was seduced, by the pagan philosophers, into a persecution of the Christians. Having discovered his error he stopped it, toward the close of his reign. Com180-modus, his son, inherited the purple. He also inherited a vicious and cruel disposition, and received a demoralizing education from his mother. He was a monster of vice and cruelty. He was assassinated in 192 his bed by his own family and guards to save their lives. Pertinax reigned three months, but, attempting to restrain the license of the soldiery, he was murdered by them. The soldiers in Rome then proclaimed that the empire was for sale, and a rich merchant, Didius, bought it from them and reigned in Rome two months, 193 when he was also slain by the army. Septimus Severus, an able general, seized the purple which he secured against many rivals, and retained for eighteen years. His vigor alone prevented general anarchy, but he was systematically cruel. 217 211 - Caracalla, his son, succeeded. He was a bloody and atrocious tyrant, supported on the throne only by his soldiers, whose aid he secured by large pay. He was murdered by the commander of his guards, Macrinus, who succeeded in acquiring his place, but was soon 218 murdered by the soldiers. They raised Heliogabalus, a young Syrian priest of fourteen years of age, through the assurance of his female relatives that he was the son of Caracalla, to the purple. He is described as the most cruel and infamous of all the Roman emperors. 222- After four years of horrible crime, he was slain in a mutiny of his guard and his body thrown into the Tiber. Alexander Severus, succeeded. He was apparently a secret admirer of Christianity and a model 235 prince. prince. He was murdered by Maximin, a Thracian peasant, who had, by his valor, risen to high command in the army, who seized the reins of power. He was successful in war, but his severity provoked mutiny in -- 238 various parts of the empire, and he was slain by his own soldiers. Gordian succeeded, a heroic youth of a noble family. He was successful in war, but was mur244dered by his own prime minister, Philip, an Arabian, who became emperor. He favored the Christians, and reigned five years. In his reign, the thousandth year of the foundation of Rome was celebrated by public 249-games. He was slain in a revolt by Decius, the general of his army, who occupied the throne. He raised a most violent storm of persecution against the Christians, who were despoiled of their goods and driven to caves and deserts. From this time is dated the sect of 250-anchorites, or hermits, who imagined they could acquire superior holiness by abandoning society and devoting themselves to meditation and prayer. The idea appears to have been derived from the Persian Magians, who, in this century restored the ancient dynasty and religion of the Persians, or Parsees, in Persia. During the political and social disorganization that soon commenced the anchorites became numerous, and the system was extensively prevalent for a thousand years to the great injury of active and true Christianity. 251-Decius was slain in a battle with the Goths, who had invaded the empire, and Gallus became emperor. 253-He was put to death by Emilianus, who attempted to seize the reins of government, but the army elected Valerian, governor of Gaul. The empire was invaded by the Goths on the north and the Persians under their king, Sapor, on the east. From this time, it had to 259-fight for its life. Valerian was defeated by Sapor and remained nine years in captivity, Gallienus, his son, becoming emperor. He was extremely incompetent and a multitude of rival claimants for the supreme authority arose in all directions. They were called the "Thirty Tyrants." One of them, Odenatus, king of Palmyra, in the Syrian desert, defeated Sapor, and Gallienus proclaimed him his colleague. On the death of Odenatus, his wife, Zenobia, assumed the title of "Queen of the East," conquered Egypt and ruled a wide region with success and splendor. Both Goths 262 and Persians invaded Asia Minor. Gallienus was mur268dered and Claudius succeeded. He defeated the Goths 270 but died in a pestilence. Aurelian succeeded. He was an able general. He subdued the Germans and 272 — Goths, and conquered Zenobia, one of the most remark275-able women of history. Aurelian was assassinated by some victims of his severity, and Tacitus, a Roman senator succeeded, but died in seven months, and was followed by Probus. He was a vigorous general, and drove back the barbarians on all sides, but attempting to employ his soldiers in labor on public works, they 282 revolted and murdered him. Carus, the captain of the imperial guard, was