selected from the Breviarium

Eutropius' fourth-century Breviarium compresses Roman history into a short imperial handbook. Its northern and eastern notices are brief, but together they preserve a durable chain of Roman frontier memory.

The selected passages below run from Mithridates and the Bosporus through Pompey's Caucasian march, Dacia, Sarmatians, Scythian envoys, Trajan's eastern wars, Goths, Persians, Parthians, Carpi, Bastarnae, and the late Roman settlement field.

The English is a Good Works Translation from the Latin passages printed below.

Translation

Book 5.4 -- Sulla, Mithridates, and the First Eastern War

In the six hundred sixty-second year from the founding of the city, the first civil war was stirred up at Rome, and in the same year the Mithridatic war also began. Gaius Marius, six times consul, gave the cause for the civil war. For when Sulla, as consul, was being sent to wage war against Mithridates, who had occupied Asia and Achaea, and when Sulla was keeping his army for a little while in Campania so that the remnants of the Social War, fought inside Italy as we have said, might be removed, Marius tried to have himself sent to the Mithridatic war. Moved by this, Sulla came to the city with his army. There he fought against Marius and Sulpicius. He was the first to enter the city of Rome in arms. He killed Sulpicius, drove Marius into flight, arranged the consuls for the coming year, Gnaeus Octavius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna, and then set out for Asia.

Book 5.5 -- Mithridates, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and the Asian Massacre

Mithridates, who was king of Pontus and held Lesser Armenia and the whole circuit of the Pontic sea together with the Bosporus, first wished to drive Nicomedes, a friend of the Roman people, from Bithynia, and informed the senate that he would bring war upon him because of the injuries he had suffered. The senate answered Mithridates that, if he did this, he himself would suffer war from the Romans. Angered by this, he at once occupied Cappadocia and drove from it Ariobarzanes, king and friend of the Roman people. Soon he also invaded Bithynia and Paphlagonia, after expelling their kings, Pylaemenes and Nicomedes, friends of the Roman people. From there he hastened to Ephesus and sent letters through all Asia that Roman citizens, wherever found, should be killed on one day.

Book 5.6 -- Archelaus, Athens, and Sulla's Victories

Meanwhile Athens, a city of Achaea, was handed over to Mithridates by the Athenian Ariston. Mithridates had already sent his general Archelaus to Achaea with one hundred twenty thousand horse and foot, and through him the rest of Greece too was occupied. Sulla besieged Archelaus at the Piraeus, not far from Athens, and captured Athens itself. Afterward, when battle was joined against Archelaus, Sulla defeated him so completely that, out of one hundred twenty thousand, scarcely ten thousand remained to Archelaus, while only thirteen men were killed from Sulla's army. When Mithridates learned of this battle, he sent seventy thousand of the choicest men from Asia to Archelaus, against whom Sulla fought a second time. In the first battle fifteen thousand of the enemy were killed, and Diogenes, the son of Archelaus. In the second, all the forces of Mithridates were destroyed, and Archelaus himself lay hidden for three days naked in the marshes. When Mithridates heard this, he ordered peace to be negotiated with Sulla.

Book 5.7 -- Sulla, the Dardani, Scordisci, Dalmatians, and Maedi

At the same time Sulla also partly defeated the Dardani, Scordisci, Dalmatians, and Maedi, and received others into alliance. But when envoys came from King Mithridates asking for peace, Sulla answered that he would grant it only if the king abandoned what he had occupied and returned to his own kingdom. Afterward the two men nevertheless came to a meeting. Peace was arranged between them, so that Sulla, hastening toward the civil war, would have no danger at his back.

For while Sulla was defeating Mithridates in Achaea and Asia, Marius, who had been driven into flight, and Cornelius Cinna, one of the consuls, renewed the war in Italy, entered the city of Rome, killed the noblest men from the senate and men of consular rank, proscribed many, destroyed Sulla's own house, and forced his sons and wife into flight. The whole rest of the senate fled from the city to Sulla in Greece, begging him to aid his fatherland. He crossed into Italy to wage civil war against the consuls Norbanus and Scipio. In the first battle he fought against Norbanus not far from Capua. Then he killed six thousand of Norbanus' men, captured six thousand, and lost one hundred twenty-four of his own. From there he turned to Scipio also, and before battle received his whole army into surrender without bloodshed.

Book 6.2 -- Curio Reaches the Danube

Appius Claudius was sent to Macedonia after his consulship. He had light battles against various peoples who inhabited the province of Rhodope, and there he died of disease. Gaius Scribonius Curio was sent as his successor after his consulship. Curio defeated the Dardani and penetrated as far as the Danube; he earned a triumph and ended the war within three years.

Book 6.6 -- Lucullus, Mithridates, and Cyzicus

In the six hundred seventy-sixth year from the founding of the city, when Lucius Licinius Lucullus and Marcus Aurelius Cotta were consuls, Nicomedes, king of Bithynia, died and by his will made the Roman people his heir. Mithridates, breaking the peace, again wished to invade Bithynia and Asia. Both consuls were sent against him and had varied fortune. Cotta was defeated by him in battle near Chalcedon, was even forced inside the town, and was besieged. But when Mithridates moved from there to Cyzicus, intending after Cyzicus was captured to invade all Asia, Lucullus, the other consul, met him. While Mithridates remained in the siege of Cyzicus, Lucullus himself besieged him from the rear, consumed him with famine, defeated him in many battles, and finally drove him to Byzantium, which is now Constantinople. Lucullus also crushed his commanders in a naval battle. Thus in one winter and summer almost one hundred thousand of the king's men were destroyed by Lucullus.

Book 6.8 -- Lucullus in Pontus and Armenia Minor

In the six hundred eighty-first year from the founding of the city, when Publius Cornelius Lentulus and Gnaeus Aufidius Orestes were consuls, there were only two serious wars in the Roman empire, the Mithridatic and the Macedonian. The two Luculli were conducting them, Lucius Lucullus and Marcus Lucullus.

Lucius Lucullus, then, after the battle at Cyzicus, in which he had defeated Mithridates, and the naval battle, in which he had crushed his commanders, pursued Mithridates, recovered Paphlagonia and Bithynia, and invaded even his kingdom. He captured Sinope and Amisus, very noble cities of Pontus. In a second battle near the city of Cabera, where Mithridates had brought huge forces from his whole kingdom, thirty thousand of the king's choicest men were devastated by five thousand Romans. Mithridates was put to flight and his camp plundered. Lesser Armenia also, which he had held, was taken from him. After his flight, however, Mithridates was received by Tigranes, king of Armenia, who then ruled with immense glory, had often defeated the Persians, and had occupied Mesopotamia, Syria, and part of Phoenicia.

Book 6.9 -- Tigranocerta and Armenia

Therefore Lucullus, pursuing the defeated enemy, entered even the kingdom of Tigranes, who ruled the Armenians. He captured Tigranocerta, a city of Arzanene, the noblest city of the Armenian kingdom. Tigranes himself came against him with seven thousand five hundred mailed cavalry and one hundred thousand archers and armed men; Lucullus, having eighteen thousand soldiers, defeated him so thoroughly that he destroyed a great part of the Armenians. From there he went to Nisibis and captured that city too, together with the king's brother.

But those whom Lucullus had left in Pontus with part of the army, to guard the conquered regions now belonging to the Romans, acted carelessly and greedily, and gave Mithridates a chance to break into Pontus again. Thus the war was renewed. When Lucullus, after taking Nisibis, was preparing an expedition against the Persians, a successor was sent to replace him.

Book 6.10 -- Macedonia, the Bessi, and Cities above the Pontus

The other Lucullus, who governed Macedonia, was the first of the Romans to bring war upon the Bessi, and overcame them in a great battle on Mount Haemus. The town Uscudama, which the Bessi inhabited, he captured on the same day he attacked it. He took Cabyle and penetrated as far as the Danube. From there he attacked many cities situated above Pontus. There he overthrew Apollonia, took Callatis, Parthenopolis, Tomi, Histrus, and Burziaone, and, when the war was finished, returned to Rome. Both men triumphed; nevertheless Lucullus, who had fought against Mithridates, had greater glory, since he returned conqueror of such great kingdoms.

Book 6.12 -- Pompey, Mithridates, and the Bosporus

While these things were being done, pirates infested all the seas so completely that, though the Romans were victors throughout the world, navigation alone was not safe. For this reason the war was decreed to Gnaeus Pompey. He finished it within a few months with great good fortune and speed. Soon the war against King Mithridates and Tigranes was also assigned to him. Taking this up, he defeated Mithridates in Lesser Armenia in a night battle, plundered his camp, killed forty thousand of his men, and lost only twenty men from his own army, with two centurions.

Mithridates fled with his wife and two companions. Not long after, when he was raging against his own people, he was compelled to death by a revolt among the soldiers led by his son Pharnaces and drank poison. This was the end of Mithridates. He perished near the Bosporus, a man of immense energy and counsel. He reigned sixty years, lived seventy-two, and had war with the Romans for forty years.

Book 6.13 -- Tigranes and Artaxata

Pompey next brought war upon Tigranes. Tigranes surrendered himself to him and came into Pompey's camp, sixteen miles from Artaxata. After falling at Pompey's knees, he placed his diadem in Pompey's hands. Pompey set it back upon him and treated him honorably, yet punished him by taking part of his kingdom and a great sum of money. Syria, Phoenicia, and Sophanene were taken from him; besides these, six thousand talents of silver were imposed on him to give to the Roman people, because he had stirred up war against the Romans without cause.

