacred，withoutremorseandwithoutpunishment，somedefencelesswomen。Duringthemarch，theSurenas，orPersiangeneral，andMalekRodosaces，therenownedemirofthetribeofGassan，^50incessantlyhoveredroundthearmy；everystragglerwasintercepted；everydetachmentwasattacked；andthevaliantHormisdasescapedwithsomedifficultyfromtheirhands。ButtheBarbarianswerefinallyrepulsed；thecountrybecameeverydaylessfavorabletotheoperationsofcavalry；andwhentheRomansarrivedatMacepracta，theyperceivedtheruinsofthewall，whichhadbeenconstructedbytheancientkingsofAssyria，tosecuretheirdominionsfromtheincursionsoftheMedes。ThesepreliminariesoftheexpeditionofJulianappeartohaveemployedaboutfifteendays；andwemaycomputenearthreehundredmilesfromthefortressofCircesiumtothewallofMacepracta。^1
[Footnote49:SeeVoyagesdeTavernier，parti。l。iii。p。316，andmoreespeciallyViaggidiPietrodellaValle，tom。i。lett。
xvii。p。671，&c。HewasignorantoftheoldnameandconditionofAnnah。Ourblindtravellersseldompossessanypreviousknowledgeofthecountrieswhichtheyvisit。ShawandTournefortdeserveanhonorableexception。]
[Footnote*:Thisisnotatitle，butthenameofagreatPersianfamily。St。Martin，iii。79。—M。]
[Footnote50:Famosinominislatro，saysAmmianus；ahighencomiumforanArab。ThetribeofGassanhadsettledontheedgeofSyria，andreignedsometimeinDamascus，underadynastyofthirty—onekings，oremirs，fromthetimeofPompeytothatoftheKhalifOmar。D\'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrientale，p。360。
Pococke，SpecimenHist。Arabicae，p。75—78。ThenameofRodosacesdoesnotappearinthelist。
Note:Rodosaces—malekisking。St。MartinconsidersthatGibbonhasfallenintoanerrorinbringingthetribeofGassantotheEuphrates。InAmmianusitisAssan。M。St。MartinwouldreadMassanitarum，thesamewiththeMauzanitaeofMalala。—M。]
[Footnote51:SeeAmmianus，xxiv。1，2，Libanius，Orat。
Parental。c。110，111，p。334，Zosimus，l。iii。p。164—168。
Note:ThisSyriacorChaldaichasrelationtoitsposition；
iteasilybearsthesignificationofthedivisionofthewaters。
M。St。M。considersittheMissiceofPliny，v。26。St。Martin，iii。83。—M。]
ThefertileprovinceofAssyria，^52whichstretchedbeyondtheTigris，asfarasthemountainsofMedia，^53extendedaboutfourhundredmilesfromtheancientwallofMacepracta，totheterritoryofBasra，wheretheunitedstreamsoftheEuphratesandTigrisdischargethemselvesintothePersianGulf。^54ThewholecountrymighthaveclaimedthepeculiarnameofMesopotamia；asthetworivers，whicharenevermoredistantthanfifty，approach，betweenBagdadandBabylon，withintwenty—fivemiles，ofeachother。Amultitudeofartificialcanals，dugwithoutmuchlaborinasoftandyieldingsoilconnectedtherivers，andintersectedtheplainofAssyria。Theusesoftheseartificialcanalswerevariousandimportant。Theyservedtodischargethesuperfluouswatersfromoneriverintotheother，attheseasonoftheirrespectiveinundations。Subdividingthemselvesintosmallerandsmallerbranches，theyrefreshedthedrylands，andsuppliedthedeficiencyofrain。Theyfacilitatedtheintercourseofpeaceandcommerce；and，asthedamscouldbespeedilybrokedown，theyarmedthedespairoftheAssyrianswiththemeansofopposingasuddendelugetotheprogressofaninvadingarmy。TothesoilandclimateofAssyria，naturehaddeniedsomeofherchoicestgifts，thevine，theolive，andthefig—tree；butthefoodwhichsupportsthelifeofman，andparticularlywheatandbarley，wereproducedwithinexhaustiblefertility；andthehusbandman，whocommittedhisseedtotheearth，wasfrequentlyrewardedwithanincreaseoftwo，orevenofthree，hundred。