raised to the throne. Dying the next year, his sons, Carinus and Numerianus, inherited his authority, but Numerianus was assassinated in a 284few months by his father-in-law, and Diocletian, said 283 to have been formerly a slave, was proclaimed emperor by the army. This was called "The Era of the Martyrs," from the long and bloody persecutions against the Christians. This was the tenth general attack on them, and proved to be the last. The barbarians pressing in great force on all sides, Diocletian appointed several colleagues, and their united ability drove the invaders back. 305 Diocletian resigned his power to Galerius, who appointed three associates, making a division of the empire. One of these, Constantius, died in Britain, and was suc306ceeded by his son, Constantine. For a time, there were six emperors, but one was killed, Galerius died, and Constantine conquered the others. 312 - Constantine changed the whole character of the empire by embracing Christianity and relying largely on that element for the support of his power, while he disbanded the Pretorian, or royal Guard, which had for two hundred years assumed to make and unmake emperors, and whose example, imitated by the other armies, kept the world periodically disturbed by the disputes and battles of rival claimants to the imperial purple. By the 313-edict of Milan, Constantine abolished all laws unfriendly to Christianity; he restored the authority of the senate and magistrates, and removed his capital from Rome to Constantinople. 324-The pagan element was now so worn and decrepid that no general disorders resulted. Whatever was left rallied under Licinus, who was conquered by Constantine. It appears to have been the strength of the Christian element and its essential hostility to the Roman principle of violent subjugation that produced so many and fierce persecutions. Had it not been for the pressure of barbarians on the empire the prevalence of that system would have preserved society and the state for a thousand years more, as it actually did in the Eastern empire; but every thing that man has the management of must be affected by his limitations, his mistakes and his follies. Christianity needed a better ally, a fresher and purer society, built up by the young blood and better instincts of another and newer people. Constantine paid great respect to the clergy of the church and took a leading part in its general counsels -a great mistake and a great misfortune. 325 His spiritual supremacy was virtually acknowledged at the council of Nice which he convoked. 330 - Constantine died leaving his vast dominions to his three sons, who, in the course of ten years, were reduced to one, Constantius. After a troubled reign of twenty 361 years more, he died, and was succeeded by his cousin Julian, called the "Apostate," from his renouncing Christianity and laboring to restore the pagan religion. In this he signally failed. He undertook to rebuild the 363 He was mortally wounded in an invasion of Persia, and was succeeded by Jovian, who restored imperial favor 364 to the Christian religion. He died after one years reign and Valentinian was elected emperor by the council of ministers and generals. He divided the empire with his brother, Valens, and afterward Rome and Constantinople usually had each an emperor. Valentinian died 375 and was succeeded by his son, Gratian. 378-The Huns appeared in Europe, having wandered from the borders of China, and defeated Valens with dreadful slaughter. Valens himself was among the slain. This was the commencement of the great migrations that finally overwhelmed the Roman Empire of the west. 379 Gratian, left sole emperor, appointed Theodosius, called The Great, his colleague, who subdued the Goths, repelled the Huns, and restored order. 383 Gratian was murdered by the usurper Maximus. 388-Theodosius conquered and put Maximus to death and 394 restored Valentinian II., brother of Gratian, to the throne of the western empire. In a few years the whole empire was reunited by the death of Valentinian. Theodosius soon died, universally lamented, leaving the two empires to his sons, Honorius and Arcadius. 402 Alaric, the Goth, invaded Italy and, though defeated, endangered the safety of Rome. 408- Theodosius II. succeeded to the empire of the east. 410 Alaric again invaded Italy and sacked Rome. Alaric soon after died and his forces were pursuaded, by negotiations, to leave Italy, but they permanently established themselves in Spain and Southern Gaul (France). Thus the empire began to fall to pieces. 425 Honorius died and Valentinian III. became emperor. 429-The Vandals soon conquered the Roman provinces in |