these two were these Periander the Corinthian Pittacus a Mitylenian Bias of Priene Chilon the Lacedaemonian and Cleobulus the Lindian Of these see the Book writ by Ausonius intituled Ludus Septem Sapientum A few years after Phraortes the Son of Dejoces King of the Medes having laid Siege to Ninive perished with the greatest part of his Army but Cyaxares his Son who Succeeded him in the time of King Josiah going about to Revenge his Fathers Death renewed the Siege of the said City the Father or Grandfather of Nebuchodonozor being then King of Babylon While Cyaxares was ingaged in that Siege the Scythians under the Conduct of Madye making an Eruption out of Scythia over-powered him and so roving through all that part of Asia which is more to the South held it under their power for eight and twenty years 3359. 625. XXXVIII vi 129. This year according as Dionys Petavius conjectures Nabopolassar Nebuchodonozor's Father began his Reign in Babylon and as Berosus says who writ his Annals of the Chaldaeans in Alexander's time he appointed a Lieutenant under him over Egypt Phoenicia and Syria whom afterward Rebelling against him he reduced by his Son Nebuchodonozor unto obedience 3361. 623. XXXIX iv 131. Draco corrects the Laws of Athens and made such severe ones that they were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be writ not with Ink but with Blood 3370. 614. XLI iii. 140. This year Tarquinius Priscus the fifth King of Rome began his Reign and continued it for 28 years He was Son to Demaratus the Corinthian who before being named Lucius at Lucumum was upon his living at Tarquinij called Tarquinius 3374. 610. XLII iii. 144. After Josiah was overthrown and killed by Necho King of Egypt he was Succeeded by Jehoahaz his Son who Reigned only three Months for being carryed into Egypt Nechoh put Jehoiakim into his room who Reigned eleven years 3376. 608. XLIII i. 146. Nabopolassar sent his Son Nebuchodonozor this year into Syria that he might bring the Kings Lieutenant that had Rebelled against him to his duty which when he had effected he over-ran Judaea took Jerusalem imposed a Tribute upon King Jehoiakim and carryed away some of the People into captivity among whom was Daniel the Prophet Having returned from thence to Babylon he Succeeded his Father in the Kingdom and from hence they compute the beginning of the seventy years which Jeremiah speaks of c. 30. The Scythian Nomades a few years after when they had held Asia for 28 years being feasted by Cyaxares being made drunk with Wine and fallen fast a sleep were utterly cut off by him 3385. 599. XLV ii 155. This year Nebuchodonozor dispossest Jehoiakim who Rebelled against him of his Kingdom and put his Son Jehoiachin in his stead who did not Reign above three Months and some days for he Rebelling also he was besieged in Jerusalem by an Army from Babylon to whom he Surrendred himself and was carryed thither This was the second Captivity wherein Ezekiel Mordecai and Josedek the High-Priest were carryed away Then Nebuchadnezer made Mattaniah his Uncle King in stead of Jehoiakin and called him Zedekiah who was the last King of Judah and Reigned eleven years In these times flourished Epimenides and Anaximander the Philosophers Aleman and Alcaeus the Poets and Sapho the Poetess and from this Age forwards Greece abounded with such Wits 3390. 594. XLVI iii. 160. Solon not long after being Pretor in Athens corrected Draco's Laws which were too severe as Platarch Relates in Solon's Life The same year Astyages the last King of the Medes Succeeded his Father Cyaxares Nebuchadnezer being then King of Babylon who three years after took Jerusalem and put out Zedechiah's Eyes after he had Slain his Children before his face and saving a few poor People led all the Jews into Captivity He also not long after according to Ezechiel's Prophecy c. 26. and so on took Tyre after a long Siege and levelled it with the ground which must be understood of Palaetyrus that stood upon the Continent not of the new City that was built in the Island and which was now first built For when the Tyrians saw that they were no longer a match to the Chaldaeans they carryed every thing that was valuable with their Wives and Children into the Neighbouring Island leaving the old City to the Chaldaean Army and built a new one in that Island See Sir John Marsham ad Saec. 18. After Nebuchadnezer had subdued the remainder of Judaea and Palaestine he Conquered the Ammonites and Moabites and the Egyptians soon after also 3397. 587. XLVIII ii 167. Now the Amphyctions that is Senators chosen out of all Greece who sat at Delphos about the management of the publick concerns of that Country appointed the Pythian Games to be celebrated every fourth year as well as the Olympick ones in honour of Apollo 3407. 577. L. iv 177. Servius Tullius the sixth King of Rome Reigned 41 years who was of so obscure an extract that his Parents were not known whence Seneca in his CVIII Epistle says This shews that there were two Kings of Rome one of which hath no Father and the other no Mother For who Servius's Mother was is doubtful and as for Ancus he had no Father he being called Numa's Grandson which words are worth noting because they are a clear illustration of those words of the Author to the Hebrews where Melchisedec is said to be without Father and without Mother Next year Nebuchadnezer having made Amasis Governor of Egypt he slew King Apries whom Jeremy calls Vaphree and after he had for some years Ruled Egypt in the name of the King of Babylon he shook off his yoke At the same time the Nemaean Games were first celebrated by the Argives and then it was that Aesop the Phrygian and Author of the Fables flourished among the Greeks 3420. 564. LVI i. 190. Evil-merodac Succeeded Nebuchadnezer his Father and Reigned three years Neriglissor Son in Law to Nebuchadnezer having Slain him substituted his own Son in his room and as his Guardian managed the Government for five years whom therefore Daniel the Prophet attributes to Baltassar for so was his Son called About these times Pisistratus first played the Tyrant at Athens who being afterwards twice ejected recovered his power as often within the space of sixteen years Then also Astyages the last King of the Medes according to Justin and others was divested of his Rule by his Grandson Cyrus but according to others whose opinion as being grounded upon Xenophon's Authority we the more readily favour He dyed when Neriglissor King of Babylon made War upon him and left Cyaxares II. to Succeed him who made Cyrus the Son of his Sister Mandanes the Daughter of Astyages and of Cambyses King of Persia who pay'd Tribute to the Medes absolute Commander of his forces though we cannot deny but Marsham reconciles these two opinions in this manner when besides the Kingdom of the Medes whose capital City was Ecbatana he makes
with him Darius the Bastard dies and was succeeded by Artaxerxes his Son who was called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mindful and who Reigned forty weeks being the tenth King of Persia The following year was the 28th of the Peloponnesian War wherein Athens after six Months Siege was taken by Lysander as we have said already The thirty Tyrants set upby him in Athens were after three years expelled by Thrasybulus who restored a Democratical Government there 3583. 401. XCIV iv 353. The same year that the thirty Tyrants were expelled out of Athens Cyrus to whom his Father Darius had given the lesser Asia made War upon his Brother Artaxerxes and perish'd therein There were ten thousand Auxiliary Greeks in the Army who though they had lost their General Clearchus a Lacedaemonian whom the Persians slew after Quarter given yet they returned into Greece in spight of the Persians through Nations that hated them even from the Euphrates by way of the Euxine Sea which they coasted under the Conduct first of Chaerisophus the Lacedaemonian and then of Xenophon the Philosopher and incomparable Historian a Native of Athens Xenophon himself writes this History in his Books entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The next year was a mournful one by the Death of the incomparable Philosopher Socrates who was Seventy years old and by Anytus and Melitus accused of Irreligion or Prophaneness From him Philosophers were called Socraticks who after had the name of Academicks of whom Plato was chief but by no means to be compared with Socrates 3588. 396. XCVI i. 358. M. Furius Camillus being made Dictator takes Veij while what with Dionysius the Carthaginians and Cities of Sicily the War Raged every where in that Island Agesilaus King of Lacedaemon having entred into a Confederacy with Nephreus King of Egypt obtained divers Victories over the Persians but being shortly after recalled he fought against the Boeotians and their Allies with uncertain Success and the Lacedaemonians could not help being stripped of the Dominion of the Sea where Conon the Athenian Admiral of the Persian Fleet gave them several overthrows 3591. 393. XCVI iv 361. There were Consuls chosen this year at Rome as there were also the year following but from thence forward for five and twenty years there were Military Tribunes created or else they had no chief Magistrates at Rome In the third year after the Creation of Consuls when the Common-wealth was Governed by six Military Tribunes the Cisalpine Gauls laid Siege to Clusium whose Inhabitants had Recourse to the Romans for Succour of whom they begged three Commanders of the Fabian Family who seeing they could do no good with the Gauls under their Conduct they went towards them in a Suppliant manner in Battle Array The Gauls being moved with their unusual boldness march'd straight to the City overcame the Romans in a great Battle at Allia and took Rome except the Capitol But while they shewed themselves careless of their Affairs Camillus who had before been driven into Banishment having gathered some disorderly Troops together did for all that overthrow them whom he drove out of the Roman Territories But M. Manlius who for delivering the Capitol was called Capitolinus being suspected for his Liberality towards those who were in Debt to have a design that way to assume a Regal Authority was thrown down headlong over the Rock Tarpeia and so an end made of him 3606. 377. C. iv 377. When the Lacedaemonians endeavoured to oppress the Cities of Greece and possest themselves fraudulently of the Theban Tower called Cadmaea the Thebans shook off their yoke by the assistance of the Athenians whence arose the Boeotian War wherein after various Conflicts and Events of War the Lacedaemonians were reduced to great extremities by the Boeotian Generals and especially by Pelopidas and Epaminondas and lost the Dominion of Greece whence sprung continual Wars between the Graecian Citties Artaxerxes King of Persia being about to make War against Egypt exhorted them as well then as afterwards to a Peace to no purpose but that expedition into Egypt under the Conduct of Pharnabazus and Iphricrates thro' the overflowness of the former came to nothing 3618. 366. CIII iii. 388. This year dyed Artaxerxes Mnemon and was succeeded by Ochus the Eleventh King of Persia whom Lud. Capellus thinks in his Chron. Sacr. to be Ahassuerus the Husband of Esther It 's certain the two former Syllables of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Achasveros do not ill agree with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This King according to Eusebius his account Reigned six and twenty years 3621. 363. CIV ii 391. In the time when a great Plague raged in Rome L. Manlius Imperiosus was made Dictator according to Ancient Custom in order to settle the Government This Man had a Son whose Name was Titus Manlius whom he had Banished into the Country and where while he remained he was informed that his Father was cited into Judgment by M. Pomponius Tribune of the People which made him return to the City and with his drawn Sword forced the Tribune to lay aside the Accusation whereby he gained much of the Peoples love This same year that followed next after the Plague when a certain Chasm opened it self in the forum M. Curtius threw himself alive into it after which the Romans gained several Victories over the Gauls In the mean time the power of the Thebans was wonderfully augmented in Greece by the valour of Epaminondas but he dying of the wounds he received in the Battle of Mantinea where he overcame the Lacedaemonian and Arcadian Armies that Republick fell with him In Asia the Nobles having formed a Conspiracy Revolted from the King of Persia but being betray'd by Orontes Governor of Mysia they were in a short time reduced to their Duty Thachos King of Egypt who paid Tribute to the Great King Revolted at the same time from him being Assisted therein by Agesilaus King of Lacedaemonia to whom he gave the Command of his Land Army while Chabria◠the Athenian was Admiral of the Fleet but Nectanebos Thachos's Son having forsaken his Father fled to Persia and returning with a Persian Army into Egypt he Besieged his Father together with Agesilaus in the City of Memphis but Agesilaus making a Sally overthrew the Persians and being soon after about to return into Greece he departed this life while he was in the Country of Cyrenaica 3625. 359. CV ii 395. This year dyed Perdiccas King of Macedon being slain by the Illyrians and was Succeeded by Philip the Son of Amyntas who in a short time won several Victories over the Athenians Paeonians and Illyrians The Jewish Affairs in these times were of no great consideration but the Country seems to have been peaceably cultivated under the Persian Government which however did not hinder but that a great number of the Jews who before and after the Captivity had fixed their Habitations in Egypt were Transplanted by King Ochus into Hyrcania 3627.
