Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John · Isaac Newton
CHAP. V.
_Of the Kingdoms represented by the feet of the Image composed of iron and clay._ _Dacia_ was a large country bounded on the south by the _Danube_, on the east by the _Euxine_ sea, on the north by the river _Neister_ and the mountain _Crapac_, and on the west by the river _Tibesis_, or _Teys_, which runs southward into the _Danube_ a little above _Belgrade_. It comprehended the countries now called _Transylvania_, _Moldavia_, and _Wallachia_, and the eastern part of the upper _Hungary_. Its antient inhabitants were called _Getæ_ by the _Greeks_, _Daci_ by the _Latins_, and _Goths_ by themselves. _Alexander_ the great attacked them, and _Trajan_ conquered them, and reduced their country into a Province of the _Roman_ Empire: and thereby the propagation of the Gospel among them was much promoted. They were composed of several _Gothic_ nations, called _Ostrogoths_, _Visigoths_, _Vandals_, _Gepides_, _Lombards_, _Burgundians_, _Alans_, &c. who all agreed in their manners, and spake the same language, as _Procopius_ represents. While they lived under the _Romans_, the _Goths_ or _Ostrogoths_ were seated in the eastern parts of _Dacia_, the _Vandals_ in the western part upon the river _Teys_, where the rivers _Maresh_ and _Keresh_ run into it. The _Visigoths_ were between them. The _Gepides_, according to _Jornandes_, were upon the _Vistula_. The _Burgundians_, a _Vandalic_ nation, were between the _Vistula_ and the southern fountain of the _Boristhenes_, at some distance from the mountain _Crapac_ northwards, where _Ptolemy_ places them, by the names of _Phrugundiones_ and _Burgiones_.[1] The _Alans_, another _Gothic_ nation, were between the northern fountain of the _Boristhenes_ and the mouth of the river _Tanais_, where _Ptolemy_ placeth the mountain _Alanus_, and western side of the _Palus Mæotis_.
These nations continued under the dominion of the _Romans_ till the second year of the Emperor _Philip_, and then for want of their military pay began to revolt; the _Ostrogoths_ setting up a kingdom, which, under their Kings _Ostrogotha_, _Cniva_, _Araric_, _Geperic_, and _Hermanaric_, increased till the year of Christ 376; and then by an incursion of the _Huns_ from beyond the _Tanais_, and the death of _Hermanaric_, brake into several smaller kingdoms. _Hunnimund_, the son of _Hermanaric_, became King over the _Ostrogoths_; _Fridigern_ over the _Visigoths_; _Winithar_, or _Vinithar_, over a part of the _Goths_ called _Gruthungi_ by _Ammian_, _Gothunni_ by _Claudian_, and _Sarmatæ_ and _Scythians_ by others: _Athanaric_ reign'd over another part of the _Goths_ in _Dacia_, called _Thervingi_; _Box_ over the _Antes_ in _Sarmatia_; and the _Gepides_ had also their King. The _Vandals_ fled over the _Danube_ from _Geberic_ in the latter end of the reign of _Constantine_ the great, and had seats granted them in _Pannonia_ by that Emperor, where they lived quietly forty years, viz. till the year 377, when several _Gothic_ nations flying from the _Hunns_ came over the _Danube_, and had seats granted them in _Mæsia_ and _Thrace_ by the _Greek_ Emperor _Valens_. But the next year they revolted, called in some _Goths_, _Alans_ and _Hunns_, from beyond the _Danube_, and routed the _Roman_ army, slew the Emperor _Valens_, and spread themselves into _Greece_ and _Pannonia_ as far as the _Alps_. In the years 379 and 380 they were checkt by the arms of the Emperors _Gratian_ and _Theodosius_, and made a submissive peace; the _Visigoths_ and _Thervingi_ returned to their seats in _Mæsia_ and _Thrace_, the _Hunns_ retired over the _Danube_, and the _Alans_ and _Gruthingi_ obtained seats in _Pannonia_.