Book 6.14 -- Pompey, the Albanians, Iberians, Colchis, and Syria

Pompey soon brought war also upon the Albanians and defeated their king Orodes three times. At last, when Orodes appealed through letters and gifts, Pompey granted him pardon and peace. He also defeated in battle Artaces, king of Iberia, and received him in surrender. Lesser Armenia he gave to Deiotarus, king of Galatia, because he had been an ally in the Mithridatic war. To Attalus and Pylaemenes he restored Paphlagonia. He placed Aristarchus over Colchis as king.

Soon he defeated the Ituraeans and Arabs. When he came into Syria, he granted freedom to Seleucia, a city near Antioch, because it had not received King Tigranes. He returned hostages to the Antiochenes. He gave some land to the people of Daphne, so that the grove there might be made broader, delighted by the pleasantness of the place and the abundance of water. From there he crossed to Judaea and captured Jerusalem, the capital of the people, in the third month, after twelve thousand Jews had been killed and the rest received into alliance. With these things done, he returned into Asia and ended the very ancient war.

Book 6.18 -- Crassus and the Parthian Disaster

Around the same time, in the six hundred ninety-seventh year from the founding of the city, Marcus Licinius Crassus, colleague of Gnaeus Pompey the Great in his second consulship, was sent against the Parthians. When he fought near Carrhae against omen and auspices, he was defeated by Surena, general of King Orodes, and at last was killed with his son, a very distinguished and excellent young man. The remnants of the army were saved by Gaius Cassius the quaestor, who, with singular courage, restored the ruined situation with such valor that, as he returned, he defeated the Persians beyond the Euphrates in repeated battles.

Book 7.5 -- Ventidius and Pacorus

At that time Marcus Agrippa acted successfully in Aquitania, and Lucius Ventidius Bassus defeated the Persians, who had broken into Syria, in three battles. He killed Pacorus, son of King Orodes, on the very day on which Orodes, king of the Persians, had once killed Crassus through his general Surena. Ventidius was the first to celebrate at Rome a most just triumph over the Parthians.

Book 7.6 -- Antony against the Persians and Parthians

Meanwhile Pompey broke the peace, was defeated in a naval battle, fled to Asia, and was killed. Antony, who held Asia and the East, rejected the sister of Caesar Augustus Octavian and took Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, as wife. He himself also fought against the Persians. In the first battles he defeated them, yet on the return march he suffered from famine and plague, and when the Parthians pressed him as he fled, he withdrew like a defeated man.

Book 7.9 -- Augustus, the Dacians, Pontic Cities, Bosporus, and Armenia

At no earlier time did Roman power flourish more than before Augustus. For, setting aside the civil wars, in which he was undefeated, he added to the Roman empire Egypt, Cantabria, Dalmatia, often defeated before but then thoroughly subdued, Pannonia, Aquitania, Illyricum, Raetia, the Vindelici, the Salassi in the Alps, and all the maritime cities of Pontus, among them the very noble Bosporus and Panticapaeum. He defeated the Dacians in many battles. He cut down huge forces of Germans and moved the Germans themselves beyond the river Albis, which is in Barbaricum far beyond the Rhine. This war, however, he conducted through Drusus, his stepson, just as he conducted the Pannonian war through Tiberius, his other stepson; in that war he transferred forty thousand captives from Germany and settled them in Gaul above the bank of the Rhine. He recovered Armenia from the Parthians. The Persians gave him hostages, which they had given to no one before. They also returned the Roman standards which they had taken after Crassus was defeated.

Book 7.10 -- Scythian and Indian Envoys to Augustus

The Scythians and Indians, to whom the Roman name had formerly been unknown, sent gifts and envoys to him. Galatia also was made a province under him, though it had formerly been a kingdom, and Marcus Lollius was the first to govern it as propraetor. Such affection for him existed even among barbarians that kings who were friends of the Roman people founded cities in his honor and named them Caesareas, as in Mauretania by King Juba and in Palestine, where there is now a very famous city. Many kings came from their kingdoms to show obedience to him, and in Roman dress, that is, wearing the toga, ran beside his carriage or horse. At his death he was called Divine. He left a most blessed commonwealth to Tiberius his successor, who had been his stepson, soon his son-in-law, and finally his son by adoption.

Book 7.14 -- Nero, Armenia, and the Parthians

Nero succeeded him, very like Caligula, his mother's brother. He both disgraced and diminished the Roman empire, with unusual extravagance and spending, bathing in warm and cold perfumes after the example of Gaius Caligula and fishing with golden nets which he drew out with purple cords. He killed an immense part of the senate and was an enemy to all good men. At last he prostituted himself to such disgrace that he danced and sang on stage in the costume of a cithara-player or a tragedian. He committed many murders of kin, killing his brother, wife, sister, and mother. He burned the city of Rome so that he might look upon the image of such a spectacle as Troy had once presented when captured and burning.

In military affairs he dared nothing at all and almost lost Britain, for two very noble towns there were captured and overthrown under him. The Parthians took Armenia and sent Roman legions under the yoke. Yet two provinces were made under him: Pontus Polemoniacus, by concession of King Polemo, and the Cottian Alps, when King Cottius had died.

Book 7.23 -- Domitian's Dacian and Sarmatian Wars

Domitian soon received the empire, the younger brother of Titus, more like Nero or Caligula or Tiberius than like his father or brother. Yet in the first years he was moderate in rule. Soon he advanced to great vices of lust, anger, cruelty, and greed, and stirred up so much hatred against himself that he wiped out the merits of his father and brother. He killed the noblest men from the senate. He was the first to order that he be called Lord and God. He allowed no statue of himself to be set up on the Capitol unless it was golden or silver. He killed his cousins. His pride too was detestable.

He had four campaigns: one against the Sarmatians, another against the Chatti, and two against the Dacians. He held a double triumph over the Dacians and Chatti; for the Sarmatians he took only the laurel. Yet he suffered many disasters in those same wars. In Sarmatia his legion was killed together with its commander, and by the Dacians Oppius Sabinus, a consular man, and Cornelius Fuscus, prefect of the praetorium, were killed with great armies. At Rome too he built many works, among them the Capitol and the Forum Transitorium, the Porticus of the Divi, the Isium and Serapeum, and the Stadium. But when he began to be hated by all because of his crimes, he was killed by a conspiracy of his own people in the palace, in the forty-fifth year of his age and the fifteenth of his rule. His body was carried out by undertakers with great disgrace and buried without honor.

Book 8.2 -- Trajan Conquers Dacia

Ulpius Crinitus Trajan succeeded him, born at Italica in Spain, from a family ancient rather than famous. His father had been the first consul of that family. Trajan himself was made emperor at Agrippina in Gaul. He governed the commonwealth so that he is deservedly preferred to all princes, being of unusual civility and courage. He spread far and wide the boundaries of the Roman empire, which after Augustus had been defended more than nobly enlarged. He repaired cities beyond the Rhine in Germany. After defeating Decibalus, he subdued Dacia, making a province beyond the Danube in those lands which the Taifali, Victoali, and Tervingi now hold. That province had a circuit of one million paces.

Book 8.3 -- Trajan, Armenia, Albania, Sauromatians, Bosporus, Colchis, and the East

He recovered Armenia, which the Parthians had occupied, after killing Parthomasiris, who held it. He gave a king to the Albanians. He received into alliance the king of the Iberians, the Sauromatians, the Bosporans, the Arabs, the Osdroeni, and the Colchians. He occupied the Cardueni and Marcomedi, and Anthemusia, a great region of Persia, Seleucia, Ctesiphon, and Babylon. He defeated and held the Messeni. He approached as far as the borders of India and the Red Sea, and there made three provinces: Armenia, Assyria, and Mesopotamia, with those peoples who touch Madena. Later he brought Arabia into the form of a province. On the Red Sea he established a fleet so that through it he might ravage the borders of India.

Book 8.6 -- Hadrian Abandons Trajan's Eastern Provinces and Holds Dacia

When Trajan died, Aelius Hadrian was made princeps, not by any wish of Trajan, but by the efforts of Plotina, Trajan's wife; for Trajan, although Hadrian was the son of his own cousin, had not wished to adopt him while he lived. He too was born at Italica in Spain. Envying Trajan's glory, Hadrian at once abandoned the three provinces Trajan had added, recalled the armies from Assyria, Mesopotamia, and Armenia, and wished the Euphrates to be the boundary of empire. He tried to do the same with Dacia, but friends deterred him, lest many Roman citizens be handed over to barbarians; for Trajan, after conquering Dacia, had transferred there countless crowds of people from the whole Roman world to cultivate fields and cities. Dacia had been exhausted of men by the long war of Decibalus.

Book 8.10 -- Lucius Verus and the Parthian War

These men were joined to each other by birth and by affinity. Verus Annius Antoninus had Marcus Antoninus' daughter in marriage, while Marcus Antoninus was son-in-law of Antoninus Pius through his wife Galeria Faustina the younger, his own cousin. They waged war against the Parthians, who then for the first time had rebelled after Trajan's victory. Verus Antoninus set out for this. While staying at Antioch and around Armenia, he accomplished many great things through his commanders. He captured Seleucia, a very noble city of Assyria, with four hundred thousand people, and brought back a Parthian triumph. He triumphed with his brother, who was also his father-in-law. Yet he died in Venetia, as he was setting out from Concordia toward Altinum and sitting with his brother in a carriage, suddenly struck by blood, from the chance of the disease which the Greeks call apoplexy. He was a man of insufficiently civil character, yet out of reverence for his brother he never dared anything savage. When he died in the eleventh year of his rule, he was enrolled among the gods.

Book 8.12 -- Marcus Aurelius and the Marcomannic War

Marcus Aurelius was trained in philosophy by Apollonius of Chalcedon, in Greek literature by Sextus of Chaeronea, the nephew of Plutarch, and in Latin letters by Fronto, a very noble orator. He dealt with all at Rome under equal law and was not raised by the height of empire into any arrogance. He was very ready in liberality. He treated the provinces with great kindness and moderation.