Praetor in conjunction with the Aetolians and Attalus King of Pergamus began to infest Greece The Achaians and other Nations of that Country had recourse to Philip for Aid to withstand them who was already angry with the Romans because the said Praetor had fought against him for the Apolliniati and not only so but after having burnt his Fleet forced him to march back into Macedon And these were the Adventures that gave a beginning to the Macedonian War 3772. 212. CXLII i. 542. The Scipio's at this very time were successful in Spain against the Carthaginians but they were both of them three years after together with their Army slain by Asdrubal Marcellus also carry'd on the War with good success in the Isle of Sicily and at last after three years Siege took the City of Syracuse Archimedes alone by the help of some new-invented Engines continued to resist and was against Marcellus's will slain by a fool-hardy Soldier Hannibal's Successes began to decline in Italy while he endeavoured but to no purpose by the Siege of Capua to expell the Romans and attempted Rome her self in vain though he slew Marcellus after two Battels fought with uncertain victory especially after his Brother Asdrubal who was come into Italy to join him with his Forces had been slain by Cl. Nero and Livius Salinator both Consuls But in Spain P. Scipio took New Carthage in one Day overthrew the Carthaginian Army and passing over into Africa made a League with Syphax and Massinissa Kings of Numidia And returning afterwards from thence into Rome he made all necessary Preparation to go back again into Africa and setled the Affairs both of Sicily and Spain that were out of order 3778. 206. CXLIII iii. 548. While Scipio was thus engaged Philopoemenes Praetor of Achaia performed a great many other notable feats as well as overcame Mechanidas Tyrant of Lacedaemonia whom Nabis succeeded The Romans sent Embassadors next year to King Attalus to bring the Image of Idaea the Mother of the Gods to Rome but as in pursuance to the Answer of the Oracle the best Man of the whole City was to receive her young P. Scipio Mnasica was the Person adjudged worthy of that Title And hence it was that those Plays called Megalesia were instituted in honour of the said Goddess Syphax upon his marrying of Sophonisba Asdrubal's Daughter having fallen off from the Romans and closed in with the Interests of the Carthaginians was overcome and taken Prisoner by Scipio and Nssinissa And when the Carthaginians had endeavoured to no purpose to induce the Romans to make a Peace they recalled Hannibal out of Italy who sore against his will passed over into Africa where he was overcome by Scipio in battel who imposed Conditions of Peace upon the Carthaginians and sent their Embassadors to Rome whither himself afterwards returned in triumph The Conquest of CARTHAGE The IXth EPOCH From the Conquest of Carthage to the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ were Two Hundred and Two Years which comprehends The IXth PERIOD The Year of the World The Year before Christ Olymp. From the Building of the City 3783. 201. CXLIV iv 553. UPon the terminating of the Carthaginian War that called the Macedonian grew hot between the Romans and King Philip which was also made an end of by them by the frequent Overthrows given King Philip within the term of five years 3789. 195. CXLVI ii 559. Hannibal impatient of Rest endeavoured still to excite his Countrymen to make War upon the Romans but he was constrained for fear of the latter to flee into Asia to Antiochus the Great who was preparing to invade the Romans This King did indeed suddenly enter Greece but was quickly overthrown in a great Battel by M. Acilius Glabrio and so forced to leave that Country But this was not all for in the sixth year after the first Preparations for War he was overcome in Asia it self by L. Scipio who for that reason had the Sirname of Asiaticus given him and obliged to purchase a Peace by quitting all claim to the Countries on this side Mount Taurus Two years after P. Scipio Africanus and Lucius Asiaticus were both adjuged Guilty the former for taking Money of Antiochus to clap up a Peace and the other for misapplying the Treasure of the State The Romans in these times having subdued the Aetolians and so become Arbitrators of the Affairs of all Greece received Embassies from all Parts bringing Complaints against Philip who by his Son Demetrius whom he deputed for that purpose cleared himself before the Senate In this and the following year died three of the most famous Men of that Age viz. Scipio Africanus at Liternum whither he had voluntarily gone into Banishment Philopomoenen Praetor of Achaia at Messena by whose Citizens he was slain and Hannibal in Bithynia with King Prusias where lest he should be given up by him to the Romans he ended his days with Poison Philopomoenen was succeeded by Lycortas in the Praetorship of Achaia But this Republick could not continue long for the Romans its Enemies 3804. 180. CL. i. 574. Philip King of Macedon had two Sons whereof one was a great Enemy and the other a Friend to the Romans Now the former whose Name was Perseus being afraid lest Demetrius the younger of whom before relying upon the Friendship of the Romans should after their Father's death contend with him for the Kingdom he brought such false Accusations against him to his Father that he commanded him first to be poison'd and when he was half dead to be strangled But Philip not long after coming to know the Innocency of Demetrius died of grief about three years after and was succeeded by Perseus in his Dominions 3817. 167. CLIII ii 587. This Prince spent the first five years of his Reign in making Preparations of War against the Romans though he could scarce bear the shock of their Power for the space of four L. Aemilius Paulus triumphed for subduing of him and reduced the Kingdom of Macedon into the form of a Roman Province thereby putting an end thereto after the same had stood for Seven hundred Years Two years after Perseus had begun his Reign over Macedon Antiochus Epiphanes succeeded Seleucus in the Kingdom of Syria Of this Prince it was that Jason having ejected his Brother Onias obtained the High-Priesthood and received him at his entry into Jerusalem in great state He sent the said Prince then fitting out a Fleet in Phoenicia Money by his Brother Menelaus who gave him the same in his own Name and with the addition of three hundred Talents more procured the High-Priesthood for himself But failing again in the Payment of the promised Money his Brother Lysimachus was substituted in his room Hence arose great Contention between these High-Priests Antiochus being afraid lest the Jews would revolt from him when he had failed as he had endeavoured to invade Egypt went back to Jerusalem took away the Vessels out of the Temple and committed many
Discourse was also forbid concerning the Two Natures of Christ condemned the Type as impious The Emperor endeavoured next year by the means of Olympius Exarch of Ravenna to compell the Italian Bishops to subscribe the Type but to no purpose In the mean time the Saracens invaded Cyprus and Sicily with other Islands and grew stronger and stronger daily the Emperor Constantine being not forward enough to oppose their growth who was forced to buy his Peace of them with Money 653. Cedrenus says that Mavias General of the Saracens having seized upon the Isle of Rhodes found there a piece of the Colossus which had been thrown down above Eight hundred and seventy five Years before by an Earthquake after it had stood almost Eight hundred Years It was eighty Cubits high and the Legs of it stood so far asunder that Ships might sail between them Cedrenus says that Nine hundred Camels were laden with the remains of it So that considering the ordinary burthen of a Camel is Eight hundred Pounds weight it follow'd that the Weight thereof amounted to above Seven hundred thousand Pounds of Brass But it 's not likely that the Brass should be so much despised that none of the Christian Emperors thought it worthy to be taken away till those times Next year Constans the Emperor was overcome in a Sea-Engagement by Mavias when the former had dream'd the night before that he was at Thessalonica Which by the Interpreters of Dreams was construed to amount to as much as if God had told him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yield the Victory to another The same year Othman King of the Arabs who had seized on the Persian Empire being slain was succeeded by Hali whom the Persians make to be equal with Mahomet 663. The Saracens being engaged in a Civil War among themselves the Emperor Constans took an opportunity to go into Italy where at first he gave the Lombards several Overthrows but being afterwards often beaten by them he was forced to return to the East Whither as he was going he was slain in a Bath at Syracuse 668. One Mizizius an Armenian was chosen Emperor in his room who was quickly overcome and slain by Constantine the Son of Constans This Constantine was he that had left Constantinople when Beardless and returned thither a Bearded Man and was called Pogonatus The Saracens in his Reign began to invade Africa and return with a Fleet again to Sicily wasting all before them 672. They did the same in other Provinces of the Empire and with their Fleet set upon Constantinople it self but they were stoutly repulsed by Constantine as also by Bambas King of Spain upon whose Coast they came 678. The Bulgarians so named from the River Volga or Bulga making an Irruption from the Northern Shores of the Euxine-Sea even unto Thrace began to be troublesome unto the Roman Empire and grew so powerful that the Emperor was forced to pay them Tribute 681. At last after many Contests the Sixth General Council was assembled at Constantinople wherein the Monothelites were condemned the Western Bishops proving great Sticklers against them 685. Four years after died the Emperor Constantine and was succeeded by his Son Justinian H. who in the beginning of his Reign drove the Saracens out of Armenia and made them pay him Tribute But they in a short time violated the Conditions of the Peace by removing the Emperor's Garrisons from Mount Libanus who were posted there At which the Emperor growing angry he proclaimed War against them though they now offered to pay him a greater Tribute than ordinary and in a submissive manner sued for Peace He did indeed in the first Battel give them the Overthrow they being uprovided for it but the Sclavi whom he led against them being corrupted he was overcome again and lost Armenia 692. Ten years after the Sitting of the Sixth Council another was called by Callinicus Patriarch of Constantinople wherein he put forth several Canons in the Name of the Sixth Council and among others allowed the Clergy to have Wives provided they abstained from the use of them in the time of the Administration of the Sacred Mysteries These Canons were received by the Eastern Churches but rejected by the Western and from henceforward the Church of Constantinople was in a manner divided from the Communion of that of Rome 694. When Justinian II. had done many cruel things and designed to bring his Soldiers to Massacre the People of Constantinople Leontius a Patrician whom he kept in Prison having set the Prisoners at liberty possess'd himself of the Empire and having cut off his Nostrils banish'd him to Taurica Chersonesus where he lived for the space of ten years Leontius in the beginning of his Reign happily drove out the Saracens who had invaded Africa by the Conduct of John his Brother But the same John not long after growing negligent of his Affairs was overcome by them and when the Army for that reason required he should be brought forth to be punish'd they made Absimarus who was also called Tiberius Emperor This Man marching unexpectedly to Constantinople seized it and Leontius also whose Nostrils he commanded should be cut off and sent him Prisoner to a Monastery in Dalmatia 698. We have hitherto omitted the barbarous Names of the French Kings and their Neighbours and the continual Wars they almost always waged against one another the knowledge whereof is not very material but it were a crime to say nothing of Pepin Mayor of the Palace in France who about these times begot Charles Martell upon his Concubine Alphaida who succeeded his Father in the same Charge The Kings of France in this Age gave themselves up wholly to Sloth and left the Management of all their Affairs to the Mayor of the Palace which made them have the Sirname of Faineant or Slothful given them and the Regal Dignity at last devolved upon Pepin's Family 703. Though Absimarus and his Brother Heraclius often overcame the Saracens and governed the Empire very well yet they could not defend themselves against Justinian who was Emperor before Leontius For he being assisted by the Bulgarians took Constantinople and having taken Absimarus and Heraclius in their flight hung them upon the Walls and held the Empire nine years He gave the Bulgarians at first Thanks suitable to their Service but afterwards violating the Peace he made a great slaughter of them for which they took severe Revenge not long after 709. Roderick fearing an Insurrection by the Spaniards over whom he was King took away their Arms and rased the Walls of their Cities Which gave Walidus King of the Arabs an opportunity by his General Tarichus to attempt something upon Spain and having sent a Fleet thither brought off a very great Booty But being invited thither two years after by Count Julian whose Daughter Roderick had debauched he went over with twelve thousand Men into Spain fortify'd his Camp upon a Mountain near the Streight of Gibraltar anciently called Calpe and