About the year 373, or 374, the _Burgundians_ rose from their seats upon the _Vistula_, with an army of eighty thousand men to invade _Gallia_; and being opposed, seated themselves upon the northern side of the _Rhine_ over against _Mentz_. In the year 358, a body of the _Salian Franks_, with their King, coming from the river _Sala_, were received into the Empire by the Emperor _Julian_, and seated in _Gallia_ between _Brabant_ and the _Rhine_: and their King _Mellobaudes_ was made _Comes domesticorum_, by the Emperor _Gratian_. _Richomer_, another noble _Salian Frank_, was made _Comes domesticorum_, and _Magister utriusque Militiæ_, by _Theodosius_; and A.C. 384, was Consul with _Clearchus_. He was a great favourite of _Theodosius_, and accompanied him in his wars against _Eugenius_, but died in the expedition, and left a son called _Theudomir_, who afterwards became King of the _Salian Franks_ in _Brabant_. In the time of this war some _Franks_ from beyond the _Rhine_ invaded _Gallia_ under the conduct of _Genobald_, _Marcomir_ and _Suno_, but were repulsed by _Stilico_; and _Marcomir_ being slain, was succeeded in _Germany_ by his son _Pharamond_.
While these nations remained quiet within the Empire, subject to the _Romans_, many others continued so beyond the _Danube_ till the death of the Emperor _Theodosius_, and then rose up in arms. For _Paulus Diaconus_ in his _Historia Miscell._ _lib._ xiv. speaking of the times next after the death of this Emperor, tells us: _Eodem tempore erant Gothi & aliæ gentes maximæ trans Danubium habitantes: ex quibus rationabiliores quatuor sunt, Gothi scilicet, Huisogothi, Gepides & Vandali; & nomen tantum & nihil aliud mutantes. Isti sub Arcadia & Honorio Danubium transeuntes, locati sunt in terra Romanorum: & Gepides quidem, ex quibus postea divisi sunt Longobardi & Avares, villas, quæ sunt circa Singidonum & Sirmium, habitavere:_ and _Procopius_ in the beginning of his _Historia Vandalica_ writes to the same purpose. Hitherto the _Western Empire_ continued entire, but now brake into many kingdoms. _Theodosius_ died A.C. 395; and then the _Visigoths_, under the conduct of _Alaric_ the successor of _Fridigern_, rose from their seats in _Thrace_ and wasted _Macedon_, _Thessaly_, _Achaia_, _Peloponnesus_, and _Epirus_, with fire and sword for five years together; when turning westward, they invaded _Dalmatia_, _Illyricum_ and _Pannonia_; and from thence went into _Italy_ A.C. 402; and the next year were so beaten at _Pollentia_ and _Verona_, by _Stilico_ the commander of the forces of the _Western Empire_, that _Claudian_ calls the remainder of the forces of _Alaric_, _tanta ex gente reliquias breves_, and _Prudentius_, _Gentem deletam_. Thereupon _Alaric_ made peace with the Emperor, being so far humbled, that _Orosius_ saith, he did, _pro pace optima & quibuscunque sedibus suppliciter & simpliciter orare_. This peace was ratified by mutual hostages; _Ætius_ was sent hostage to _Alaric_; and _Alaric_ continued a free Prince in the seats now granted to him.