Against the Germans affairs were conducted successfully under this prince. He himself waged one war, the Marcomannic, but a war as great as there had been in no memory, so much so that it is compared with the Punic wars. It became more serious because whole Roman armies had perished. Under him there was such a disaster of plague that after the Persian victory, in Rome, through Italy, and through the provinces, the greatest part of humankind and almost all the forces of the soldiers failed from sickness.

Book 8.13 -- Quadi, Vandals, Sarmatians, Suebi, and Pannonia

With immense labor and moderation, after he had remained at Carnuntum continuously for three years, Marcus Aurelius finished the Marcomannic war, which had been stirred up by the Quadi, Vandals, Sarmatians, Suebi, and all barbaricum. He killed many thousands of people, freed the Pannonias from servitude, and triumphed again at Rome with Commodus Antoninus, his son, whom he had already made Caesar.

Since the treasury had been exhausted by the cost of this war and he had no largess to give, and did not wish to impose anything on the provincials or the senate, he sold the equipment of imperial display by an auction held in the forum of the Divine Trajan: golden vessels, crystal and murrhine cups, the silk and gold clothing of his wife and himself, and many ornaments of gems. This sale was held for two continuous months, and much gold was brought in. After victory, however, he returned the prices to buyers who wished to give back what they had bought; he troubled no one who preferred to keep what had once been bought.

Book 8.18 -- Septimius Severus, Parthians, Arabs, and Adiabene

After this Septimius Severus received the administration of the Roman empire. He came from Africa, from the province of Tripolitana, from the town Leptis. Alone in all memory, before and after, he was emperor from Africa. First an advocate of the treasury, then a military tribune, through many different offices and honors he came to the administration of the whole commonwealth. He wished to be called Pertinax in honor of Pertinax, who had been killed by Julianus. He was very frugal and savage by nature. He waged many wars successfully. He killed Pescennius Niger, who had rebelled in Egypt and Syria, near Cyzicus. He defeated the Parthians, the inner Arabs, and the Adiabeni. He overcame the Arabs to such an extent that he even made a province there. For this reason he was called Parthicus, Arabicus, and Adiabenicus. He repaired many things throughout the Roman world. Under him also Clodius Albinus, who had been Julianus' ally in killing Pertinax, made himself Caesar in Gaul; he was defeated near Lugdunum and killed.

Book 8.20 -- Caracalla and the Parthian Expedition

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Bassianus, also called Caracalla, was of almost his father's character, though somewhat harsher and more threatening. He made at Rome an excellent work of baths, which are called the Antonine baths, but nothing else memorable. He was of unrestrained lust, even marrying his stepmother Julia. He died in Osdroene near Edessa while preparing an expedition against the Parthians, in the sixth year and second month of his rule, scarcely past the forty-third year of his age. He was carried out with a public funeral.

Book 8.23 -- Alexander Severus and the Persians

Aurelius Alexander succeeded him, named Caesar by the army and Augustus by the senate, a very young man. Having undertaken war against the Persians, he defeated their king Xerxes most gloriously. He ruled military discipline very strictly. He discharged whole legions that were in revolt. He had Ulpian, founder of law, as adviser or master of records. At Rome too he was well liked. He perished in Gaul in a military disturbance, in the thirteenth year and ninth day of his rule. Toward Mamaea, his mother, he was uniquely devoted.

Book 9.2 -- Gordian and the Persian War

Afterward there were three Augusti at once: Pupienus, Balbinus, and Gordian. The first two were of very obscure birth; Gordian was noble, since his father, the elder Gordian, while holding the proconsulship of Africa under Maximinus, had been chosen princeps by the agreement of the soldiers. And so, when they had come to Rome, Balbinus and Pupienus were killed in the palace, and the empire was reserved to Gordian alone.

Gordian, still very young, after marrying Tranquillina at Rome, opened the twin Janus and set out for the East. He brought war upon the Parthians, who were already preparing to break out. He conducted this war successfully and struck the Persians in great battles. Returning not far from the Roman borders, he was killed by the treachery of Philip, who ruled after him. The soldiers built him a tomb at the twentieth milestone from Circesium, which is now a Roman camp overhanging the Euphrates, brought his funeral rites back to Rome, and called him Divine.

Book 9.7 -- Valerian Captured by the Persians

Then Licinius Valerian, while acting in Raetia and Noricum, was made emperor by the army and soon Augustus. Gallienus too was called Caesar at Rome by the senate. Their rule was destructive and almost ruinous to the Roman name, either through the misfortune of the princes or their cowardice. The Germans came as far as Ravenna. Valerian, waging war in Mesopotamia, was overcome by Sapor, king of the Persians, and soon also captured; among the Parthians he grew old in disgraceful servitude.

Book 9.8 -- Goths, Sarmatians, Parthians, Pontus, and Dacia under Gallienus

Gallienus, when made Augustus as a young man, conducted the empire at first successfully, then adequately, finally ruinously. As a young man he did many vigorous things in Gaul and Illyricum after Ingenuus, who had taken the purple, and Trebellianus were killed near Mursa. For a long time he was mild and quiet; soon, loosened into every indulgence, he slackened the reins of holding the commonwealth by disgraceful cowardice and despair.

The Alamanni, after ravaging Gaul, penetrated into Italy. Dacia, which Trajan had added beyond the Danube, was then lost. Greece, Macedonia, Pontus, and Asia were ravaged by the Goths. Pannonia was plundered by Sarmatians and Quadi. Germans penetrated as far as Spain and stormed the noble city Tarraco. The Parthians, after occupying Mesopotamia, began to claim Syria for themselves.

Book 9.10 -- Odaenathus and the Persians

Tetricus, a senator, succeeded him in the West; while administering Aquitania with the rank of governor, he was elected emperor by absent soldiers and took the purple at Burdigala. He endured many mutinies of soldiers. But while these things were being done in Gaul, in the East the Persians were defeated by Odaenathus. Syria was defended, Mesopotamia recovered, and Odaenathus penetrated as far as Ctesiphon.

Book 9.11 -- Claudius Defeats the Goths

Thus, while Gallienus abandoned the commonwealth, the Roman empire was preserved in the West by Postumus and in the East by Odaenathus. Meanwhile Gallienus was killed at Mediolanum with his brother Valerian, in the ninth year of his rule, and Claudius succeeded him, chosen by the soldiers and called Augustus by the senate. Claudius defeated the Goths, who were ravaging Illyricum and Macedonia, in a great battle. He was a frugal and modest man, tenacious of justice and fit to govern the commonwealth. Yet he died of disease within two years of rule. He was called Divine. The senate honored him with great honor, ordering that a golden shield be set up for him in the senate house and a golden statue on the Capitol.

Book 9.13 -- Aurelian Defeats Goths, Tetricus, and Zenobia

After him Aurelian took up the empire. He came from Dacia Ripensis, a man powerful in war but of a spirit excessive and rather inclined to cruelty. He too defeated the Goths with great energy. By varying fortune in wars he called Roman power back to its former borders. In Gaul he overcame Tetricus near Catalaunum, Tetricus himself betraying his army because he could not endure its constant mutinies. Indeed Tetricus had secretly entreated Aurelian by letter, using among other things the verse of Vergil: "Rescue me, unconquered one, from these evils." Zenobia too, who held the East after the killing of her husband Odaenathus, he captured not far from Antioch without a serious battle. Entering Rome, he held a noble triumph as restorer of East and West, with Tetricus and Zenobia preceding his chariot. Tetricus afterward was corrector of Lucania and lived a very long time as a private citizen; Zenobia left descendants at Rome who still remain.

Book 9.15 -- Aurelian Relinquishes Trans-Danubian Dacia

Aurelian surrounded the city of Rome with stronger walls. He built a temple to the Sun, in which he established an immense quantity of gold and gems. The province of Dacia, which Trajan had made beyond the Danube, he abandoned after all Illyricum and Moesia had been ravaged, despairing that it could be held. He led the Romans away from the cities and fields of Dacia and settled them in the middle of Moesia, and called that land Dacia. It now divides the two Moesias and is on the right side of the Danube as it flows to the sea, whereas before Dacia had been on the left. He was killed by the treachery of his own slave, who carried to certain military men, friends of Aurelian, a list of names falsely imitating his hand, as though Aurelian were preparing to kill them. Therefore, so that he might be anticipated, he was killed by those same men in the middle of the road between Constantinople and Heraclea, on the old paved way; the place is called Caenophrurium. Yet his death did not go unavenged. He also deserved to be enrolled among the gods.

Book 9.18 -- Carus against Sarmatians and Persians

After him Carus was made Augustus, born at Narbo in Gaul. He immediately made his sons Carinus and Numerian Caesars. But while he was waging war against the Sarmatians, when news came of Persian unrest, he set out for the East and performed famous deeds against the Persians. He routed them in battle and captured Coche and Ctesiphon, very noble cities. While he had camp above the Tigris, he perished by the force of divine lightning. Numerian too, his son, whom he had led with him as Caesar against the Persians, a young man of excellent nature, was killed by treachery through the instigation of Aper, his father-in-law, while he was being carried in a litter because he was afflicted with pain in his eyes. Since his death was hidden by deception until Aper could seize power, it was revealed by the stench of the corpse. The soldiers following him, moved by the smell, drew aside the curtains of the litter and after some days were able to learn his death.