the Sons of the Strong or of the Gods Bene Elim There were other Hercules's older than this of whom as also of their whole History we have Treated in a particular Dissertation already The expedition of the Argonauts is to be referred to that Age which seems to be mingled with Fables that arose from want of a right understanding of the words of the Phoenicians that related to them For example a Ship is called Argo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archo in the Phoenician Tongue signifies a Long Ship It 's said that Ship spoke because the Phoenician word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doberah signifies one speaking or the Helm See Sam. Bochart in his Canaan and my Dissertation de Statua Salina Atreus and Thyestes lived a little after in the Peloponnesus who were Notorious for their mutual enmities and wickedness Theseus brought twelve Towns built by Gecrops in the Land of Athens in the time of Gideon into one City Seven Captains wage War against Polynice King of Thebes to wit Adrastus Eteocles Amphiaraeus Tydeus Hippomedon Capaneus and Parthenopeus Most of these having perished in that War their Children called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Posterity by way of Peculiarity were revenged upon the Thebans ten years after whom they overthrew in a great Battel under the Conduct of Alcmeon Amphiaraus his Son 2655. 1329. 2768. 1216. Janus Reigned in Italy an Hundred and fifty years before the Arrival of Aeneas and Latinus about 35 years The Destruction of Troy The Fifth EPOCH There are 192 years from the Destruction of Troy to the Building of the first Temple of Jerusalem which makes up The Fifth PERIOD The Year of the World The Year before Christ 2800. 1184. A War arose between the Trojans and Graecians about Paris the Son of Priamus King of Troy his stealing away Helen the Wife of Menelaus King of Sparta which after Ten years continuance ended in the Destruction of Troy We shall hereafter mingle this Epoch taken out of prophane History with those Epochs taken from the Scripture because there is nothing generally so Celebrated in the History of the Heathens as this is Jair the Gileadite was Judge in Israel at this time Ibsan Elon Abdon Sampson Eli and Samuel Succeeded him in this Period in order whose years may be taken out of Petavius his Tables and teir History from the Scripture 2832. 1182. Aeneas that same year when Troy was taken in the Autumn Sailed into Thrace where he wintered and two years after while he tarryed in Sicily whither he went from Thrace having weathered the Tyrrhene Sea he arrived in the Summer at Laurentum and soon after having Marryed Lavinia King Latinus's Daughter he Built the City Lavinium on that Coast 2803. 1181. The Rutilians under the Conduct of Turnus wage War against Latinus and Aeneas wherein Latinus and Turnus were killed Aeneas Reigned three years in Italy Petavius will supply you with the order of his Successors 2817. 1167. A few years after the Kingdom of Sicyon which according to the computation of some had lasted about a Thousand years entirely ended To wit the year before Jeptha took upon him to be Judge in Israel 2832. 1152. Ascanius the Son of Aeneas Built Alba Longa Thirty years after the Building of Lavinium 2881. 1103. The Heraclidae under the Conduct of Temenus Cresphon and Aristodemus fixed their Habitations in Peloponnesus in the time of Sampson's Judging Israel Next year began the Kingdom of Corinth as also of the Lacedaemonians which was continued by the two Families of Erysthenides and Proclides descendants from Hercules Here the Epoch is fixt of the Return of the Heraclidae which is much celebrated among the Greek Writers They were said to have returned at that time into Peloponnesus because they had endeavoured though in vain an Hundred years before to invade that Country 2189. 1095. That return of theirs hapned to be when Eli was Judge in Israel who being Succeeded by Samuel the Children of Israel in his time despising the Authority of the Judges would have a King set over them and so Saul of the Tribe of Benjamin was Elected In his time Codrus the last King of Athens Sacrificed his Life for the safety of his People whose Sons Medon and Nileus contending for the Kingdom the Athenians took the opportunity to abolish the Royal power and made choice of Archons whose Office was to be perpetual but they were to give an account to the People of the Administration and Medon Codrus's Son was the first that bore that Office 2913. 1071. In these times the Greeks that were the Posterity of the * Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which may be read Ion or Javan Javans or Ionians sent Colonies into Asia from whence they came wherefore the Javanian Athenians and their Posterity the †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bene Eol the Sons of a Storm or such as in a Storm came from Asia into Greece Aeolians contended that Asia Minor was first planted with their Colonies whereas they ought to have acknowledged that they themselves were descended from thence but that afterwards they stocked the Country with new Colonies that was till then but ill Peopled They were the People that Built Cuma and Smyrna 2929. 1055. David Reigned after Saul being descended of the Tribe of Judah and was at first a Shepherd afterwards both King and Prophet 2969. 1015. Solomon succeeded David as famous in the Art of Peace as his Father excelled for his Knowledge in Military Affairs and he built a Temple unto God The Building of the Temple of Jerusalem The Sixth EPOCH From the Building of the Temple of Jerusalem to the first Olympiad are computed 216 years which makes The Sixth PERIOD 2992. 992. SOlomon built a Temple unto God which his Father David who was desirous to set upon that work was forbid to do and finished the same in the 23d year of his Reign Herein was the Ark of the Covenant laid up which before was wont to be kept in Moses his Tabernacle The Scripture informs us that this King was adorned with all accomplishments both of Body and Mind but that towards the end of his Life he had not been able to withstand the Temptations of Women so that he fell unto base Idolatry for the love of his Wives and Concubines whereof he had very many In his time the Kings of Tyre were very potent and Hiram then Reigning made a League with Solomon See Marsham ad Saec. 14. Hadarezer or his Son Reigned in Syria as appears from 2 Sam. 10. and from that time forward the Kings of Syria seem to have been very powerful to the time of Nabopolassar who brought Syria as well as Judaea under the Subjection of the Assyrian Empire See 1 Kings 20.2 and 2 Kings 8 9 12. Petavius thinks Homer lived at this time which was not two Hundred years after the Destruction of Troy See his Book De Doct. Temp. 9. c. 30. Some make him an Hundred years later at
in the fourth year of the fifth Olympiad the Archons which till now had continued in Office for life were at Athens made to hold but for ten years and the first of them was Alcmaeon After the Reign of fourteen Kings in Italy from the time of Aeneas Romulus Numitor's Grandson set up a new Kingdom of which Rome was the Metropolis whose Foundations are thought to have been laid about the end of the third year of the sixth Olympiad whence from the following year that way of reckoning from the building of the City dates its beginning Year of World Before Christ Olymp. Building of the City 3231. 753. VI. iv 1. Romulus first King of the Romans Reigned thirty eight years and the year following the Conquerors at the Olympick Games began to be crowned whereas they had before no other reward save that their Names were Registred among the publick Records Those Crowns were made of Pine Apple Olive-Trees c. 3237. 747. VIII ii 7. While Phul and Tiglath-Phalasar his Successor Reigned in Assyria and fixed their Royal residency in the City of Ninive Nabonassar began his Reign in Babylon whence the most celebrated Aera of Nabonassar took its beginning among the Chaldeans This Person seems to have restored the Babylonish Empire which was fallen and to be the same with him who was called Baladan whose Son was Merodac 2 Kings 20.12 See Petavius Lib. 9. c. 52. De Doct. temp The Sabines having by a certain Stratagem possessed themselves of the Rock Tarpeia were troublesom to the Romans and both Parties being ready to decide the difference by a Battle they were by the intervention of the Roman Matrons made friends so as that they coalesced both into one People and Tatius and Romulus Reigned jointly together 3241. 743. IX ii II. The Messenian War between the Messenians and Lacedaemonians began this year and lasted for twenty years till the Messenians were utterly overthrown Aristodemus a brave Man being General of the Messenian Forces Pausanias and Justin may be consulted hereupon 3258. 743. XIII iii. 28. In the time of Hezekiah King of Judah the Lacedaemonians were overthrown in a great Battle by Aristodemus who to propagate an off-spring prostituted their Wives from whence sprang the Parthenians who thirty years after under the Conduct of Philantus the Son of Aracus who was the Author of the prostitution of the Women going to seek out new Habitations possest themselves of Tarentum in Italy See Justin L. 3. 3263. 721. XIV iv 33. Salmanassar who Succeeded Tiglath Phalasar in the Kingdom of Assyria this year which was the last of Hezekiah's Reign after he had taken Samaria and Hosheah King of Israel carryed the ten Tribes Captive into Assyria and Media and Transplanted into their room other Nations given to Idolatry the History whereof may be read 2 Kings 17. and from them sprang those People who were afterward called Samaritans who received the Law of Moses and of the Books of Scripture allowed the Pentateuch only to be Canonical and they have the same to this day written in the old Hebrew Characters ' which the Jews have changed for the Chaldee ones 3269. 715. XVI ii 39. Romulus as we have already said the first King of the Romans and cotemporary with Hezekiah while he mustered the Army in the Marshes of Caprea upon the sudden rising of a Tempest was never seen more Some would have it that he was killed by the Senate and that afterward to avoid the scandal of it he was taken into the number of the Gods as if Mars had snatched him up into Heaven See Dionysius Halicarnas Lib. 1. About this time Sennacherib King of Assyria entred with an Army into Judaea as is set forth 2 Kings 19. But in the lesser Asia that Gyges who was so famous for his Wealth Governed being the first King of Lydia of the Mnermnadan Race after four others descended from Hercules of whom the last whose name was Candaules he with the Queens assistance cut off 3270. 714. XVI iii. 40. Numa Pompilius Succeeded Romulus in the Kingdom of Rome who improved the City by Religious Ceremonies and Civil Laws and Reigned three and forty years Next year Merodac King of Babylon while Assaraddon Sennacherib's Son ruled in Assyria sent Ambassadors to Hezekiah as we read 2 Kings c. 20. Assaraddon is thought to have invaded the Kingdom of Babylon which opinion is grounded upon this Argument in that there is no further distinction made after that in Scripture between the Kings of Babylon and Assyria 3286. 698. XX. iii. 56. Wicked Manasses Succeeded his Father Hezekiah who eight years after being carryed captive into Babylon upon his repentance was restored again and Reigned in all 55 years In his time the Medes under the conduct of Arbaces shook off the yoke of the Kings of Babylon and constituted Dejoces who was a Man eminent for Justice and Equity to be their King by whom was built the famous City of Ecbatana concerning whose name and largness you may consult Bochartus in his Phaleg l. 3. c. 14. 3297. 687. XXIII ii 67. From this time forwards the Archons at Athens were chosen annually and the first of them was Creon The Messenians the nineteenth year after the first War which they had waged with the Lacedaemonians revolted from them under the leading of Aristomenes who for the space of fourteen years valiantly defended them But at last the Lacedaemonians after ten years Siege took Messina and put an end to the War And the remainder of the Messenians upon the overthrow of their Country Sailed into Sicily where they possess'd themselves of Zancle which they called Messinâ—… 3313. 671. XXVII ii 83. The year before the Messenians Sailed thither Tullus Hostilius Succeeded Numa Pompilius and Reigned three and twenty years Egypt from the time of Sesostris King of that Country who we have told you was cotemporary with Rehoboam was molested with intestine troubles and divided into parts among diverse Princes until again in this Age it was brought under the obedience of Psammetichus alone concerning which see Sir John Marsham ad Saec. 16. 3326. 658. XXX i. 96. Cypselus began to act the Tyrant at Corinth and held it for thirty years having expelled the Bacchiades who hitherto had had the chief management of the Publick whence it came to pass that Demaratus the Corinthian Sail'd into Italy for fear of that Tyrannical Government and fixt himself at Tarquinij a City of Etruria 3341. 643. XXXI ii 111. Manasses King of Judah was Succeeded by his Son Amon who after he had Reigned two years left Josiah to Succeed him who was a pious and good King 3345. 639. XXX ii 115. Ancus Martius the fourth King of Rome began his Reign now which he continued for four and twenty years Then Solon was born the Law-giver of Athens and the year before Thales Milesius both which were of the number of those seven famous Wisemen of Greece The names of the other five who were equal to
