emperor ever be found.[1] Such was the fate of Decius, in the fiftieth year of his age; an accomplished prince, active in war, and affable in peace;[2] who, together with his son, has deserved to be compared, both in life and death, with the brightest examples of ancient virtue.[3]
Election of Gallus, AD. 251, DecemberThis fatal blow humbled, for a very little time, the insolence of the legions. They appear to have patiently expected, and submissively obeyed, the decree of the senate which regulated the succession to the throne. From a just regard for the memory of Decius, the Imperial title was conferred on Hostilianus, his only surviving son; but an equal rank, with more effectual power, was granted to Gallus,[4] whose experience and ability seemed A.D. 252equal to the great trust of guardian to the young prince and the distressed empire.[5] The first care of the new emperor was to deliver the Illyrian provinces from the intolerable weight of the victorious Goths. He consented to leave in their hands the rich fruits of their invasion, an immense booty, and, what was Retreat of the Gothsstill more disgraceful, a great number of prisoners of the highest merit and quality. He plentifully supplied their camp with every conveniency that could assuage their angry spirits, or facilitate their so much wished-for departure; and he even promised to pay them annually a large sum of gold, on condition they should never afterwards infest the Roman territories by their incursions.[6]
Gallus purchases peace by the payment of an annual tributeIn the age of the Scipios, the most opulent kings of the earth, who courted the protection of the victorious commonwealth, were gratified with such trifling presents as could only derive a value from the hand that bestowed them; an ivory chair, a coarse garment of purple, an inconsiderable piece of plate, or a quantity of copper coin.[7] After the wealth of nations had
- ↑ Jornandes, c. 18. Zosimus, l. i. p. 22 [23]. Zonaras, l. xii. p. 627 [20]. Aurelius Victor [Cæs. 29, 5, and Victor, epit. 29].
- ↑ The Decii were killed before the end of the year two hundred and fifty-one, since the new princes took possession of the consulship on the ensuing calends of January. [Tillemont has argued for end of November 251, and is followed by Hodgkin, i. p. 56, but Alexandrian coins prove that it must be earlier than August 29, 251. See Schiller, i. 807.]
- ↑ Hist. August, p. 223 [xxvi. 42] gives them a very honourable place among the small number of good emperors who reigned between Augustus and Diocletian.
- ↑ [C. Vibius Trebonianus Gallus, governor of the two Moesias.]
- ↑ Hæc, ubi Patres comperere. . . . decernunt. Victor in Cæsaribus [30].
- ↑ Zonaras, l. xii. p. 628 [21. Zosimus, i. 24].
- ↑ A Sella, a Toga, and a golden Patera of five pounds weight, were accepted with joy and gratitude by the wealthy King of Egypt (Livy, xxvii. 4). Quina millia Æris, a weight of copper in value about eighteen pounds sterling, was the usual present made to foreign ambassadors (Livy, xxxi. 9).