Book 9.19 -- Carinus, Parthia, and Diocletian

Meanwhile Carinus, whom Carus had left as Caesar in Illyricum, Gaul, and Italy while setting out for the Parthians, polluted himself with every crime. He killed many innocent men on invented charges, corrupted noble marriages, and was destructive even to fellow students who had reproached him in the lecture hall with some slight weariness. For these things, hated by all people, he paid the penalty not long afterward. For the victorious army returning from Persia, after losing Carus Augustus by lightning and Numerian Caesar by treachery, made Diocletian emperor, a man from Dalmatia of very obscure birth, so much so that many believed he was the son of a scribe and some that he was a freedman of Senator Anullinus.

Book 9.22 -- Diocletian, Galerius, Carausius, and Narseus

When affairs were disturbed throughout the whole world, Carausius rebelled in Britain, Achilleus in Egypt, the Quinquegentiani troubled Africa, and Narseus brought war upon the East. Diocletian made Maximian Herculius Augustus from Caesar, and made Constantius and Maximian Caesars. Constantius is said to have been the grandson of Claudius through his daughter; Maximian Galerius was born in Dacia not far from Serdica. To join them also by marriage, Constantius received Theodora, stepdaughter of Herculius, from whom he afterward had six children, the brothers of Constantine; Galerius received Valeria, daughter of Diocletian. Both were compelled to repudiate the wives they had had. With Carausius, however, after wars had been tried in vain against a man highly skilled in military affairs, peace was finally arranged. After seven years Allectus, his associate, killed him and held Britain for three years after him. Under the leadership of Asclepiodotus, prefect of the praetorium, Allectus was crushed. Thus Britain was recovered in the tenth year.

Book 9.25 -- Carpi, Bastarnae, and Sarmatians

Soon, however, after forces were gathered through Illyricum and Moesia, Galerius fought again with Narseus, grandfather of Hormisdas and Sapor, in Greater Armenia, with immense success and no less judgment and courage, since he even undertook the duty of a scout with one or two horsemen. After driving Narseus away, he plundered his camp; he captured his wives, sisters, and children, the boundless nobility surrounding the Persians, and a very rich Persian treasure. He drove Narseus himself into the farthest deserts of his kingdom. For this reason, returning in ovation to Diocletian, who was then staying in Mesopotamia with garrisons, he was received with immense honor.

Afterward, both together and separately, they waged various wars. The Carpi and Bastarnae were subdued, the Sarmatians defeated, and huge numbers of captives from those nations were settled within Roman borders.

Book 10.7 -- Constantine and the Goths

In the first period of his rule Constantine was comparable to the best princes; in the last, to average ones. Countless virtues of mind and body were clear in him. He was very eager for military glory, and his fortune in wars was favorable, yet not so much that it surpassed his industry. After the civil war he also defeated the Goths in various campaigns, and peace was given to them at last. Among barbarian peoples he placed a great gratitude for his memory. He was devoted to civil arts and liberal studies, a seeker of just affection, which he sought from all through liberality and teachability. As he was doubtful toward some friends, so toward the rest he was excellent, letting no opportunity pass by which he might make them wealthier and more distinguished.

Book 10.8 -- Constantine Plans a Parthian War

He proposed many laws, some from goodness and equity, many superfluous, some severe. He was the first to attempt to raise a city of his own name to such height that he would make it a rival of Rome. While preparing war against the Parthians, who were now troubling Mesopotamia, he died at Nicomedia in a public villa, in the thirty-first year of his rule and the sixty-sixth of his age. His death was also announced by a hairy star which shone for some time with unusual size; the Greeks call it a comet. He deserved to be enrolled among the gods.

Book 10.10 -- Constantius and the Persians

The fortune of Constantius was different. From the Persians he suffered many serious things: towns often captured, cities besieged, armies cut down. He had no successful battle against Sapor except that at Singara he lost an undoubted victory through the ferocity of the soldiers, who demanded battle seditiously and foolishly against military reason when the day was already declining. After the death of Constans, when Magnentius held Italy, Africa, and Gaul, Illyricum also had new affairs, Vetranio being chosen to power by the agreement of the soldiers. Already old, and lovable to all because of the long duration and good fortune of his service, he was made princeps to defend Illyricum, a good man of old-fashioned character and pleasing civility, but so ignorant of all liberal arts that he did not receive even the first elements of letters until he was old and already emperor.

Book 10.15 -- Julian Proclaimed while Constantius is Occupied with Parthian Wars

Not long afterward, when the Germanician armies were being removed from the defense of Gaul, Julian was made Augustus by the agreement of the soldiers. After a year had passed he set out to hold Illyricum while Constantius was occupied by Parthian battles. When Constantius learned of these things, he turned toward civil war and died on the journey between Cilicia and Cappadocia, in the thirty-eighth year of his rule and the forty-fifth of his age. He deserved to be enrolled among the gods. He was a man of remarkable calm, gentle, trusting too much in friends and intimates, later also too devoted to his wives. Yet in the first years of his rule he acted with great modesty, enriched his close attendants, and did not allow those whose laborious services he had experienced to go without honor. He was rather inclined to severity when suspicion of power was stirred, otherwise mild, and his fortune is more to be praised in civil than in foreign wars.

Book 10.16 -- Julian's Persian Expedition

After this Julian gained power and with immense preparation brought war upon the Parthians; I too was present on this expedition. He received some towns and forts of the Persians into surrender, stormed others by force, ravaged Assyria, and held a standing camp for some time near Ctesiphon. Returning as victor, while he thrust himself too rashly into battles, he was killed by an enemy hand on the sixth day before the Kalends of July, in the seventh year of his rule and the thirty-second of his age, and was enrolled among the gods. He was a remarkable man and would have governed the commonwealth with distinction if the fates had allowed it. He was very learned in liberal disciplines, more skilled in Greek, and indeed so much so that his Latin learning did not equal his Greek knowledge; of immense and ready eloquence, very tenacious memory, in some respects nearer to a philosopher. Toward friends he was generous, but less careful than so great a prince should have been. For there were some who inflicted wounds upon his glory. Toward provincials he was most just and, so far as could be done, a restrainer of taxes. He was civil toward all, had a moderate care for the treasury, was eager for glory and through it often of excessive spirit, a too-great persecutor of the Christian religion, yet in such a way that he abstained from bloodshed, not unlike Marcus Antoninus, whom he also tried to imitate.

Book 10.17 -- Jovian's Persian Peace

After him Jovian, who was then serving as a domesticus, was chosen by the agreement of the army to hold the empire, better known to the soldiers because of his father's reputation than his own. With affairs already disturbed and the army suffering from lack of supplies, after being defeated by the Persians in one battle and another, he made peace with Sapor: necessary indeed, but dishonorable, since he was punished by the loss of borders and the handing over of some part of the Roman empire. This had never happened before him in almost one thousand one hundred twenty years from the founding of the Roman empire. Indeed our legions had been sent under the yoke at Caudium by Pontius Telesinus, in Spain near Numantia, and in Numidia, but no borders were handed over.

That condition of peace would not be altogether reprehensible if he had later wished to change the necessity of the treaty when he was whole, as was done by the Romans in all those wars I have mentioned. For wars were immediately brought upon the Samnites, Numantines, and Numidians, and the peace was not ratified. But while he feared a rival for power and remained inside the East, he took too little care for glory. And so, setting out on his journey and seeking Illyricum, he died suddenly on the borders of Galatia, a man otherwise neither inactive nor foolish.

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was made from selected Latin passages of Eutropius, Breviarium ab urbe condita. The selected passages are Books 5.4-7; 6.2, 6.6, 6.8-10, 6.12-14, 6.18; 7.5-6, 7.9-10, 7.14, 7.23; 8.2-3, 8.6, 8.10, 8.12-13, 8.18, 8.20, 8.23; 9.2, 9.7-8, 9.10-11, 9.13, 9.15, 9.18-19, 9.22, 9.25; and 10.7-8, 10.10, 10.15-17.

The English translation is independently derived from the Latin. No modern English translation was used as the base text.

Compiled for the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

🌲

Source Text: Latin

### Book 5.4 -- Sulla, Mithridates, and the First Eastern War

Anno urbis conditae sexcentesimo sexagesimo secundo primum Romae bellum civile commotum est, eodem anno etiam Mithridaticum. Causam bello civili C. Marius sexiens consul dedit. Nam cum Sulla consul contra Mithridatem gesturus bellum, qui Asiam et Achaiam occupaverat, mitteretur, isque exercitum in Campania paulisper teneret, ut belli socialis, de quo diximus, quod intra Italiam gestum fuerat, reliquiae tollerentur, Marius adfectavit, ut ipse ad bellum Mithridaticum mitteretur. Qua re Sulla commotus cum exercitu ad urbem venit. Illic contra Marium et Sulpicium dimicavit. Primus urbem Romam armatus ingressus est, Sulpicium interfecit, Marium fugavit, atque ita ordinatis consulibus in futurum annum Cn. Octavio et L. Cornelio Cinna ad Asiam profectus est.

### Book 5.5 -- Mithridates, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and the Asian Massacre

Mithridates enim, qui Ponti rex erat atque Armeniam minorem et totum Ponticum mare in circuitu cum Bosphoro tenebat, primum Nicomeden, amicum populi Romani, Bithynia voluit expellere senatuique mandavit bellum se ei propter iniurias, quas passus fuerat, inlaturum. A senatu responsum Mithridati est, si id faceret, quod bellum a Romanis et ipse pateretur. Quare iratus Cappadociam statim occupavit et ex ea Ariobarzanen, regem et amicum populi Romani, fugavit. Mox etiam Bithyniam invasit et Paphlagoniam pulsis ex ea regibus, amicis populi Romani, Pylaemene et Nicomede. Inde Ephesum contendit et per omnem Asiam litteras misit, ut ubicumque inventi essent cives Romani, uno die occiderentur.