another of the Medes and Persians For he thinks that Cyaxares the first King of the Medes whom he supposes to have been Assuerus delivered the Persians whom his Father Phraortes had Conquered to his Son Darius to be governed by him as their King Whom Daniel c. 9.1 calls as he conjectures Darius the Son of Assuerus of the Seed of the Medes And Cyaxares I. had Astyages for his Successor in the Kingdom of the Medes Dispossest by Cyrus but Darius who was also called Astyages the Grandfather of Cyrus had Cyaxares for his Successor See Marsham ad Saec. 18. But there are many things that do occasion me to dissent from him though otherwise it must be confessed that there can be nothing almost besides conjectures in this business 3426. 558. LV. iii. 196. Craesus last King of Lydia Reigned sixteen years his Father being still alive as Petavius supposes The Poets Ibycus Simonides and Stesichorus as also the Philosopher Anaximenes flourished at this time 3429. 555. LVI ii 199. After the Death of Neriglissor Baltassar his Son Reigned alone nine Months at the end whereof he was Slain by Nabonides's faction or as Petavius thinks by that of Darius the Mede and Nabonides or Darius the Mede succeeded him In this Age lived Xenophanes of Colophon the Philosopher and Theognis the Poet Sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now flourished Phalaris the Tyrant of Agrigentum flourished then also one Perillus is said to have made him a brazen bull hollow within wherein he shut up Men alive and putting fire under it made their crying to seem like the bellowing of a Bull. But the first on whom the experiment was tryed was Perillus himself of whom Ovid in his first Book de Arte Amandi after he had said that Busiris slew the Man who first taught him to pacifie the Gods with the blood of his Guests speaks thus Et Phalaris tauro violenti membra Perilli Torruit infelix imbuit auctor opus Justus uterque fuit neque enim Lex aequior ulla est Quà m necis artifices arte perire suá 3440. 544. LIX i. 210. Croesus King of Lydia marched against the Persians or the Army of the Medes and Persians commanded by Cyrus the Persian and while he hoped to return home Conqueror he was deluded by the Ambiguous answer of the Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For having past over the River Haly he was overcome by Cyrus and upon the taking of Sardis was made a Prisoner and carryed into Captivity leaving all Asia unto Cyrus A little after flourished Anaximander the Milesian who foundout the obliquity of the Zodiack and Pherecydes of Scyros not the Syrian for he was not of Syria but of the Isle of Scyros who was Pythagoras his Master who not long after were followed by Hipponax and Hippicus the Poets In these times lived Consucius in the furthermost parts of Asia among the Chineses who was an excellent Philosopher Of whom see Mart. Martinius in his History of China lib. 4. and Philip Coupletius in his Proem to Confucius Not long after Croesus his overthrow when Harpagus in Cyrus's Name governed the lesser Asia the Phocaeans being weary of his Rule left Asia and Sailed into Gaul where they fixed their Seats about a place where now Marseilles stands and built that City 3446. 538. LX. v. 216. This year Cyrus having subdued the King of Babylon's Confederates marched to Babylon it self which he took and for his Reward his Uncle Cyaxares who dyed soon after bestowed his only Daughter Mandanes upon him whom when he had marryed he was made Heir to all Cyaxares his Kingdom and gave a beginning to the Persian Monarchy which had not any equal to it before Daniel the Prophet lived to this time who was carried captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezer to whom under Nabonidus or Darius the Mede the last King of Babylon the Prophecy of the Seventy weeks was Revealed upon the elapsing of which the Messias was to come as we shall see hereafter The Return of the Jews The Eighth EPOCH From the Return of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity to the Subduing of Carthage are 336 years which makes up the Eighth PERIOD Year of the W. Year before Christ Olymp. of the Building of Rome 3446. 538. LX. v. 216. THE same year wherein Cyrus began his Reign upon the taking of Babylon he put forth a Decree wherein the Jews who were held in Captivity by the Kings of Babylon were ordered to Rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem in obedience to which they returned in great numbers into their own Country under the Conduct of Zorobabel together with Josua the Son of Josedec the High Priest Two years after they laid the Foundations of the Temple and erected an Altar But the Samaritans their Neighbours who also worshipped the God of Israel while they pretended a readiness of themselves to assist the Jews in the work and were refused by the Jews they endeavoured by their Calumnies to induce the King of Persia to put a stop to the further carrying on of the building Esd 4. In these times Simenides of Ceos Anacreon of Samos Lyrick Poets and Xenophanes the natural Philosopher and Poet flourished amongst the Greeks 3451. 533. LXI iv 221. This year Tarquinius Superbus the last King of the Romans having Slain his Father in Law began his Reign which continued for four and twenty years Five years after Cyrus wageth War with the Scythians if you believe Justin and Herodotus and was slain by Thomyris Queen of Scythia But Ctesias says that he was wounded in a Battle he fought against the Derbices and dyed three days after having first given many good Precepts to his Sons Cambyses and Tanyoxares But Zenophon clearly describes him dying pleasantly in a good old Age after he had Reigned thirty years He was Succeeded by Cambyses II. King of Persia who Reigned seven years and five Months Cambyses upon the Death of Amasis King of Egypt and his being Succeeded by Psammenitus in that Kingdom invaded it where after he had done many cruel Acts and in the mean time commanded his Brother in Persia to be put to Death he at last ran mad and not long after was wounded and dyed After his Death a certain Magician called Smerdis very much resembling Tanyoxares both in body and face took upon him to be the same Person and Reigned seven Months Petavius thinks this Man to have been Artaxerxes whom Esdras makes to Succeed Ahasuerus c. 9.7 See his Book de Doct. temp lib. 12.27 About these times Polycrates the Tyrant of Samos was crucified by Oron Governor of Sardis who took him by a stratagem after he held the Tyrannick power for eleven years with great Success 3436. 521. LXIV iii. 233. After the counterfeit Tanyoxares had hid himself seven Months he was at last taken and destroy'd by the Seven Peers of Persia who conspired against him and one of their number viz. Darius the Son of Hystaspis was made choice of in his room
to pass that the Pentateuch which was written in the Ancient Letters is so handed down to us There are Relicks of them to this day in Mount Gerizim In this Age Herodotus whom the Greeks call the Father of History published his Books when there was already an History of the Hebrews for fifteen Ages beginning only with Abraham without going higher He seems to have said nothing of the Hebrews because that the Land of Judaea at that time was through the long absence of its Inhabitants in a mean State and the Jewish affairs were inconsiderable besides that it was the business of the Greeks to know only those Nations with whom they had some commerce or other Artaxerxes King of Persia being overthrown several times by the Greeks but more particularly by the Athenians under the Conduct of Cimon was forced to make a Dishonourable Peace with them upon these conditions amongst others that he should be oblig'd to leave the Maritime Cities of Asia free that he should not come nearer to the Sea than the space of ground that a Horse could run over without stopping and that he should not be carryed in a Ship between the Cyamean and Chelidonean Islands While the Athenians were overcoming the common Enemy they procured to themselves the envy of their Neighbours and especially of the Lacedaemonians from whence breaking out into an open War the Lacedaemonians were often worsted in Battle by Pericles and Tolmides the Athenian Generals At last both sides agreed to a Truce of thirty years which neither kept In these times flourished Democritus Melissus Empedocles Parmenides Zeno Eleates and Socrates who is to be preferred before all the rest of the Philosophers As also the orators Gorgias Prodicus Lysias together with the Poets Sophocles Aristophanes and Euripides 3540. 444. LXXXIV i. 310. This year were the Tribunes of the People upon a Tumult of the People first created with Consular Power but finding that would not do about three Months after they put Consuls in their room Next year the Quinquennial Censors were first Created who had full power over the manners of the Citizens so as to punish and regulate them as they pleased not long after Sp. Melius in the time of a great Famine at Rome by distributing of Corn to the People thought to make himself King but L. Quinctius being made Dictator he was Slain in pursuance to his commands by C. Servilius Ahala The Romans in the succeeding years gained several Victories over the Vejentians and Etrurians especially under the leading of Mamercus Aemilius In the mean while there were divers Commotions raised in Greece the Athenians under the Command of Pericles reduced once and again the Revolting Samians under their Obedience And seeing according to Thucydides it was not long after that the first War between the Corcyraeans and Corinthians brake forth the Athenians by the perswasion of the Embassadors of Corcyra made an Allyance with them by whose Aid they became Conquerors And now the Lacedaemonians out of envy to the Athenians having called a Dyet concluded that the Truce made fourteen years since was violated by the Athenians 3553. 431. LXXXVII ii 323. Hence sprung the Peloponnesian War while the Romans being involved in a War with the Aqui and Volscians under the Conduct of A. Posthumius the Dictator triumphed over them This Posthumius put his Son to Death because he had fought contrary to his Commands These were the principal causes of the Peloponnesian War because the Lacedaemonians envyed the power of the Athenians and for that Pericles after he had spent Seven thousand Talents during the time of his Magistracy refused to give an account thereof which he hoped to get clear of when the People were involved in War neither was he mistaken therein for two years after he dyed In this War which lasted for seven and twenty years Theramenes Thrasybulus Demosthenes and Alcibiades on the Athenian side performed many brave Exploits and those that were Famous among the Lacedaemonians were Brasides Myndarus and Lysander Admiral of their Fleet who took Athens rased the Walls of the City and committed the Government of it to thirty Tyrants Thucydides has written an accurate History of this War and he lived in that Age. We shall pass by the circumstances thereof and briefly touch upon other things that fell out in the interim of time 3558. 326. LXXXVIII iii. 328. This year there were again created at Rome four Military Tribunes who fought against the Vejentians with bad Success But Mamercus Aemilius being made Dictator he overcame them together with the Fidenates and took and rased the City Fidena it self Next year upon the Death of Artaxerxes who Reigned forty years Xerxes Succeeded for two Months and Sogdianus for Seven 3560. 424. LXXXIX ii 331. Darius The Bastard Succeeded him and was the Ninth King of Persia who Reigned nineteen years There were two Consuls created at Rome next year according to Ancient custom who were Succeeded by nine Military Tribunes with the same power for the space of nine years 3568. 416. XCI 338. The Athenians undertake the Sicilian War in favour of the Citizens of Aegesta and the Leontini against those of Selinos and Syracuse Alcibiades Nicias and Lamachus being constituted Generals of their Forces Alcibiades was presently after recalled as being accused of an impious fact because he had taken care to throw down all the carv'd Statues of Mercury the night before his departure but Alcibiades fled to Lacedaemon whom he excited to send Succours to the Syracusians who sent Gylippus by whom at last the Athenians received great overthrows Alcibiades a little after got leave to return home from his Banishment and brought things so to bear that Tissaphernes who was angry with the Athenians was reconciled to them and that an Oligarchy was set up in Athens Wherefore there were four hundred appointed for the Administration of the Government butthey degenerating into Tyrants were removed and other Magistrates put into their room to whom the care of the Commonweath was committed 3574. 410. XCII iii. 344. While the War was carryed on in Sicily between the Cities of Aegesta Syracuse and others of that Island Hannibal the Grandson of Amilcar the Son of Giscon was sent thither by the Carthaginians to whom the Aegestans fled for Succour At length the People of Rome did the year following prevail to get three Quaestors of the People made The Romans afterwards overthrew the Volscians divers times and hitherto confined themselves within the bounds of Italy Hence forward also the Military Tribunes managed the Republick for fifteen years 3579. 405. XCIII iv 349. Many Memorable things hapned this year when the Siege of Veij began which lasted ten years And Dionysius raised such accusations against the Commanders of the Syracusians that he was at last in conjunction with others chosen General And when afterwards he commanded the Army alone he set himself up for a Tyrant and compelled the Carthaginians though often conquerors to make Peace