Thefaceofthecountrywasinterspersedwithgrovesofinnumerablepalm—trees；^55andthediligentnativescelebrated，eitherinverseorprose，thethreehundredandsixtyusestowhichthetrunk，thebranches，theleaves，thejuice，andthefruit，wereskilfullyapplied。Severalmanufactures，especiallythoseofleatherandlinen，employedtheindustryofanumerouspeople，andaffordedvaluablematerialsforforeigntrade；whichappears，however，tohavebeenconductedbythehandsofstrangers。Babylonhadbeenconvertedintoaroyalpark；butneartheruinsoftheancientcapital，newcitieshadsuccessivelyarisen，andthepopulousnessofthecountrywasdisplayedinthemultitudeoftownsandvillages，whichwerebuiltofbricksdriedinthesun，andstronglycementedwithbitumen；thenaturalandpeculiarproductionoftheBabyloniansoil。WhilethesuccessorsofCyrusreignedoverAsia，theprovinceofSyriaalonemaintained，duringathirdpartoftheyear，theluxuriousplentyofthetableandhouseholdoftheGreatKing。FourconsiderablevillageswereassignedforthesubsistenceofhisIndiandogs；eighthundredstallions，andsixteenthousandmares，wereconstantlykept，attheexpenseofthecountry，fortheroyalstables；andasthedailytribute，whichwaspaidtothesatrap，amountedtooneEnglishbusheofsilver，wemaycomputetheannualrevenueofAssyriaatmorethantwelvehundredthousandpoundssterling。^56
[Footnote52:ThedescriptionofAssyria，isfurnishedbyHerodotus，l。i。c。192，&c。，whosometimeswritesforchildren，andsometimesforphilosophers；byStrabo，l。xvi。p。
1070—1082，andbyAmmianus，l。xxiii。c。6。ThemostusefulofthemoderntravellersareTavernier，parti。l。ii。p。226—258，
Otter，tom。ii。p。35—69，and189—224，andNiebuhr，tom。ii。
p。172—288。YetImuchregretthattheIrakArabiofAbulfedahasnotbeentranslated。]
[Footnote53:Ammianusremarks，thattheprimitiveAssyria，whichcomprehendedNinus，Nineveh，andArbela，hadassumedthemorerecentandpeculiarappellationofAdiabene；andheseemstofixTeredon，Vologesia，andApollonia，astheextremecitiesoftheactualprovinceofAssyria。]
[Footnote54:ThetworiversuniteatApamea，orCorna，onehundredmilesfromthePersianGulf，intothebroadstreamofthePasitigris，orShutul—Arab。TheEuphratesformerlyreachedtheseabyaseparatechannel，whichwasobstructedanddivertedbythecitizensofOrchoe，abouttwentymilestothesouth—eastofmodernBasra。D\'Anville，intheMemoiresdel\'Acad。desInscriptions，tom。xxx。p。171—191。]
[Footnote*:WeareinformedbyMr。Gibbon，thatnaturehasdeniedtothesoilanclimateofAssyriasomeofherchoicestgifts，thevine，theolive，andthefig—tree。ThismighthavebeenthecaseirtheageofAmmianusMarcellinus，butitisnotsoatthepresentday；anditisacuriousfactthatthegrape，theolive，andthefig，arethemostcommonfruitsintheprovince，andmaybeseenineverygarden。MacdonaldKinneir，Geogr。Mem。onPersia239—M。]
[Footnote55:ThelearnedKaempfer，asabotanist，anantiquary，andatraveller，hasexhaustedAmoenitat。Exoticae，Fasicul。iv。
p。660—764thewholesubjectofpalm—trees。]
[Footnote56:AssyriayieldedtothePersiansatrapanArtabaofsilvereachday。Thewell—knownproportionofweightsandmeasuresseeBishopHooper\'selaborateInquiry，thespecificgravityofwaterandsilver，andthevalueofthatmetal，willafford，afterashortprocess，theannualrevenuewhichIhavestated。YettheGreatKingreceivednomorethan1000Euboic，orTyrian，talents252，000l。fromAssyria。ThecomparisonoftwopassagesinHerodotus，l。i。c。192，l。iii。c。89—96revealsanimportantdifferencebetweenthegross，andthenet，revenueofPersia；thesumspaidbytheprovince，andthegoldorsilverdepositedintheroyaltreasure。Themonarchmightannuallysavethreemillionssixhundredthousandpounds，oftheseventeenoreighteenmillionsraiseduponthepeople。]
ChapterXXIV:TheRetreatAndDeathOfJulian。