### Book 5.6 -- Archelaus, Athens, and Sulla's Victories

Interea etiam Athenae, civitas Achaiae, ab Aristone Atheniensi Mithridati tradita est. Miserat eum iam ad Achaiam Mithridates Archelaum, ducem suum, cum centum et viginti milibus equitum ac peditum, per quem etiam reliqua Graecia occupata est. Sulla Archelaum apud Piraeum, non longe ab Athenis, obsedit, ipsas Athenas cepit. Postea commisso proelio contra Archelaum ita eum vicit, ut ex CXX milibus vix decem Archelao superessent, ex Sullae exercitu XIII tantum homines interficerentur. Hac pugna Mithridates cognita septuaginta milia lectissima ex Asia Archelao misit, contra quem iterum Sulla commisit. Primo proelio quindecim milia hostium interfecta sunt et filius Archelai Diogenes; secundo omnes Mithridatis copiae extinctae sunt, Archelaus ipse triduo nudus in paludibus latuit. Hac re audita Mithridates iussit cum Sulla de pace agi.

### Book 5.7 -- Sulla, the Dardani, Scordisci, Dalmatians, and Maedi

Interim eo tempore Sulla etiam Dardanos, Scordiscos, Dalmatas et Maedos partim vicit, alios in fidem accepit. Sed cum legati a rege Mithridate, qui pacem petebant, venissent, non aliter se daturum Sulla esse respondit, nisi rex relictis his, quae occupaverat, ad regnum suum redisset. Postea tamen ad colloquium ambo venerunt. Pax inter eos ordinata est, ut Sulla ad bellum civile festinans a tergo periculum non haberet. Nam dum Sulla in Achaia atque Asia Mithridatem vincit, Marius, qui fugatus erat, et Cornelius Cinna, unus ex consulibus, bellum in Italia reparaverunt et ingressi urbem Romam nobilissimos e senatu et consulares viros interfecerunt, multos proscripserunt, ipsius Sullae domo eversa filios et uxorem ad fugam conpulerunt. Universus reliquus senatus ex urbe fugiens ad Sullam in Graeciam venit, orans, ut patriae subveniret. Ille in Italiam traiecit, bellum civile gesturus adversus Norbanum et Scipionem consules. Et primo proelio contra Norbanum dimicavit non longe a Capua. Tum sex milia eius cecidit, sex milia cepit, CXXIV suos amisit. Inde etiam ad Scipionem se convertit et ante proelium totum eius exercitum sine sanguine in deditionem accepit.

### Book 6.2 -- Curio Reaches the Danube

Ad Macedoniam missus est Ap. Claudius post consulatum. Levia proelia habuit contra varias gentes, quae Rhodopam provinciam incolebant, atque ibi morbo mortuus est. Missus ei successor C. Scribonius Curio post consulatum. Is Dardanos vicit et usque ad Danubium penetravit triumphumque meruit et intra triennium bello finem dedit.

### Book 6.6 -- Lucullus, Mithridates, and Cyzicus

Anno urbis conditae sexcentesimo septuagesimo sexto, L. Licinio Lucullo et M. Aurelio Cotta consulibus mortuus est Nicomedes, rex Bithyniae, et per testamentum populum Romanum fecit heredem. Mithridates pace rupta Bithyniam et Asiam rursus voluit invadere. Adversus eum ambo consules missi variam habuere fortunam. Cotta apud Chalcedonem victus ab eo acie, etiam intra oppidum coactus est et obsessus. Sed cum se inde Mithridates Cyzicum transtulisset, ut Cyzico capta totam Asiam invaderet, Lucullus ei, alter consul, occurrit. Ac dum Mithridates in obsidione Cyzici commoratur, ipse eum a tergo obsedit fameque consumpsit et multis proeliis vicit, postremo Byzantium, quae nunc Constantinopolis est, fugavit. Navali quoque proelio duces eius Lucullus oppressit. Ita una hieme et aestate a Lucullo ad centum fere milia regis extincta sunt.

### Book 6.8 -- Lucullus in Pontus and Armenia Minor

Sexcentesimo octogesimo primo anno urbis conditae, P. Cornelio Lentulo et Cn. Aufidio Oreste consulibus duo tantum gravia bella in imperio Romano erant, Mithridaticum et Macedonicum. Haec duo Luculli agebant, L. Lucullus et M. Lucullus. L. ergo Lucullus post pugnam Cyzicenam, qua vicerat Mithridatem, et navalem, qua duces eius oppresserat, persecutus est eum et recepta Paphlagonia atque Bithynia etiam regnum eius invasit, Sinopen et Amison, civitates Ponti nobilissimas, cepit. Secundo proelio apud Caberam civitatem, quo ingentes copias ex omni regno adduxerat Mithridates, cum XXX milia lectissima regis a quinque milibus Romanorum vastata essent, Mithridates fugatus est, castra eius direpta. Armenia quoque minor, quam tenuerat, eidem sublata est. Susceptus tamen est Mithridates post fugam a Tigrane, Armeniae rege, qui tum ingenti gloria imperabat, Persas saepe vicerat, Mesopotamiam occupaverat et Syriam et Phoenices partem.

### Book 6.9 -- Tigranocerta and Armenia

Ergo Lucullus repetens hostem fugatum etiam regnum Tigranis qui Armeniis imperabat ingressus est. Tigranocertam, civitatem Arzanenae, nobilissimam regni Armeniaci, cepit, ipsum regem cum septem milibus quingentis clibanariis et centum milibus sagittariorum et armatorum venientem decem et octo milia militum habens ita vicit, ut magnam partem Armeniorum deleverit. Inde Nisibin profectus eam quoque civitatem cum regis fratre cepit. Sed hi, quos in Ponto Lucullus reliquerat cum exercitus parte, ut regiones victas et iam Romanorum tuerentur, neglegenter se et avare agentes occasionem iterum Mithridati in Pontum inrumpendi dederunt, atque ita bellum renovatum est. Lucullo paranti capta Nisibi contra Persas expeditionem successor est missus.

### Book 6.10 -- Macedonia, the Bessi, and Cities above the Pontus

Alter autem Lucullus, qui Macedoniam administrabat, Bessis primus Romanorum intulit bellum atque eos ingenti proelio in Haemo monte superavit. Oppidum Uscudamam, quod Bessi habitabant, eodem die, quo adgressus est, vicit, Cabylen cepit, usque ad Danubium penetravit. Inde multas supra Pontum positas civitates adgressus est. Illic Apolloniam evertit, Callatim, Parthenopolim, Tomos, Histrum, Burziaonem cepit belloque confecto Romam rediit. Ambo triumphaverunt, tamen Lucullus, qui contra Mithridatem pugnaverat, maiore gloria, cum tantorum regnorum victor redisset.

### Book 6.12 -- Pompey, Mithridates, and the Bosporus

Dum haec geruntur, piratae omnia maria infestabant ita, ut Romanis toto orbe victoribus sola navigatio tuta non esset. Quare id bellum Cn. Pompeio decretum est. Quod intra paucos menses ingenti et felicitate et celeritate confecit. Mox ei delatum etiam bellum contra regem Mithridatem et Tigranem. Quo suscepto Mithridatem in Armenia minore nocturno proelio vicit, castra diripuit, quadraginta milia eius occidit, viginti tantum de exercitu suo perdidit et duos centuriones. Mithridates cum uxore fugit et duobus comitibus. Neque multo post, cum in suos saeviret, Pharnacis, filii sui, apud milites seditione ad mortem coactus venenum hausit. Hunc finem habuit Mithridates. Periit autem apud Bosphorum, vir ingentis industriae consiliique. Regnavit annis sexaginta, vixit septuaginta duobus, contra Romanos bellum habuit annis quadraginta.

### Book 6.13 -- Tigranes and Artaxata

Tigrani deinde Pompeius bellum intulit. Ille se ei dedidit et in castra Pompeii sexto decimo miliario ab Artaxata venit ac diadema suum, cum procubuisset ad genua Pompeii, in manibus ipsius conlocavit. Quod ei Pompeius reposuit honorificeque eum habitum regni tamen parte multavit et grandi pecunia. Adempta est ei Syria, Phoenice, Sophanene; sex milia praeterea talentorum argenti indicta, quae populo Romano daret, quia bellum sine causa Romanis commovisset.

### Book 6.14 -- Pompey, the Albanians, Iberians, Colchis, and Syria

Pompeius mox etiam Albanis bellum intulit et eorum regem Oroden ter vicit, postremo per epistulas ac munera rogatus veniam ei ac pacem dedit. Hiberiae quoque regem Artacen vicit acie et in deditionem accepit. Armeniam minorem Deiotaro, Galatiae regi, donavit, quia socius belli Mithridatici fuerat. Attalo et Pylaemeni Paphlagoniam reddidit. Aristarchum Colchis regem imposuit. Mox Ituraeos et Arabas vicit. Et cum venisset in Syriam, Seleuciam, vicinam Antiochiae civitatem, libertate donavit, quod regem Tigranen non recepisset. Antiochensibus obsides reddidit. Aliquantum agrorum Daphnensibus dedit, quo lucus ibi spatiosior fieret, delectatus loci amoenitate et aquarum abundantia. Inde ad Iudaeam transgressus est, Hierosolyma, caput gentis, tertio mense cepit XII milibus Iudaeorum occisis, ceteris in fidem acceptis. His gestis in Asiam se recepit et finem antiquissimo bello dedit.

### Book 6.18 -- Crassus and the Parthian Disaster

Circa eadem tempora anno urbis conditae sexcentesimo nonagesimo septimo, M. Licinius Crassus, collega Cn. Pompeii Magni in consulatu secundo, contra Parthos missus est et cum circa Carras contra omen et auspicia dimicasset, a Surena, Orodis regis duce, victus ad postremum interfectus est cum filio, clarissimo et praestantissimo iuvene. Reliquiae exercitus per C. Cassium quaestorem servatae sunt, qui singulari animo perditas res tanta virtute restituit, ut Persas rediens trans Euphraten crebris proeliis vinceret.