Hiero of Syracuse being seven years before chosen General by the Soldiers was this year saluted King of Syracuse The Romans in the mean time wage various Wars with the Tarentines Samnites Bruttians Vmbrians Picentians and Salentines wherein they always came off Conquerors The Carthaginians fearing so much fortune gave the Tarentimes some assistance and so they broke the League which they had hitherto observed with the Romans Seeing therefore that in the fourth year after Hiero took upon him the Dominion of Syracuse the Mamertines who had possessed themselves of Messena were molested by him and the Carthaginians and for that reason sought assistance from the Romans the first Punick War began 3720. 264. CXXIX i. 490. Appius Claudius Caudex the Consul transported an Army into Sicily and so worsted Hiero that he was necessitated to leave the Mamertines and to retreat to Syracuse Because we have made mention of this War we will briefly recount the chief Events thereof without the interfering of other things Wherefore next year Man Valerius Maximus and Man Ottacilius being Consuls they sailed into Sicily as the Consuls of the succeeding years did who won divers Victories over the Carthaginians and Sicilians The Romans who knew nothing hitherto of Maritine Affairs did in the fourth year of the War set out a Fleet and the year following under the auspicious Conduct of C. Dulius the Consul overcame the Carthaginians in a Sea-Fight though they were very skilful in Maritime Affairs as they did often also in the succeeding years tho' they underwent divers Shipwracks In the ninth year of the War after the Carthaginians had to no purpose opposed their Fleet of Three hundred and fifty Ships against that of the Romans consisting of Three hundred and thirty which was Commanded by M. Attilius Regulus they could not hinder the Roman Army to make now their first Descent into Africa Regulus in the beginning performed many things very successfully but next year he was overcome and taken by Xantippus the Lacedaemonian This Man's Fortitude is very admirable who when he was taken and sent to Rome by the Carthaginians to treat about the Redemption of Prisoners but supposing at the same time that the thing was a Dishonour to the Commonwealth he disswaded the Senate from it and returned into Africa where if we believe Appian he was cruelly put to death by the Carthaginians in a Cave full of Iron Spikes But Jac. Palmerius upon Appian shews that this sort of Death is fabulous After this the Romans being worsted in divers Naval Fights and lessened by Shipwracks were for some years compelled to yield the Dominion of the Seas to the Carthaginians but in the three and twentieth year of the War having repaired their Fleet they beat the Carthaginians near Agates an Island on the African Coast under the Conduct of Q. Lutatius the Consul and next year which was the twenty fourth they granted Peace to the Carthaeginians upon hard Conditions In the beginning of this War Eumenes after Phileterus held the Principality of Pergamus in Asia and Nicomedes King of Bithynia gave the Name of Nicomedia to the enlarged City of Astacus The Republick of Achaia began to flourish about the middle of this War About thirty years before divers Cities of Achaia entring into a Confederacy gave beginning thereunto and entrusted the same to be administred by two Praetors that were chosen soon after But afterwards the Supreme Power was devolved upon one and the first that exercised that Charge alone was M. Carynensis who after four years time was succeeded by Aratus of Sicyone who though but twenty years of age brought his Country to enter into a Confederation with the other Cities of Achaia Between the first and second Punick War Learning began to be cultivated at Rome Livius Andronicus was the first that wrote Fables who for his Contemporaries had Ennius Pacuvius Naevius and other Poets given to promote the Art in their Mother-Tongue 3749. 235. CXXXVI ii 519. The Romans quickly appeased the Tumults that arose both in Africa and Sardinia and having made Peace every where did now the first time shut the Temple of Janus after the days of Numa afterwards they won divers Victories of the Gauls Ligurians and Sardinians At the same time Teuta Queen of the Illyrians permitted her Subjects to pirate by Sea and pillage the Coasts of Italy The Romans sent C. and L. Coruncanus to make complaint hereof unto her of whom Lucius speaking bolder than the other was contrary to the Law of Nations slain But next year the Queen was overcome and forced to pay Tribute And a little after the Romans having sent Embassadors to the Achaians Aetolians Athenians and Corinthians began now the first time to intermeddle with the Affairs of Greece But almost all the Greeks having entred into a stricter Alliance made Antigonus the Tutor of Philip King of Macedon their General 3764. 220. CXL i. 534. The Carthaginians in this and the preceding Age possess'd themselves of the greatest part of Spain Asdrubal was Governor there for the space of eight years who both held and enlarged that Province more by Gentleness than Arms. But his Successor Hannibal a Man intent upon War and new Undertakings broke the Peace with laying Siege to Saguntum a City in Confederacy with the Romans which without any regard had to the Roman Embassy after seven months he took The same Embassadors insisted at Carthage That Hannibal should be given up to them But their Demands were rejected 3766. 218. CXL iii. 536. Hence sprang the Second Carthaginian War which commenced twenty four years after the First When Rome was reduced almost to the last extremity in it by Hannibal she was delivered by Scipio who for that reason was sirnam'd The African This War continued for the space of seventeen years whereof you have a compendious and elegant Description in Florus We shall now return to the Jewish Nation of whom we have almost said nothing since the time of Alexander These People were infested by the Kings of Syria and Egypt divers ways and 't is said that Antiochus King of Syria being overcome by Ptolemy Philopater King of Egypt attempted to enter into the Temple of Jerusalem but was kept out from thence by a Miracle and that Philopater going about to force the Jews who lived in Egypt to abjure their Religion was also warned from Heaven to desist The Empire of Parthia is said a little before this to have taken its Original in Asia the first King whereof was Arsaces from whom the succeeding Kings were called Arsacidae At the same time also several of the Eastern Nations strove who should soonest shake off the Macedonian Yoke But others there are who would have these things to have come to pass in the time of the first Punick War Philip King of Macedon in the heat of the Second Carthaginian War made a League with Hannibal and falling into Peloponnesus cut off Aratus by Poison At the same time Laevinus the
Sentiments of the Manichaeans concerning the Liberty of Man About these times Valentinian the Younger put forth an Edict in favour of the Arians while Theodosius on the other hand did many things in favour of the Homoousians as they called them So that the pious Rules no less strove with one another by the Authority of the Emperors whom they endeavoured to engage on their side than they did in Reproaches and Anathema's Now it was that Cyril of Jerusalem flourish'd and Jerom and John both Presbyters of Antioch which last was called Chrysostom began to grow famous and about two years after the latter was made Presbyter when the Antiochians had thrown down the Statues of Theodosius he made those Orations which are known by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the same time Maximus the Tyrant was overcome and slain by Theodosius at Aquileia Neither did his Son Victor survive him long for Count Arbogastes cut off his Head in Gaul Theodosius restored to Valentinian what he took from Maximus Two years after the People of Thessalonica having slain a principal Officer of his Theodosius commanded a great slaughter to be made of them For which reason St. Ambrose shut him out of the Church of Milan till he had given signs of a Publick Repentance neither was he admitted in till after the expiration of some months as other Penitents used to do Moreover he made a Law That the Execution of Sentence past should be deferred for Thirty Days Valentinian also the same year made a Law concerning Deaconesses and Women consecrated to God That they should give nothing to the Churches Which was Repealed not long after And this proved to be the fate of all the Edicts that seemed to take any thing away from the Clergy A Decree of the same Emperor had a like success wherein it was Enacted That Monks should not enter into Cities but dwell in solitary Places For the same was disused in three years after or thereabouts 391. Eugenius relying upon the aid of Count Arbogastus invaded the Western Empire and Valentinian not long after died of a Wound he received of Arbogastus at Vienna He was a Catechumen aâ— that time and desired Ambrose to Baptize him before he went upon the Expedition he had projected against the Barbarians But though he died unbaptized yet Ambrose in his Funeral Sermon stick'd not to say that he was saved Then began great Wranglings to arise about Origen's Opinions between John Bishop of Jerusalem and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus whose Epistle concerning the said John of Jerusalem's Errors is still extant and was turned into Latin by St. Jerom. Paladius of Galata and Ruffinus a Presbyter of Aquileia were favourers of the same Opinions You may consult Sulpitius Seuerus's Dialogaes and the Origeniana of P. D. Huetius upon this Subject Theodosius being accompany'd with Honorius whom the year before he had created Augustus marched against Arbogastus and Eugenius and having joined Battle was worsted the first day But he overcame the day following the Winds as they said fighting for him Theodosius died the year after this Victory Ruffinus had dispossess'd his Son Arcadius of the Eastern Empire to whom his Father had assign'd it had it not been for Stilicho Honorius's General who defeated and slew him Then Augustine who had been ordained Presbyter five years before was made Bishop of Hipp. Claudian the last of the Latin Poets flourish'd at that time Eutropius was assisting to Stilicho in the overthrowing of Ruffinus but they could not agree long Eutropius made it his business to get the former who was going to the East declared an Enemy to the Commonwealth by the Emperor and Senate and endeavoured from under Honorius's Command to take away Africa by the means of Gildon wherein he proved at first successful But Mascezel Gildo's Brother having received supplies of Men from Stilicho overcame his Brother and distressed him so far by his Victory that he went and hang'd himself and himself soon after was by Stilicho's Command thrown over a Bridge into the River 398. John Chrysostom was made Patriarch of Constantinople a Person no less addicted to a severity of Discipline than famous for Eloquence While he ruled the Church of Constantinople Gainas a Confident of Eutropius having made a League with the Barbarians so far deceived him that in some time he effected his ruine But after divers Commotions raised in Constantinople he was at length slain himself in Thrace At the same time Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria having assembled a Synod took care to have Origen and his Followers condemned He used ill the Origenian Monks of Egypt who in vain fled for Protection to St. Chrysostom 400. Then it was that Alaricus King of the Goths wasted Italy and had Gaul and Spain assigned him by Honorius to dwell in There were several Synods held about these times in Africa against the Donatists whom at length seeing they could not do it by Arguments they overcame by Force And this St. Augustine in his Epistle to Vincentius asserts to be lawful 403. St. Chrysostom not long after was condemned by Theophilus of Alexandria and some other Bishops at the Instigation of Eudoxia the Empress whom he had offended by inveighing against the Plays that were celebrated in honour of her at her Silver Statue which stood not far from the Church Next year he was exil'd into Cilicia thence into Armema and in the fourth year of his Banishment died at Comana upon the Euxine Sea 408. Arcadius himself who sent him into Banishment died also not long after leaving Theodosius his Son an Infant behind him and whom he recommended to the Protection of Isdegerdes King of Persia who discharged the Trust committed to him with great fidelity Stilicho endeavouring to get his Son Eucherius made Caesar was slain Whereupon Alaricus offered to enter into a League with Honorius But the latter rejecting the Terms the other advanced with his Army twice to Rome and at last took the City while one Constantius an obscure Person who invaded the Empire was in the mean time slain in Gaul Alaricus when he had taken and plundered Rome did at his departure take along with him Placidia Honorius's Sister and bestowed her in Marriage on Ataulphus his Kinsman who upon the other's death that happened in a short while after succeeded him in his Dominions 413. About these times Coelestius a Disciple of Peâ—…gius who was a Scot or Britain was condemned â—n the Synod of Carthage Pelagius's Tenet was That all Men had strength enough and to spare bestowed upon them by God whereby freely to discharge their Duty and that they stood in no need of other extraordinary Grace to help them therein besides what the Providence of God bestowed upon all Men and That Infants were neither capable of Vice nor Vertue which then only exert themselves when they become adult Others who denied the said liberty and believed most Men through an Eternal Necessity which they called Predestination