When _Alaric_ took up arms, the nations beyond the _Danube_ began to be in motion; and the next winter, between A.C. 395 and 396, a great body of _Hunns_, _Alans_, _Ostrogoths_, _Gepides_, and other northern nations, came over the frozen _Danube_, being invited by _Rufinus_: when their brethren, who had obtained seats within the Empire, took up arms also. _Jerome_ calls this great multitude, _Hunns_, _Alans_, _Vandals_, _Goths_, _Sarmatians_, _Quades_, and _Marcomans_; and saith, that they invaded all places between _Constantinople_ and the _Julian Alps_, wasting _Scythia_, _Thrace_, _Macedon_, _Dardania_, _Dacia_, _Thessaly_, _Achaia_, _Epirus_, _Dalmatia_, and all _Pannonia_. The _Suevians_ also invaded _Rhætia_: for when _Alaric_ ravaged _Pannonia_, the _Romans_ were defending _Rhætia_; which gave _Alaric_ an opportunity of invading _Italy_, as _Claudian_ thus mentions. _Non nisi perfidiâ nacti penetrabile tempus,_ _Irrupere Getæ, nostras dum Rhætia vires_ _Occupat, atque alio desudant Marte cohortes_. And when _Alaric_ went from those parts into _Italy_, some other barbarous nations invaded _Noricum_ and _Vindelicia_, as the same Poet _Claudian_ thus writes: ----_Jam foedera gentes_ _Exuerant, Latiique auditâ clade feroces_ _Vendelicos saltus & Norica rura tenebant._
This was in the years 402 and 403. And among these nations I reckon the _Suevians_, _Quades_, and _Marcomans_; for they were all in arms at this time. The _Quades_ and _Marcomans_ were _Suevian_ nations; and they and the _Suevians_ came originally from _Bohemia_, and the river _Suevus_ or _Sprake_ in _Lusatia_; and were now united under one common King called _Ermeric_, who soon after led them into _Gallia_. The _Vandals_ and _Alans_ might also about this time extend themselves into _Noricum_. _Uldin_ also with a great body of _Hunns_ passed the _Danube_ about the time of _Chrysostom_'s banishment, that is, A.C. 404, and wasted _Thrace_ and _Mæsia_. _Radagaisus_, King of the _Gruthunni_ and succesor of _Winithar_, inviting over more barbarians from beyond the _Danube_, invaded _Italy_ with an army of above two hundred thousand _Goths_; and within a year or two, A.C. 405 or 406., was overcome by _Stilico_, and perished with his army. In this war _Stilico_ was assisted with a great body of _Hunns_ and _Ostrogoths_, under the conduct of _Uldin_ and _Sarus_, who were hired by the Emperor _Honorius_. In all this confusion it was necessary for the _Lombards_ in _Pannonia_ to arm themselves in their own defence, and assert their liberty, the _Romans_ being no longer able to protect them.
And now _Stilico_ purposing to make himself Emperor, procured a military prefecture for _Alaric_, and sent him into the _East_ in the service of _Honorius_ the _Western_ Emperor, committing some _Roman_ troops to his conduct to strengthen his army of _Goths_, and promising to follow soon after with his own army. His pretence was to recover some regions of _Illyricum_, which the _Eastern_ Emperor was accused to detain injuriously from the _Western_; but his secret design was to make himself Emperor, by the assistance of the _Vandals_ and their allies: for he himself was a _Vandal_. For facilitating this design, he invited a great body of the barbarous nations to invade the _Western Empire_, while he and _Alaric_ invaded the _Eastern_. And these nations under their several Kings, the _Vandals_ under _Godegisilus_, the _Alans_ in two bodies, the one under _Goar_, the other under _Resplendial_, and the _Suevians_, _Quades_, and _Marcomans_, under _Ermeric_, marched thro' _Rhætia_ to the side of the _Rhine_, leaving their seats in _Pannonia_ to the _Hunns_ and _Ostrogoths_, and joined the _Burgundians_ under _Gundicar_, and ruffled the _Franks_ in their further march. On the last of _December_ A.C. 406, they passed the _Rhine_ at _Ments_, and spread themselves into _Germania prima_ and the adjacent regions; and amongst other actions the _Vandals_ took _Triers_. Then they advanced into _Belgium_, and began to waste that country. Whereupon the _Salian Franks_ in _Brabant_ took up arms, and under the conduct of _Theudomir_, the son of _Ricimer_, or _Richomer_, abovementioned, made so stout a resistance, that they slew almost twenty thousand of the _Vandals_, with their King _Godegesilus_, in battel; the rest escaping only by a party of _Resplendial_'s _Alans_ which came timely to their assistance.
