Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/104

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the Provinces from the entrance into the Jonique Sea, to the very Walls of Constantinople, were cruelly spoiled under the Dominion of Justini­an, by the annual incursions of the Huns, the Sclavonians, and others. I do verily believe, that in every of these inroads, what of those who were left behind, and of those who were carried away prisoners, there perished above Two hundred thousand Romans. And this is most certain, That in that Countrey which be­fore was the most populous in the World, there were fewer people then in the uninhabited De­serts of Scythia, and this was the effect of the Wars in Europe, and Africk. Asia likewise was not without her sufferings; for the Saracens (during those Wars) having extended their Arms from Egypt, as far as the Borders of Per­sia, and made themselves Masters of the Pro­vinces which were under the Dominion of the Romans, so harassed them with such constant cruelty, that there was not a person to be seen, and the numbers which were killed, or trans­planted, were infinite.

The Persian made three incursions into the Lands of the Empire, under the conduct of Cosroes; and where ever they came, they ruined the Towns and Countreys; unpeopled them of their Inhabitants, and carrying the greatest part away with them prisoners, they put the rest to the Sword; but being afterwards got into Colchis, they made considerable devastati­ons, one after the other, as it had been in imi­tation of what the Laziens and Rormans had

done