I. Simon Fecit A COMPENDIUM OF UNIVERSAL HISTORY FROM The Beginning of the World To the Reign of The Emperor CHARLES the Great Written Originally in Latin By Monsieur Le CLERC Done into English Nescire quid antea quà m natus sis acciderit id est semper esse Puerum Cicero LONDON Printed for M. Gillyflower in Westminster-Hall J. Tonson at Grays-Inn-gate next Grays-Inn 〈◊〉 W. Freeman at the Bible in Fleet-street J. Waâ—â—â—â— in the Temple and R. Parker under the Royal-Exchange MDCXCIX THE AUTHOR'S EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader THERE is no necessity I should take upon me to set forth the Vsefulness of those Tracts wherein the History of Mankind is contracted into a narrow compass the vast number of such sort of Books which have been publish'd by learned Men especially from the Time when good Literature has begun to revive in these our Western Parts doth sufficiently evidence the Sentiments of the learned World in this matter These are the only Two things that can be required at my hands first why I chose rather to project a New Method of my own than make use of others Industry after the labours of so many learned Men that are still extant and then to shew the Reason of my Design Both which I shall dispatch in a few words In the Course of my Studies I could not but observe that most of these sorts of Epitomes were either too long or too short so that there was a Deficiency in both that obstructed the Reader from receiving the benefit he hoped for in the perusal of them for they are written to the intent they may be frequently turned over by the Studious and almost retained in their memories which cannot be if they are of the larger size For the Design of such Works as these is That the Times wherein the most remarkable Events that have happened among all Nations may be notified and that the Chronology of them compared one with another may be revolved upon so that who were Cotemporaries among the remotest Nations and what things fell out in the same Age may be easily produced But this cannot be done if your Historical Compendiums be too short of which there are very many in which the Chronology is too summarily comprehended Both these faults we have endeavoured to shun herein and therefore we have followed Dionysius Petavius the most accurate of Chronologers in this our Epitome till the Year of our Lord 533. to which he brought down his Annals Not that we look upon him to have been wholly free from error in so perplex'd a thing and that admits of so much variety nay we have noted some here But undoubtedly he is less guilty than those who have wrote before him neither are they rashly to be called Faults that oppose some Conjectures wherewith Chronologers do now a-days abound What was chiefly wanting in those Epitomes that are already extant and for the amending whereof we have applied our selves in this our COMPENDIUM we have taken to be these things 1. A truer though short Narration of many things which were not very aptly represented in the days of our Ancestors such as those Matters that are boasted of concerning the Four Monarchies and many others 2. A pointing to several Modern Writers from whom a fuller knowledge may be had of several things which we have briefly mention'd 3. A more accurate and truer expounding of many Particulars relating to the Holy Scriptures and Ecclesiastical History than is found elsewhere Most Writers have as it were combined in every thing to commend and approve of those who have succeeded in their Designs when on the contrary they have mostly condemned others and laden them with Reproaches who have had the misfortune to be born down with the number of Voices as if prosperous Events and the multitude of Consents were infallible arguments of Truth or that whoever were commended in Ancient Times were worthy of Praises as those who were condemned should be really guilty But herein we neither absolve nor condemn any Man saving that the thing it self does clearly absolve or condemn them and for the most part we have also barely declared the thing as it was without making any enquiry what Opinions were true or false but what really happened and actually came to pass AN INDEX of the PERIODS I. PERIOD From the Creation of the World to the Deluge pag. 4 II. PERIOD From the Deluge to the Calling of Abraham p. 5 III. PERIOD From Abraham to the Law of Moses p. 10 IV. PERIOD From the Law till the Taking of Troy p. 15 V. PERIOD From the Taking of Troy to the Building of the Temple of Jerusalem p. 22 VI. PERIOD From the Building of the Temple to the First Olympiad p. 25 VII PERIOD From the First Olympiad to the Return of the Jews p. 29 VIII PERIOD From the Return of the Jews to the Taking of Carthage p. 43 IX PERIOD From the Taking of Carthage to Jesus Christ p. 80 X. PERIOD From the Birth of Christ to the Conversion of Constantine p. 96 XI PERIOD From the Conversion of Constantine to the Reign of the Emperor Charles the Great p. 125 A COMPENDIUM OF Universal History FROM The beginning of the World to the Reign of the Emperor Charles the Great AS we are wont when we learn Geography in order to remember where the less noted Towns and more inconsiderable Burroughs stand to six in our Memories the Situation of the Principal Cities about which we place those other lesser ones and Villages so when we study History it will be of advantage to us to settle in our thoughts certain Times that are remarkable for some illustrious Event to the end we may refer unto them whatever we meet with in the Monuments of the Ancients which sort of Events are distinguished by the Name of Epochs because our Minds do as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhere or dwell upon them when they are imployed to divide the Age of the World by the help of those Epochs into certain intervals of time This our Compendium is distinguished into twelve Epochs and therein we take in whatever has happened from the beginning of the World to the Reign of Charles the Great For here an end ought to be put to Ancient History for about these times it was that the Roman Empire was utterly destroy'd and new Kingdoms set up both in Asia and Europe The first Epoch shall be the Creation of the World which according to the Computation of Dionysius Petavius whom we shall follow for the future happened the year before Christ 3984. From hence to the Deluge will be comprehended an History of 1656 years for it was in that year of the World the Universal Deluge hapned before our Saviour's Birth 2328. The Second shall be Noah's Flood from whence to the calling of Abraham which hapned in the year of the World 2022 before Christ 1962 are computed 366 years The Third shall be taken from the calling
by wild Beasts than Men. A little after began the Egyptian Dynasties which were in number four the Theban Thinitican Memphitican and Tanitican Dynasties whose respective Metropolitan Cities were Thebes This and Memphis in the Higher Egypt and Tanis seated in that part of the Country called the Lower Egypt but the first that seems to have possest all Egypt was Menes the first King in each Dynasty He seems to have been the same with Cham Noah's Son Sir John Marsham has a Catalogue of his Successors Sec. 1. and onwards who is to be consulted with concerning the Antiquities of Egypt About these times Fohi seems to have flourished as first Emperor of China though their Calculation exceeds that of the Hebrews which we follow and doth better accord with the Greek of the Septuagint but wherein the error lies who can tell See Is Vossius de Aetate Mundi The Kingdom of Scicyone in the Peloponnesus is thought to have had its beginning not long after whereof Aegialeus was the first King who is placed by Chronologers about these times See Petavius Arts seemed to have flourished about the end of this Period and Architecture was now first known because certain Pyramids of a Stupendious bigness and height are thought to have been built at this time in Egypt but seeing the beginning of all Ancient History commences here we have commonly no more than the Names of Kings and Patriarchs and Fables beyond At this very time Idolatry seems to have sprung up in the World seeing before now all Mankind worshipped one only God And this was the Original thereof Men knew that there were certain separate Essences which were called Angels besides the Supream God whom the Almighty sent as his Legates or Embassadors and if I may say so as it were lesser Gods unto Men. These Mankind at first worshipped as Gods Embassadors as we see the Hebrews themselves held them in great Reverence But when they once fell into that Notion that the Supream God committed Empires Cities and Families to the care of these lesser ones they grew by degrees almost forgetful of the Supream Deity and shewed that Reverence to those lesser Gods that was due to him alone Then they fell into an opinion that the Souls of Excellent Men after their decease were admitted into the Order of those lesser Deities and hence it came to pass that Deceased Kings were worshipped as if they had been taken into the number of the Gods All which however did not hinder but that that Ancient and True Opinion still Survived amongst most Nations that there was a Supream God and that it was upon him alone that the rest of the Inferior Deities had their dependance Moreover because Angels sometimes delivered Oracles in Statues as John Spencer concerning Urim and Thummin prettily conjectures the Heathens erected Statues to their Gods And it should seem afterwards to have come to pass that when both the Worship and Manners of the Gentiles displeased the Angels of Light because they saw many put them up in the place of the Creator they forsook them and the Angels of Darkness succeeded in their places whence the Scripture says the Heathens worshipped Devils not that the Heathens did believe they adored Evil Spirits which we call Devils but because their Temples and Statues were only inhabited by Devils But the discussion of these things require a larger Volume The Calling of Abraham The Third EPOCH From Abraham's Calling to the Law given by Moses are 431 years which makes up The Third PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ 2022. 1962. IDolatry being now grown prevalent in the World God was pleased to make choice of some Family from among the rest of Mankind wherein the Knowledge and Worship of one only Supream God might be kept up and therefore he called Abraham one of the Posterity of Sem out of Ur of the Chaldees and commanded him to go into the Land of Canaan where he made himself oftner and more clearly known unto him by the Ministry of Angels and especially gave him that Signal promise that it should some time come to pass that one of his Posterity should bring the Blessings of Heaven unto all Nations A little after the coming of Abraham into the Land of Canaan as there were several petty Kings both on this and the other side of the Euphrates there hapned to be a War between them as you have it in Gen. 14. where mention is made of Amraphael King of Sinaar or Babylon not as King of all Asia as is commonly thought the Kings of Babylon then were but as the Companion of Kedorlaomer King of Elam who was much more Potent as having certain Kings in the Land of Palaestine that were his Subjects And here is an Invincible Argument for the overthrow of that opinion concerning the Kingdom of Babylon that it extended over all Asia before Abraham's time under Ninus and Semiramis and Ninyas Semiramis Son seeing Amraphael was King of Babylon at this time and not Arius as they would have it who follow Ctesia or Ninyas the Son of Ninus as Vopiscus after Africanus is of opinion neither was the King of Babylon equal in power to the King of Elam There were several Kings in these times in the Land of Palaestine among whom Abimelec and Melchisedec are mentioned and who yet retained the knowledge of the True God The Scriptures also contain the History and Birth of Ismael Isaac Esau and Jacob which may be consulted for that end 2046. 1938. Abraham was 99 years Old when God gave him his Commandment about Circumcision and the same year were Sodom Gomorra Adma and Tseboim overthrown with Lightning setting fire to the Sulphurous Earth which thereupon sunk whereunto the River Jordan and other Rivulets flowing and mixing their Waters with the Sulphurous matter formed the Lake Asphaltites concerning which I have made a particular Dissertation elsewhere This Conflagration which Lot with his Wife and Daughters was flying from reach'd his Wife who out of Curiosity stopped or turned her face back and made her give up the Ghost with the fright of such a dreadful Spectacle for so are those words in Scripture to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and she was a Statue for ever that is she grew stiff and remained like a Statue in the same place which we have also shewed in another Dissertation 2122. 1857. In Isaac's Days Inachus founded the Kingdom of the Argives in the Peloponnesus and had Successors of which see Petavius Tanaquillus Faber a very Learned Man after he had observed in his Notes upon the Bibliotheca of Apollodorus That there was nothing in Greece older than the time of Inachus says that Inachus was of Eternal Original which the Name of it self sufficiently discovered for that Inachus was no other than Anach or Enach from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in old Greek which word as is manifest from the Writings of the Poets signified a God or Gods So far he We