### Book 7.5 -- Ventidius and Pacorus

Eo tempore M. Agrippa in Acquitania rem prospere gessit et L. Ventidius Bassus inrumpentes in Syriam Persas tribus proeliis vicit. Pacorum, regis Orodis filium, interfecit eo ipso die, quo olim Orodes, Persarum rex, per ducem Surenam Crassum occiderat. Hic primus de Parthis iustissimum triumphum Romae egit.

### Book 7.6 -- Antony against the Persians and Parthians

Interim Pompeius pacem rupit et navali proelio victus fugiens ad Asiam interfectus est. Antonius, qui Asiam et Orientem tenebat, repudiata sorore Caesaris Augusti Octaviani Cleopatram, reginam Aegypti, duxit uxorem. Contra Persas etiam ipse pugnavit. Primis eos proeliis vicit, regrediens tamen fame et pestilentia laboravit et, cum instarent Parthi fugienti, ipse pro victo recessit.

### Book 7.9 -- Augustus, the Dacians, Pontic Cities, Bosporus, and Armenia

Nullo tempore ante eum magis Romana res floruit. Nam exceptis civilibus bellis, in quibus invictus fuit, Romano adiecit imperio Aegyptum, Cantabriam, Dalmatiam saepe ante victam, sed penitus tunc subactam, Pannoniam, Aquitaniam, Illyricum, Raetiam, Vindelicos et Salassos in Alpibus, omnes Ponti maritimas civitates, in his nobilissimas Bosphorum et Panticapaeum. Vicit autem multis proeliis Dacos. Germanorum ingentes copias cecidit, ipsos quoque trans Albim fluvium summovit, qui in Barbarico longe ultra Rhenum est. Hoc tamen bellum per Drusum, privignum suum, administravit, sicut per Tiberium, privignum alterum, Pannonicum, quo bello XL captivorum milia ex Germania transtulit et supra ripam Rheni in Gallia conlocavit. Armeniam a Parthis recepit. Obsides, quod nulli antea, Persae ei dederunt. Reddiderunt etiam signa Romana, quae Crasso victo ademerant.

### Book 7.10 -- Scythian and Indian Envoys to Augustus

Scythae et Indi, quibus antea Romanorum nomen incognitum fuerat, munera et legatos ad eum miserunt. Galatia quoque sub hoc provincia facta est, cum antea regnum fuisset, primusque eam M. Lollius pro praetore administravit. Tanto autem amore etiam apud barbaros fuit, ut reges populi Romani amici in honorem eius conderent civitates, quas Caesareas nominarent, sicut in Mauritania a rege Iuba, et in Palaestina, quae nunc urbs est clarissima. Multi autem reges ex regnis suis venerunt, ut ei obsequerentur, et habitu Romano, togati scilicet, ad vehiculum vel equum ipsius cucurrerunt. Moriens Divus appellatus. Rem publicam beatissimam Tiberio successori reliquit, qui privignus ei, mox gener, postremo adoptione filius fuerat.

### Book 7.14 -- Nero, Armenia, and the Parthians

Successit huic Nero, Caligulae, avunculo suo, simillimus, qui Romanum imperium et deformavit et diminuit, inusitatae luxuriae sumptuumque, ut qui exemplo C. Caligulae in calidis et frigidis lavaret unguentis, retibus aureis piscaretur, quae blattinis funibus extrahebat. Infinitam senatus partem interfecit, bonis omnibus hostis fuit. Ad postremum se tanto dedecore prostituit, ut et saltaret et cantaret in scaena citharoedico habitu vel tragico. Parricidia multa commisit, fratre, uxore, sorore, matre interfectis. Urbem Romam incendit, ut spectaculi eius imaginem cerneret, quali olim Troia capta arserat. In re militari nihil omnino ausus Britanniam paene amisit. Nam duo sub eo nobilissima oppida capta illic atque eversa sunt. Armeniam Parthi sustulerunt legionesque Romanas sub iugum miserunt. Duae tamen sub eo provinciae factae sunt, Pontus Polemoniacus concedente rege Polemone et Alpes Cottiae Cottio rege defuncto.

### Book 7.23 -- Domitian's Dacian and Sarmatian Wars

Domitianus mox accepit imperium, frater ipsius iunior, Neroni aut Caligulae aut Tiberio similior quam patri vel fratri suo. Primis tamen annis moderatus in imperio fuit, mox ad ingentia vitia progressus libidinis, iracundiae, crudelitatis, avaritiae tantum in se odii concitavit, ut merita et patris et fratris aboleret. Interfecit nobilissimos e senatu. Dominum se et deum primus appellari iussit. Nullam sibi nisi auream et argenteam statuam in Capitolio passus est poni. Consobrinos suos interfecit. Superbia quoque in eo execrabilis fuit. Expeditiones quattuor habuit, unam adversum Sarmatas, alteram adversum Cattos, duas adversum Dacos. De Dacis Cattisque duplicem triumphum egit, de Sarmatis solam lauream usurpavit. Multas tamen calamitates isdem bellis passus est; nam in Sarmatia legio eius cum duce interfecta est et a Dacis Oppius Sabinus consularis et Cornelius Fuscus, praefectus praetorio, cum magnis exercitibus occisi sunt. Romae quoque multa opera fecit, in his Capitolium et Forum Transitorium, Divorum Porticus, Isium ac Serapium et Stadium. Verum, cum ob scelera universis exosus esse coepisset, interfectus est suorum coniuratione in Palatio anno aetatis quadragesimo quinto, imperii quinto decimo. Funus eius ingenti dedecore per vespillones exportatum et ignobiliter est sepultum.

### Book 8.2 -- Trajan Conquers Dacia

Successit ei Ulpius Crinitus Traianus, natus Italicae in Hispania, familia antiqua magis quam clara. Nam pater eius primum consul fuit. Imperator autem apud Agrippinam in Galliis factus est. Rem publicam ita administravit, ut omnibus principibus merito praeferatur, inusitatae civilitatis et fortitudinis. Romani imperii, quod post Augustum defensum magis fuerat quam nobiliter ampliatum, fines longe lateque diffudit. Urbes trans Rhenum in Germania reparavit. Daciam Decibalo victo subegit, provincia trans Danubium facta in his agris, quos nunc Taifali, Victoali et Tervingi habent. Ea provincia decies centena milia passuum in circuitu tenuit.

### Book 8.3 -- Trajan, Armenia, Albania, Sauromatians, Bosporus, Colchis, and the East

Armeniam, quam occupaverant Parthi recepit, Parthomasiri occiso, qui eam tenebat. Albanis regem dedit. Hiberorum regem et Sauromatarum et Bosphoranorum et Arabum et Osdroenorum et Colchorum in fidem accepit. Carduenos, Marcomedos occupavit et Anthemusium, magnam Persidis regionem, Seleuciam, Ctesiphontem, Babylonem; Messenios vicit ac tenuit. Usque ad Indiae fines et mare Rubrum accessit atque ibi tres provincias fecit, Armeniam, Assyriam, Mesopotamiam, cum his gentibus, quae Madenam attingunt. Arabiam postea in provinciae formam redegit. In mari Rubro classem instituit, ut per eam Indiae fines vastaret.

### Book 8.6 -- Hadrian Abandons Trajan's Eastern Provinces and Holds Dacia

Defuncto Traiano Aelius Hadrianus creatus est princeps, sine aliqua quidem voluntate Traiani, sed operam dante Plotina, Traiani uxore; nam eum Traianus, quamquam consobrinae suae filium, vivus noluerat adoptare. Natus et ipse Italicae in Hispania. Qui Traiani gloriae invidens statim provincias tres reliquit, quas Traianus addiderat, et de Assyria, Mesopotamia, Armenia revocavit exercitus ac finem imperii esse voluit Euphraten. Idem de Dacia facere conatum amici deterruerunt, ne multi cives Romani barbaris traderentur, propterea quia Traianus victa Dacia ex toto orbe Romano infinitas eo copias hominum transtulerat ad agros et urbes colendas. Dacia enim diuturno bello Decibali viris fuerat exhausta.

### Book 8.10 -- Lucius Verus and the Parthian War

Hi et genere inter se coniuncti fuerunt et adfinitate. Nam Verus Annius Antoninus M. Antonini filiam in matrimonium habuit, M. autem Antoninus gener Antonini Pii fuit per uxorem Galeriam Faustinam iuniorem, consobrinam suam. Hi bellum contra Parthos gesserunt, qui post victoriam Traiani tum primum rebellaverant. Verus Antoninus ad id profectus est. Qui Antiochiae et circa Armeniam agens multa per duces suos et ingentia patravit. Seleuciam, Assyriae urbem nobilissimam, cum quadringentis milibus hominum cepit; Parthicum triumphum revexit. Cum fratre eodemque socero triumphavit. Obiit tamen in Venetia, cum a Concordia civitate Altinum proficisceretur et cum fratre in vehiculo sederet, subito sanguine ictus, casu morbi, quem Graeci apoplexin vocant. Vir ingenii parum civilis, reverentia tamen fratris nihil umquam atrox ausus. Cum obisset undecimo imperii anno, inter deos relatus est.