Then the _British_ soldiers, alarm'd by the rumour of these things, revolted, and set up Tyrants there; first _Marcus_, whom they slew presently; then _Gratian_, whom they slew within four months; and lastly _Constantine_, under whom they invaded _Gallia_ A.C. 408, being favoured by _Goar_ and _Gundicar_. And _Constantine_ having possessed a good part of _Gallia_, created his son _Constans Cæsar_, and sent him into _Spain_ to order his affairs there, A.C. 409. In the mean time _Resplendial_, seeing the aforesaid disaster of the _Vandals_, and that _Goar_ was gone over to the _Romans_, led his army from the _Rhine_; and, together with the _Suevians_ and residue of the _Vandals_, went towards _Spain_; the _Franks_ in the mean time prosecuting their victory so far as to retake _Triers_, which after they had plundered they left to the _Romans_. The _Barbarians_ were at first stopt by the _Pyrenean_ mountains, which made them spread themselves into _Aquitain_: but the next year they had the passage betrayed by some soldiers of _Constans_; and entring _Spain_ 4 Kal. _Octob._ A.C. 409, they conquered every one what he could; and at length, A.C. 411, divided their conquests by lot; the _Vandals_ obtained _Boetica_, and part of _Gallæcia_; the _Suevians_ the rest of _Gallæcia_; and the _Alans_ _Lusitania_ and the _Carthaginian_ Province: the Emperor for the sake of peace confirming them in those seats by grant A.C. 413.
The _Roman Franks_ abovementioned, having made _Theudomir_ their King, began strait after their conquest of the _Vandals_ to invade their neighbours also. The first they set upon were the _Gauls_ of _Brabant_[2]: but meeting with notable resistance, they desired their alliance: and so those _Gauls_ fell off from the _Romans_, and made an intimate league with the _Franks_ to be as one people, marrying with one another, and conforming to one another's manners, till they became one without distinction. Thus by the access of these _Gauls_, and of the foreign _Franks_ also, who afterwards came over the _Rhine_, the _Salian_ kingdom soon grew very great and powerful. _Stilico_'s expedition against the _Greek_ Emperor was stopt by the order of _Honorius_; and then _Alaric_ came out of _Epirus_ into _Noricum_, and requested a sum of money for his service. The Senate were inclined to deny him, but by _Stilico_'s mediation granted it. But after some time _Stilico_ being accused of a traiterous conspiracy with _Alaric_, and slain 10 Kal. _Sept._ A.C. 408; _Alaric_ was thereby disappointed of his money, and reputed an enemy to the Empire; he then broke strait into _Italy_ with the army he brought out of _Epirus_, and sent to his brother _Adolphus_ to follow him with what forces he had in _Pannonia_, which were not great, but yet not to be despised. Thereupon _Honorius_ fearing to be shut up in _Rome_, retired to _Ravenna_ in _October_ A.C. 408. And from that time _Ravenna_ continued to be the seat of the _Western_ Emperors. In those days the _Hunns_ also invaded _Pannonia_; and seizing the deserted seats of the _Vandals_, _Alans_, and _Goths_, founded a new kingdom there. _Alaric_ advancing to _Rome_ besieged it, and 9 Kal. _Sept._ A.C. 410 took it: and afterwards attempting to pass into _Africa_, was shipwrackt. After which _Honorius_ made peace with him, and got up an army to send against the Tyrant _Constantine_.
At the same time _Gerontius_, one of _Constantine_'s captains, revolted from him, and set up _Maximus_ Emperor in _Spain_. Whereupon _Constantine_ sent _Edobec_, another of his captains, to draw to his assistance, the _Barbarians_ under _Goar_ and _Gundicar_ in _Gallia_, and supplies of _Franks_ and _Alemans_ from beyond the _Rhine_; and committed the custody of _Vienne_ in _Gallia Narbonensis_ to his son _Constans_. _Gerontius_ advancing, first slew _Constans_ at _Vienne_, and then began to besiege _Constantine_ at _Arles_. But _Honorius_ at the same time sending _Constantius_ with an army on the same errand, _Gerontius_ fled, and _Constantius_ continued the siege, strengthned by the access of the greatest part of the soldiers of _Gerontius_. After four months siege, _Edobec_ having procured succours, the _Barbarian_ Kings at _Ments_, _Goar_ and _Gundicar_, constitute _Jovinus_ Emperor, and together with him set forward to relieve _Arles_. At their approach _Constantius_ retired. They pursued, and he beat them by surprize; but not prosecuting his victory, the _Barbarians_ soon recovered themselves; yet not so as to hinder the fall of the tyrants _Constantine_, _Jovinus_ and _Maximus_. _Britain_ could not be recovered to the Empire, but remained ever after a distinct kingdom.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.