least Hesiod was cotemporary with him or at least but a little later but if you will believe the Authority of Arundel's Marble a little older See Marsham ad Saec. 15. 3009. 975. Solomon was Succeeded by his Son Rehoboam who for want of Management lost the Soveraignty over the Ten Tribes and continued only to Reign over Judah and Benjamin Jeroboam the Son of Nebat possest himself of the other ten Tribes and made them Golden Calves to Worship as you have it in the first Book of Kings Hence the Posterity of Jacob came to be divided into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel which for some Ages after without interruption had different Kings whose names and years you may take out of Petavius his Tables In Rehoboam's time lived Sesac or Sesostris the most Potent King of Egypt who took Jerusalem and having united the four Dynasties of Egypt into one Kingdom made a Conquest of a great part of Asia See Marsham ad Saec. 14 15. 3026. 958. Abijah Rehoboam's Son Succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Judah and set upon Jeroboam with four Hundred thousand Men who had double the number and overcame him Neither should this be looked upon as a wonder that so many Soldiers should be found in so small a Country for in those days there were no standing Troops but all the Men except such as were Aged Children and the Sick went upon the Expedition 3098. 886. In the Seventeenth year of Pygmaleon King of Tyre when two Kings of the same Name for both were called Joram Reigned in Judah and Israel Dido left Tyre and built Carthage whence t is manifest that Virgil in making Aeneas and Dido to be cotemporaries has been guilty of a great Anachronism See Sam. Bochart in his Canaan L. I. c. 24. who says that Carthage was called Carthada in the Phoenician Tongue that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cartha-hadath or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cartha-hadthah a new City and that the Tower was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Botsrah from which word being pronounced by the Greeks Byrsa arose the Fable of the Ox-hide being cut into small thongs for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Ox-hide whereas the Hebrew word signifies a Fortress 3100. 884. When Ahaziah King of Judah was dead and that his Mother Athaliah having destroyed all the Seed Royal obtained the Kingdom by Tyranny Lycurgus the Famous Lacedaemonian Lawgiver flourished in Greece whose Laws are extant in his Life writ by Plutarch This was the greatest fault in his Polity that it was altogether Military as if a Common-wealth was less founded upon the Arts of Peace than upon Military Vertues and the next to it was that all the Infants who were born with any imperfections and the Hilotae or Husbandmen least they should grow too numerous were put to death 3108. 876. Petavius and others confine to this year the end of the Babylonian Empire Sardanapalus being Slain by Arbaces Governor of the Medes whom they reckon to have been the last King as if no body had been advanced to his place and that the Empire of the Medes had Succeeded that of Babylon which we have confuted in our Com. Philolog ad cap. 10. Gen. Arbaces the Mede having shaken off the Babylonish yoke set his Country-men at liberty which they retained for about fifty years until they chose Dejoces for their King as Herodotus says Lib. 1. 3142. 842. In the Reign of Joash King of Judah and of Jehoahaz King of Israel Hazael who slew his Master Benhadad King of Syria and invaded his Throne was very troublesom to Judah and Israel both neither did his Son Benhadad carry it any otherwise towards the Hebrews but he was overcome by the King of Israel 2 Kings 13.25 3160. 824. In these times lived Elisha the Prophet Elijah's Successor and not long after the Prophet Jonah who foretold Jeroboam King of Israel he should be victorious over the Syrians 2 Kings 14.25 What year it was he went to the Ninivites is not known but there is no doubt but it was before the Destructiof that City which was Prophesied by the Prophet Nabum and which seems to have happed in the Reign of Nebuchodonosor King of Babylon and of Cyaxanis over the Medes See Petavius his Book de Doct. Temp. lib. 10. c. 3. 3170. 814. The Kingdom of Macedon was founded this year Jeroboam II. being King of Israel as Joash was of Judah Caranus the Argive of the Heraclidan Race as being the Eleventh in course of Descent from Hercules taking a band of Men along with him out of the Peloponnesus began to Reign in Macedon You may be supply'd with his Successors to the time of Philip out of Petavius The First Olympiad The Seventh EPOCH From the first Olympiad to the return of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity were 239 years which makes up The Seventh PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ The Olympiads 3208. 776. Olym. 1. Year 1. IN the time of Azariah King of Judah the Olympick Games instituted of old by Hercules were restored by Iphitus They were celebrated every fourth year and lasted for five days The usual time for them was in the Month of July and the City Olympia in Elis was the place where they were held which as it stood in the Neighbourhood of Pisa was sometimes confounded with it These Games were chiefly made up of five sorts of exercises viz. of Leaping Running Quoiting Darting and Wrestling and he that was conqueror at all these was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latins Quinquertio But after the Greeks had begun to breed Horses Horse-races were also admitted among rest either with a single Horse or with Chariots drawn with two Horses or with four The Arts of Musick Poetry Eloquence c. were afterward introduced into the number As these Games returned every fourth year the space of four years was called an Olympiad and from thence it was the Greeks began to reckon their years by Olympiads and hence whatever has any truth or certainty therein in respect to their Chronology dates its original There was nothing that could be relyed on before as to their years Whence M. Varro who divided the Age of the World into three Periods that is to an uncertain fabulous and historical one did begin this last from hence hereof you may consult Sir John Marsham De Chronologia Graecorum ad Saecul 16. 3213. 771. II. 2. At this time Phul King of Assyria was troublesom to the Children of Israel and it was now that Ninive seems to have been rebuilt which is said to have been destroyed before by Arbaces the Mede About these very times the Greeks lead Colonies into Sicily the most considerable of which was that conducted by Archias of Corinth who built the City of Syracuse Hosea Prophesied also then who sometime after was followed by Esaias or rather was cotemporary with him in respect to Age and Prophesying In this Age to wit
with continual Wars At length from these Dissentions arose two most potent Kingdoms viz. that of Seleucus Nicanor in Syria and of Ptolemy the Son of Lagus in Egypt from whence sprung the Seleucian and Lagidan Race of Kings which are to be had in Petavius's Tables 3661. 323. CXIV ii 431. Eight thousand mercenary Greeks that some years before had been disbanded by Alexander having made choice of Leosthenes the Athenian for their General now Alexander was dead recover the Liberty of Greece overcome Antipater Governor of the Country and besiege him in Lamias a City of Thessaly whither he had fled In this Siege Leosthenes was kill'd with a Stone and Hiperides made his Funeral Oration Demosthenes at the same time rejoycing because of the Money he had received from Harpalus But being recalled next year the Macedonians vigorously renew the War against the Graecians and especially the Athenians and having overcome them they put a Garrison into Munichia and forced Demosthenes to flee from Athens again who on the 10th of November poison'd himself in the Isle of Calauria Aristotle is said to have died the same year aged sixty three A little after Demades the Orator entreating Antipater in the Name of the Athenians to withdraw his Garrison from Munichia was together with his Son slain 3663. 321. CXIV iv 433. While Alexander's Successors contend with one another with various success the Consuls of Rome T. Veturius Calvinus and S. Posthumius were overcome at Furcae Caudinae and sold for Captives but next year the Romans under the happy Conduct of L. Papirius served the Samnites the same sauce Three years after Agathocles Son to Carcinus made a Citizen of Rhegium to fill up the number being first taught the Potters Trade by his Father did afterwards turn Soldier and being in time chosen General made himself at last a Tyrant and from thenceforwards waged divers Wars in Sicily against the Athenians and Syracusians and in Africa against the Carthaginians About these times Demetrius Phalereus fled from Athens to Ptolemy King of Egypt who made him Keeper of his Library which was very great In which Age flourish'd also Demetrius Poliorcetes who should not be confounded with the other The first Demagogus was an Athenian but the other was Son to Antigonns who then possess'd himself of Greece and other Countries Then also lived Arcesilaus Prince of the Newer Academy who was descended from Pitanes a City of Aeolis Epicurus sprung from the Gargettian Tribe of Athens and Philemon and Menander both Comick Poets were Cotemporary with him In the mean time the Romans waged divers Wars with the Etrurians Samnites and Gauls All things were quiet with the Jews at the beginning of the Seleucian and Lagidan Monarchies Seleucus allowing them the freedom of all the Cities of Syria while Ptolemy conferred singular Privileges on them in Egypt At this time flourished the Philosophers Crates and Theophrastus Agathocles after he had reigned over the Kingdom of Syracuse and other neighbouring Cities of Italy and Sicily for eight and twenty years and escaped great Calamities was poison'd by Archagathus who with him slew his own Father Agathocles and the other's Son who was designed by him for his Successor While Alexander's Followers and their Children contended with one another with various fortune they sullied the Glory they had gotten before with innumerable Villainies The Commonalty of Rome being oppress'd with Debt withdrew into the Place called Janiculum but being pacified by Q. Hortensius the Dictator they returned again 3699. 285. CXXIII iv 470. Ptolemy called by the Alexandrians Philadelphus by way of Antiphrasis the Son of Ptolemy Lagus and Berenice in his Father's life-time began to reign and reigned Thirty eight Years In this or the foregoing year there was a Translation made of the Law of Moses into the Greek Tongue by the Septuagint who were brought together for that end by Philadelphus and perhaps by his Father Concerning which Translation there are many fabulous things vented and whereof Humphrey Hoddy hath written learnedly in his Differtation cont Hist Aristeae de LXX Int. As soon as Philadelphus came to the Kingdom and that his Father was dead Demetrius Phalereus began to decline in Favour and at last was banished in the second year of Philadelphus wherein Lagides died with the biting of an Asp He had offended Philadelphus because he had put Lagides in the head to leave some one of the Sons of Eurydices his other Wife 's his Successor and not Philadelphus the Son of Berenice and therefore it does not seem that this Person should correct the Translation of the Septuagint as some would have it which is far enough from the Attick Dialect We do not mention in this place the Wars and Dissentions of Alexander's Successors no nor their Names but we think it next to Impiety to pass over Pyrrhus King of Epirus 3703. 281. CXXIV iv 473. When the Tarentines had first pillaged the Romans Ships and evil intreated the Embassadors that had been sent to them to complain of the Wrong they made War upon them wherein they were at first overthrown in a great Battel by the Romans But next year Pyrrhus being invited by them into Italy overcame the Romans who were frightned chiefly at the unusual sight of his Elephants and when C. Fabricius was sent to him about the Redemption of Prisoners he dismiss'd them all without any Ransom Then he sent Cynea for his Embassador to Rome about concluding a Peace But Appius Caecus opposed it and so there was another Battel fought between them with doubtful success but was attended with that consequence that Pyrrhus was forced to leave Italy Then he transported his Army into Sicily where he first fought successfully against the Carthaginians but when in a short time his Affairs began to decline in that Island he returned on a sudden into Italy but he was overcome by the Romans despoiled of his Camp and forced to forsake Italy having left a Garrison in the Tower of Tarentum He spent six years in these Expeditions to little purpose After his return into Epirus he began to ravage Macedon and by little and little after he had won a Victory over Antigonus seized upon it all The second year after this Cleonymus the Lacedaemonian invited him into Laconia to assist him to dispossess his Brother Arius of the Kingdom He came and had almost possess'd himself of Sparta but being at length beaten from thence he laid Siege to Argos and being upon entring into the City it self he was kill'd by a Woman that let a Tile fall upon his Head While Pyrrhus was in Italy the Gauls under the Conduct of Brennus wasted Macedon and other Parts of Greece but when they went about to take Delphos they were said to have been driven from thence by an Earthquake Thunderbolts and portentous Signs Brennus soon after dying of his Wounds they invaded Thrace under the Command of Comontorius and exacted Tribute of the Byzantians 3715. 269. CXXVII iv 485.