### Book 8.12 -- Marcus Aurelius and the Marcomannic War

Institutus est ad philosophiam per Apollonium Chalcedonium, ad scientiam litterarum Graecarum per Sextus Chaeronensem, Plutarchi nepotem, Latinas autem eum litteras Fronto, orator nobilissimus, docuit. Hic cum omnibus Romae aequo iure egit, ad nullam insolentiam elatus est imperii fastigio; liberalitatis promptissimae. Provincias ingenti benignitate et moderatione tractavit. Contra Germanos eo principe res feliciter gestae sunt. Bellum ipse unum gessit Marcomannicum, sed quantum nulla memoria fuit, adeo ut Punicis conferatur. Nam eo gravius est factum, quod universi exercitus Romani perierant. Sub hoc enim tantus casus pestilentiae fuit, ut post victoriam Persicam Romae ac per Italiam provinciasque maxima hominum pars, militum omnes fere copiae languore defecerint.

### Book 8.13 -- Quadi, Vandals, Sarmatians, Suebi, and Pannonia

Ingenti ergo labore et moderatione, cum apud Carnuntum iugi triennio perseverasset, bellum Marcomannicum confecit, quod cum his Quadi, Vandali, Sarmatae, Suevi atque omnis barbaria commoverat, multa hominum milia interfecit, ac Pannoniis servitio liberatis Romae rursus cum Commodo Antonino, filio suo, quem iam Caesarem fecerat, triumphavit. Ad huius belli sumptum cum aerario exhausto largitiones nullas haberet neque indicere provincialibus aut senatui aliquid vellet, instrumentum regii cultus facta in foro divi Traiani sectione distraxit, vasa aurea, pocula crystallina et murrina, uxoriam ac suam sericam et auream vestem, multa ornamenta gemmarum. Ac per duos continuos menses ea venditio habita est multumque auri redactum. Post victoriam tamen emptoribus pretia restituit, qui reddere conparata voluerunt; molestus nulli fuit, qui maluit semel empta retinere.

### Book 8.18 -- Septimius Severus, Parthians, Arabs, and Adiabene

Hinc imperii Romani administrationem Septimius Severus accepit, oriundus ex Africa, provincia Tripolitana, oppido Lepti. Solus omni memoria et ante et postea ex Africa imperator fuit. Hic primum fisci advocatus, mox militaris tribunus, per multa deinde et varia officia atque honores usque ad administrationem totius rei publicae venit. Pertinacem se appellari voluit in honorem eius Pertinacis, qui a Iuliano fuerat occisus. Parcus admodum fuit, natura saevus. Bella multa et feliciter gessit. Pescennium Nigrum, qui in Aegypto et Syria rebellaverat, apud Cyzicum interfecit. Parthos vicit et Arabas interiores et Adiabenos. Arabas eo usque superavit, ut etiam provinciam ibi faceret. Idcirco Parthicus, Arabicus, Adiabenicus dictus est. Multa toto orbe Romano reparavit. Sub eo etiam Clodius Albinus, qui in occidendo Pertinace socius fuerat Iuliano, Caesarem se in Gallia fecit, victusque apud Lugdunum et interfectus.

### Book 8.20 -- Caracalla and the Parthian Expedition

M. igitur Aurelius Antoninus Bassianus, idemque Caracalla, morum fere paternorum fuit, paulo asperior et minax. Opus Romae egregium fecit lavacri, quae thermae Antoninianae appellantur, nihil praeterea memorabile. Inpatientis libidinis, qui novercam suam Iuliam uxorem duxerit. Defunctus est in Osdroena apud Edessam moliens adversum Parthos expeditionem anno imperii sexto, mense secundo, vix egressus quadragesimum tertium annum. Funere publico elatus est.

### Book 8.23 -- Alexander Severus and the Persians

Successit huic Aurelius Alexander, ab exercitu Caesar, a senatu Augustus nominatus, invenis admodum, susceptoque adversus Persas bello Xerxen, eorum regem, gloriosissime vicit. Militarem disciplinam severissime rexit. Quasdam tumultuantes legiones integras exauctoravit. Adsessorem habuit vel scrinii magistrum Ulpianum, iuris conditorem. Romae quoque favorabilis fuit. Periit in Gallia militari tumultu tertio decimo imperii anno et die nono. In Mamaeam, matrem suam, unice pius.

### Book 9.2 -- Gordian and the Persian War

Postea tres simul Augusti fuerunt, Pupienus, Balbinus, Gordianus, duo superiores obscurissimo genere, Gordianus nobilis, quippe cuius pater, senior Gordianus, consensu militum, cum proconsulatum Africae gereret, Maximino imperante princeps fuisset electus. Itaque cum Romam venissent, Balbinus et Pupienus in Palatio interfecti sunt, soli Gordiano imperium reservatum. Gordianus admodum puer cum Tranquillinam Romae duxisset uxorem, Ianum Geminum aperuit et ad Orientem profectus Parthis bellum intulit, qui iam moliebantur erumpere. Quod quidem feliciter gessit proeliisque ingentibus Persas adflixit. Rediens haud longe a Romanis finibus interfectus est fraude Philippi, qui post eum imperavit. Miles ei tumulum vicesimo miliario a Circesio, quod castrum nunc Romanorum est Euphratae inminens, aedificavit, exequias Romam revexit, ipsum Divum appellavit.

### Book 9.7 -- Valerian Captured by the Persians

Hinc Licinius Valerianus in Raetia et Norico agens ab exercitu imperator et mox Augustus est factus. Gallienus quoque Romae a senatu Caesar est appellatus. Horum imperium Romano nomini perniciosum et paene exitiabile fuit vel infelicitate principum vel ignavia. Germani Ravennam usque venerunt. Valerianus in Mesopotamia bellum gerens a Sapore, Persarum rege, superatus est, mox etiam captus apud Parthos ignobili servitute consenuit.

### Book 9.8 -- Goths, Sarmatians, Parthians, Pontus, and Dacia under Gallienus

Gallienus, cum adulescens factus esset Augustus, imperium primum feliciter, mox commode, ad ultimum perniciose gessit. Nam iuvenis in Gallia et Illyrico multa strenue fecit occiso apud Mursam Ingenuo, qui purpuram sumpserat, et Trebelliano. Diu placidus et quietus, mox in omnem lasciviam dissolutus, tenendae rei publicae habenas probrosa ignavia et desperatione laxavit. Alamanni vastatis Galliis in Italiam penetraverunt. Dacia, quae a Traiano ultra Danubium fuerat adiecta, tum amissa, Graecia, Macedonia, Pontus, Asia vastata est per Gothos, Pannonia a Sarmatis Quadisque populata est, Germani usque ad Hispanias penetraverunt et civitatem nobilem Tarraconem expugnaverunt, Parthi Mesopotamia occupata Syriam sibi coeperant vindicare.

### Book 9.10 -- Odaenathus and the Persians

Huic successit Tetricus senator, qui Aquitaniam honore praesidis administrans absens a militibus imperator electus est et apud Burdigalam purpuram sumpsit. Seditiones multas militum pertulit. Sed dum haec in Gallia geruntur, in Oriente per Odenathum Persae victi sunt. Defensa Syria, recepta Mesopotamia usque ad Ctesiphontem Odenathus penetravit.

### Book 9.11 -- Claudius Defeats the Goths

Ita Gallieno rem publicam deserente Romanum imperium in Occidente per Postumum, per Odenathum in Oriente servatum est. Gallienus interea Mediolani cum Valeriano fratre occisus est imperii anno nono Claudiusque ei successit a militibus electus, a senatu appellatus Augustus. Hic Gothos Illyricum Macedoniamque vastantes ingenti proelio vicit. Parcus vir ac modestus et iusti tenax ac rei publicae gerendae idoneus, qui tamen intra imperii biennium morbo interiit. Divus appellatus est. Senatus eum ingenti honore decoravit, scilicet ut in curia clipeus ipsi aureus, item in Capitolio statua aurea poneretur.

### Book 9.13 -- Aurelian Defeats Goths, Tetricus, and Zenobia

Post eum Aurelianus suscepit imperium, Dacia Ripensi oriundus, vir in bello potens, animi tamen inmodici et ad crudelitatem propensioris. Is quoque Gothos strenuissime vicit. Romanam dicionem ad fines pristinos varia bellorum felicitate revocavit. Superavit in Gallia Tetricum apud Catalaunos ipso Tetrico prodente exercitum suum, cuius adsiduas seditiones ferre non poterat. Quin etiam per litteras occultas Aurelianum ita fuerat deprecatus, ut inter alia versu Vergiliano uteretur: "Eripe me his, invicte, malis". Zenobiam quoque, quae occiso Odenatho marito Orientem tenebat, haud longe ab Antiochia sine gravi proelio cepit, ingressusque Romam nobilem triumphum quasi receptor Orientis Occidentisque egit praecedentibus currum Tetrico et Zenobia. Qui quidem Tetricus corrector Lucaniae postea fuit ac privatus diutissime vixit; Zenobia autem posteros, qui adhuc manent, Romae reliquit.

### Book 9.15 -- Aurelian Relinquishes Trans-Danubian Dacia

Urbem Romam muris firmioribus cinxit. Templum Soli aedificavit, in quo infinitum auri gemmarumque constituit. Provinciam Daciam, quam Traianus ultra Danubium fecerat, intermisit, vastato omni Illyrico et Moesia, desperans eam posse retinere, abductosque Romanos ex urbibus et agris Daciae in media Moesia collocavit appellavitque eam Daciam, quae nunc duas Moesias dividit et est in dextra Danubio in mare fluenti, cum antea fuerit in laeva. Occiditur servi sui fraude, qui ad quosdam militares viros, amicos ipsius, nomina pertulit adnotata, falso manum eius imitatus, tamquam Aurelianus ipsos pararet occidere; itaque ut praeveniretur, ab isdem interfectus est in itineris medio, quod inter Constantinopolim et Heracleam est stratae veteris; locus Caenophrurium appellatur. Mors tamen eius inulta non fuit. Meruit quoque inter Divos referri.

### Book 9.18 -- Carus against Sarmatians and Persians

Post hunc Carus est factus Augustus, Narbone natus in Gallia. Is confestim Carinum et Numerianum filios Caesares fecit. Sed dum bellum adversus Sarmatas gerit, nuntiato Persarum tumultu ad Orientem profectus res contra Persas nobiles gessit. Ipsos proelio fudit, Cochen et Ctesiphontem, urbes nobilissimas, cepit. Et cum castra super Tigridem haberet, vi divini fulminis periit. Numerianus quoque, filius eius, quem secum Caesarem ad Persas duxerat, adulescens egregiae indolis, cum oculorum dolore correptus in lecticula veheretur, inpulsore Apro, qui socer eius erat, per insidias occisus est. Et cum dolo occultaretur ipsius mors, quousque Aper invadere posset imperium, foetore cadaveris prodita est. Milites enim, qui eum sequebantur, putore commoti deductis lecticulae palliis post aliquot dies mortem eius notam habere potuerunt.

### Book 9.19 -- Carinus, Parthia, and Diocletian

Interea Carinus, quem Caesarem ad Parthos proficiscens Carus in Illyrico, Gallia, Italia reliquerat, omnibus se sceleribus inquinavit. Plurimos innoxios fictis criminibus occidit, matrimonia nobilia corrupit, condiscipulis quoque, qui eum in auditorio vel levi fatigatione taxaverant, perniciosus fuit. Ob quae omnibus hominibus invisus non multo post poenas dedit. Nam de Perside victor exercitus rediens, cum Carum Augustum fulmine, Numerianum Caesarem insidiis perdidisset, Diocletianum imperatorem creavit, Dalmatia oriundum, virum obscurissime natum, adeo ut a plerisque scribae filius, a nonnullis Anullini senatoris libertinus fuisse credatur.

### Book 9.22 -- Diocletian, Galerius, Carausius, and Narseus

Ita cum per omnem orbem terrarum res turbatae essent, Carausius in Britanniis rebellaret, Achilleus in Aegypto, Africam Quinquegentiani infestarent, Narseus Orienti bellum inferret, Diocletianus Maximianum Herculium ex Caesare fecit Augustum, Constantium et Maximianum Caesares, quorum Constantius per filiam nepos Claudii traditur, Maximianus Galerius in Dacia haud longe a Serdica natus. Atque ut eos etiam adfinitate coniungeret, Constantius privignam Herculii Theodoram accepit, ex qua postea sex liberos, Constantini fratres, habuit, Galerius filiam Diocletiani Valeriam, ambo uxores, quas habuerant, repudiare conpulsi. Cum Carausio tamen, cum bella frustra temptata essent contra virum rei militaris peritissimum, ad postremum pax convenit. Eum post septennium Allectus, socius eius, occidit atque ipse post eum Britannias triennio tenuit. Qui ductu Asclepiodoti, praefecti praetorio, oppressus est. Ita Britanniae decimo anno receptae.

### Book 9.25 -- Carpi, Bastarnae, and Sarmatians

Mox tamen per Illyricum Moesiamque contractis copiis rursus cum Narseo, Hormisdae et Saporis avo, in Armenia maiore pugnavit successu ingenti nec minore consilio, simul fortitudine, quippe qui etiam speculatoris munus cum altero aut tertio equite susceperit. Pulso Narseo castra eius diripuit; uxores, sorores, liberos cepit, infinitam extrinsecus Persarum nobilitatem, gazam Persicam copiosissimam. Ipsum in ultimas regni solitudines egit. Quare a Diocletiano in Mesopotamia cum praesidiis tum morante ovans regressus ingenti honore susceptus est. Varia deinceps et simul et viritim bella gesserunt Carpis et Basternis subactis, Sarmatis victis, quarum nationum ingentes captivorum copias in Romanis finibus locaverunt.

### Book 10.7 -- Constantine and the Goths

Vir primo imperii tempore optimis principibus, ultimo mediis conparandus. Innumerae in eo animi corporisque virtutes claruerunt. Militaris gloriae adpetentissimus, fortuna in bellis prospera fuit, verum ita, ut non superaret industriam. Nam etiam Gothos post civile bellum varie profligavit pace his ad postremum data, ingentemque apud barbaras gentes memoriae gratiam conlocavit. Civilibus artibus et studiis liberalibus deditus, adfectator iusti amoris, quem ab omnibus sibi et liberalitate et docilitate quaesivit, sicut in nonnullos amicos dubius, ita in reliquos egregius, nihil occasionum praetermittens, quo opulentiores eos clarioresque praestaret.

### Book 10.8 -- Constantine Plans a Parthian War

Multas leges rogavit, quasdam ex bono et aequo, plerasque superfluas, nonnullas severas, primusque urbem nominis sui ad tantum fastigium evehere molitus est, ut Romae aemulam faceret. Bellum adversus Parthos moliens, qui iam Mesopotamiam fatigabant, uno et tricesimo anno imperii, aetatis sexto et sexagesimo, Nicomediae in villa publica obiit. Denuntiata mors eius est etiam per crinitam stellam, quae inusitatae magnitudinis aliquamdiu fulsit; eam Graeci cometen vocant. Atque inter Divos meruit referri

### Book 10.10 -- Constantius and the Persians

Diversa Constantii fortuna fuit. A Persis enim multa et gravia perpessus saepe captis oppidis, obsessis urbibus, caesis exercitibus, nullumque ei contra Saporem prosperum proelium fuit, nisi quod apud Singara haud dubiam victoriam ferocia militum amisit, qui pugnam seditiose et stolide contra rationem belli die iam praecipiti poposcerunt. Post Constantis necem Magnentio Italiam, Africam, Gallias obtinente etiam Illyricum res novas habuit, Vetranione ad imperium consensu militum electo. Quem grandaevum iam et cunctis amabilem diuturnitate et felicitate militiae ad tuendum Illyricum principem creaverunt, virum probum et morum veterum ac iucundae civilitatis, sed omnium liberalium artium expertem adeo, ut ne elementa quidem prima litterarum nisi grandaevus et iam imperator acceperit.

### Book 10.15 -- Julian Proclaimed while Constantius is Occupied with Parthian Wars

Neque multo post, cum Germaniciani exercitus a Galliarum praesidio tollerentur, consensu militum Iulianus factus Augustus est, interiectoque anno ad Illyricum obtinendum profectus Constantio Parthicis proeliis occupato. Qui rebus cognitis ad bellum civile conversus in itinere obiit inter Ciliciam Cappadociamque anno imperii octavo et tricesimo, aetatis quinto et quadragesimo, meruitque inter Divos referri, vir egregiae tranquillitatis, placidus, nimium amicis et familiaribus credens, mox etiam uxoribus deditior, qui tamen primis imperii annis ingenti se modestia egerit, familiarium etiam locupletator neque inhonoros sinens, quorum laboriosa expertus fuisset officia, ad severitatem tum propensior, si suspicio imperii moveretur, mitis alias, et cuius in civilibus magis quam in externis bellis sit laudanda fortuna.

### Book 10.16 -- Julian's Persian Expedition

Hinc Iulianus rerum potitus est ingentique apparatu Parthis intulit bellum, cui expeditioni ego quoque interfui. Aliquot oppida et castella Persarum in deditionem accepit vel vi expugnavit Assyriamque populatus castra apud Ctesiphontem stativa aliquamdiu habuit. Remeansque victor, dum se inconsultius proeliis inserit, hostili manu interfectus est VI Kal. Iul., imperii anno septimo, aetatis altero et tricesimo, atque inter Divos relatus est, vir egregius et rem publicam insigniter moderaturus, si per fata licuisset. Liberalibus disciplinis adprime eruditus, Graecis doctior atque adeo, ut Latina eruditio nequaquam cum Graeca scientia conveniret, facundia ingenti et prompta, memoriae tenacissimae, in quibusdam philosopho propior. In amicos liberalis, sed minus diligens quam tantum principem decuit. Fuerunt enim nonnulli, qui vulnera gloriae eius inferrent. In provinciales iustissimus et tributorum, quatenus fieri posset, repressor. Civilis in cunctos, mediocrem habens aerarii curam, gloriae avidus ac per eam animi plerumque inmodici, religionis Christianae nimius insectator, perinde tamen, ut cruore abstineret, M. Antonino non absimilis, quem etiam aemulari studebat.

### Book 10.17 -- Jovian's Persian Peace

Post hunc Iovianus, qui tunc domesticus militabat, ad obtinendum imperium consensu exercitus lectus est, commendatione patris militibus quam sua notior. Qui iam turbatis rebus exercitu quoque inopia laborante uno a Persis atque altero proelio victus pacem cum Sapore, necessariam quidem, sed ignobilem, fecit, multatus finibus ac nonnulla imperii Romani parte tradita. Quod ante eum annis mille centum et duobus de viginti fere, ex quo Romanum imperium conditum erat, numquam accidit. Quin etiam legiones nostrae ita et apud Caudium per Pontium Telesinum et in Hispania apud Numantiam et in Numidia sub iugum missae sunt, ut nihil tamen finium traderetur. Ea pacis conditio non penitus reprehendenda foret, si foederis necessitatem tum cum integrum fuit mutare voluisset, sicut a Romanis omnibus his bellis, quae commemoravi, factum est. Nam et Samnitibus et Numantinis et Numidis confestim bella inlata sunt neque pax rata fuit. Sed dum aemulum imperii veretur, intra Orientem residens gloriae parum consuluit. Itaque iter ingressus atque Illyricum petens in Galatiae finibus repentina morte obiit, vir alias neque iners neque inprudens.

Source Colophon

The Latin source body was extracted from the local Eutropius source dossier and copied for this translation pass at Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/eutropius_northern_eastern_latin_source_manual74.txt.

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