other Outrages there Soon after he endeavoured by exquisite Torments to bring the Jews to abjure their Religion many of whom he forced to it though he was not able by the cruellest kinds of Death he could think of to frighten others to it among which number were Eleazar and his seven Brethren of whom read 2 Mac. vi vii 3816. 168. CLIII i. 586. Matthatias one of the Lineage of Aaron fled to the Mountains of Judaea and invited those Jews who were zealous for their Old Religion to come and join him but he dying the following year left Judas Maccabaeus his Son to succeed him who performed many famous Exploits against Antiochus his Captains Now the reason why Matthatias's Sons were called Maccabees was because these letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Machbai were on their Ensigns which are the initial letters of these four words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who among the gods is like unto thee O Lord They were also called Hasmonaei from the Chaldee word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Princes 3819. 165. CLIII iv 589. Judas after he had won many Victories over Antiochus's Generals purged the Temple that had been polluted and consecrated the same by a new Dedication on the 25th Day of the Month Casleu that is November the 23d Hence it was that the Feast called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or The Dedication of the Temple was celebrated every year Next year Antiochus being dead Judas began to take upon him the Office of High-Priest though he could not yet take the City of David where Antiochus Epiphanes had planted a Garrison While he laid Siege to it Antiochus Eupator the Son of Epiphanes came with an Army to Jerusalem and for some time sate down before it but having afterwards patcht up a Peace he entred the City and took and demolish'd the Walls thereof A little after this Demetrius Soter this Prince's Uncle who had been long kept for an Hostage at Rome privately left the City went into Syria and having recovered his Father's Kingdom slew Antiochus and Lysias his chief General and then growing angry with the Jews he was soon after by the artifice of Alcimus who lay upon the catch for the High-Priesthood brought to make a League with them But the Peace was of no long duration for next year a War broke out between them and Judas Maccabaeus fought Bacchides Demetrius's General and slew him Now it was that Eumenes and Attalus Kings of Pergamus lived as also Hipparchus a famous Astronomer among the Greeks not to forget Pacuvius of Brundusium a Tragedy-Writer among the Romans 3835. 149. CLVII iv 605. The Carthaginians molesting Masinissa King of Numidia who was Confederate with the Romans and building Ships contrary to the Articles of the last Peace gave a beginning to the Third Punick War which was carry'd on by Sea and Land by both Consuls and within four years finally terminated with the Destruction of Carthage by Scipio Aemilianus Much about the same times began the Achaian War occasioned by the Achaians driving out the Roman Legates from thence as also the War in Spain against Viriatus who invaded Lusitania 3839. 145. CLVIII iv 609. The Jews under the Conduct of Jonathan the Brother of Judas did well enough neither were the Kings of Syria at Enmity with them and Jonathan brought things so well to bear that he made a League with the Romans and Lacedaemonians which last he accosted in a very honourable manner as if they had been originally descended from the same Stock as the Jews 1 Maccab. xii He was succeeded in the Office of High-Priest by his Brother Simon three years after the fore-mention'd League 3851. 139. CLXI iv 621. The Achaian War was terminated within a year after the first commencement of it and the City of Corinth being burnt by L. Mummius Achaia was reduced into the form of a Province which is so much the more to be wonder'd at that the Jews should a little before make an Alliance with the Lacedaemonians who were in Confederacy with the Achaians But in Spain things were carry'd on with various successes until now that Scipio Aemylianus after a long Siege destroyed Numantia Simon two years before this being treacherously slain by Ptolemy his Son-in-Law he was succeeded by John Hyrcanus his Son who was at first in amity with Antiochus Sidetes but afterwards becoming his Enemy laid some of his Cities waste and among others Sicima and Garizim where the Temple that had been built above two hundred years before was utterly destroyed Then he subdued the Edomites and forced them to be Circumcised because they were the Posterity of Abraham The very same year that Numantia was taken died Attalus and left the Romans his Heir and the now bringing of rich Hangings Paintings Pictures Precious Moveables c. out of Asia into Italy began to infect the Romans with Luxury and debauch their Manners That year also Tiberius Gracchus Tribune of the People raising a Sedition in the City was slain It was not long after that the Romans began to lead Colonies into Gallia Transalpina after they had subdued the Inhabitants of the Province of Narbonne whilst all things in Asia were turned topsie-turvy by base Murders among the Kings of Syria Demetrius was killed by his Wife Cleopatra for Rhodogunes's sake She also did the same by his Son Seleucus who had assum'd the Kingly Power without her Authority Antiochus Grypus reigned in his stead who made his Mother Cleopatra that would have given him Poison drink it her self After which he waged War with his Brother Antiochus Cyzicenus for a long time with various success 3873. 111. CLXVII ii 643. This year began the Jugurthine War the History whereof is written by Salust King Jugurtha corrupted some of the Roman Commanders with Money and received great Overthrows from others of them till at length after the Revolution of eight years he was led in triumph by C. Marius then Consul At that time it was that Aristobulus upon the Death of Hyrcanus succeeded as High-Priest and reigned one year leaving the Kingdom to Alexander Jannes his Brother who was greatly distressed by Ptolemy Lathurus King of Egypt Marius overcame the Teutones and Ambrones at a Place called Aquae Sextiae and from henceforward the Romans began to oppress the Gauls 3830. 94. CLXXI. iii. 660. Ariobarzanes being by Mithridates expelled the Kingdom of Cappadocia was restored by L. Sulla Propraetor of Cilicia and this gave a beginning to the Mithridatick War which kept the Roman Armies in play for forty years together A little after Nicomedes King of Bithynia being expelled by the same Mithridates was reinstated by Sulla But Mithridates the very next year after the Restitution of Nicomedes having levied a greater Army seized on and wasted Phrygia took care to put to death all the Citizens of Rome that were in Asia and that in one day and invaded Macedon Thrace and Greece Sulla was at that time engaged in the Italian War and gave
the Samnites a great overthrow Marius in the mean time by the assistance of C. Sulpicius Tribune of the People endeavoured to deprive him of his Command But Sulla returning out of Campania to Rome slew Sulpicius and put Marius to flight Italy was again much afflicted the following year with the Armies commanded by Marius Cinna Carbo and Sertorius while Sulla won many Battels from Mithridates and wasted his Army Marius dying of Sickness Cinna being then Consul L. Flaccus succeeded Sulla in the Command but his own Lieutenant Fimbria killed Flaccus who being afterwards forsaken by the Army that went over to Sulla slew himself Nay Cinna was also slain by the very Army he got ready to march against Sulla leaving the Consulship to Carbo alone who refused to accept of the Terms of Peace offered him by Sulla This Man therefore marched out of Greece at the Head of Thirty thousand Men and with them overthrew a much more numerous Army of Cn. Norbanus Flaccus the Consul in Battel At the same time Q. Sertorius who had an Army in Italy despairing of any good Success went into the farther Province of Spain which fell unto his lot to govern But Cneus Pompeius who afterwards conquered him joined Sulla with three Volonian Legions being then but Three and twenty Years old Sulla next year overthrew C. Marius the other 's Son in battel at Praeneste and then possessing himself of the City confiscated the Estates of his Enemies He also fought with and overcame the Praetor Damasippus Marius Carrinates and the Samnite Troops before the Gate called Collina He was afterwards made Dictator which Office after three years space he laid down of himself 3906. 78. CLXXV iii. 676. Hyrcanus upon the death of King Alexander his Father succeeded him in the Kingdom of Judaea and reigned eleven years In the mean time Sertorius in Spain being one while beaten another while Victor worsted the Roman Armies commanded by Metellus and Pompey in divers Battels till that after five years both himself and Perpenna his Lieutenant were slain by the Treachery of their own Men whereby Pompey had the opportunity of recovering Spain At that time Servilius conquered the Isaurians and took their Cities in Cilicia from whence having got the Sirname of Isauricus conquered the Pirates and reduced Cilicia and Crete into the form of a Province he triumphed L. Lucullus engaged in the Mithridatick War and won many Victories over that King That War called the Servile one breaking forth under the Conduct of Spartacus it was with difficulty put an end to in three years space by M. Crassus the Praetor and Cn. Pompeius Cicero was then Quaestor in Sicily and began to be famous for his Eloquence Varro also with Lucretius Catullus and other learned Men lived in those days 3917. 67. CLXXVIII ii 687. Servilius having not perfectly destroyed the Cilician Pirates and others who having repaired their Shipping infested the Seas every where Pompey was entrusted with an extraordinary Commission to clear the Seas from those Robbers which he perform'd with that celerity that he either took them all or having burnt their Ships rendred them incapable of more mischief in the space of forty days The same Pompey being next year sent against Mithridates did at length put a final period to that War and so had the honour of Triumphing He performed also many famous Exploits almost throughout all Asia Then Hyrcanus King and High-Priest of the Jews was put out of the Pontificate by his Brother Aristobulus who exercised that Charge for the space of three years but being taken Prisoner by Pompey when he conquered Jerusalem he was together with his Children sent to Rome and Hyrcanus restored again to his former Office The same year Cicero being Consul delivered the Commonwealth of Rome from a most dangerous Conspiracy Cataline who was the Chief of it being overcome and slain by Petreius Lieutenant to Anthony the other Consul 3924. 60. CLXXX i. 694. Pompey Crassus and Caesar having contracted a strict Friendship one with another formed a Design of oppressing the Commonwealth now distracted with divers Factions Caesar obtained Gaul for his Province and held the same for ten years Syria fell to Crassus his lot from whence marching against the Parthians he was together with his Son P. Crassus and the whole Army hemmed in by their Horse and slain The two Provinces of Spain came to Pompey's share In the mean time Cicero was sent to and recalled from Banishment Hyrcanus in Judaea being driven out of Jerusalem by Alexander the Son of Aristobulus was restored by Gabinius This same Gabinius that he might lessen the Authority of the Grand Synedrim or Council at Jerusalem erected four more like thereunto viz. at Gadaris Amathus Jericho and Saphoris While Caesar was getting several Victories over the Gauls and Germans Pompey dedicated his Theatre and gave Plays wherein ten Lions and eighteen Elephants were slain But Crassus as was said before warring rashly against the Parthians perished in the said Expedition 3933. 51. CLXXXII ii 703. Cicero this year got a Decree of the Senate to make him Proconsul in Cilicia and after having overcome some bands of Robbers in Mount Amanus and taken some Castles was saluted by the Army with the Title of Imperator Cassius also at the same time valiantly defended Syria against the Irruption of the Parthians so that they were forced to be gone re infectâ Next year after the Senate had in vain required Caesar to dismiss his Army broke out the Civil War between him and Pompey wherein first Caesar entring Italy with his Army drove the Senate and Pompey from thence Then Pompey's Troops in Spain submitted to him and after that returning victorions to Rome he entred upon the Consulship and having transported his Army over into Epirus he overcame Pompey himself who flying into Egypt was slain by Ptolemy Caesar pursuing Pompey thither was very like to have been cut off by the King of Egypt yet he overcame the Alexandrians and entred upon the Office of Perpetual Dictator He conquer'd Scipio Pompey's Son-in Law in Africa the following year and at last in the fifth year from the first breaking out of the Civil War beat Pompey's Sons in Spain by which last Victory he got the Sovereign Power entirely into his hands Then he bethought himself of regulating the Course of the Year and seeing the preceding one which was called the Year of Confusion by his Command consisted of 445 Days this which was the 45th before the Birth of our Saviour was the First Julian Year the same being made up of 365 Days and 6 Hours which being set together make One Day in every Fourth Year the same being called the Bissextile or Leap-Year See Pet. Rationar p. 2. l. i. c. 1. He was slain in the fourth year of his Dictatorship and the sixth after the commencement of the Civil War on the First of March in the Senate-House There was one Antipater an Edomite by Nation who
Enacted to be a Capital Crime for any of the Jews to go though driven thither by a Storm 117. Aelius Adrian succeeded Trajan in the Empire when the latter had reigned nineteen years and in his time it was that Florus and Suetonius the Roman Historians and the Greek Philosophers Plutarch and Sextus the Empirick flourished In this Reign Saturninus Basilides and Carpocrates the Hereticks are said to have lived from whom some are of opinion the Sect of the Gnosticks sprung though others think them older You may consult Dr. Hammond on this Head in the Third Chapter of his Prooemial Dissertation concerning Antichrist He thinks those Hereticks to have had their Original from Simon Magus and that they were given to all manner of filthy Concupiscence and no farther Christians than in Name which in time of Persecution they made no scriple to deny They must certainly be the worst of Men who in the days of the Apostles boasted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain Science See 1 Tim. vi 20. But of this we have already spoken in several places of our Additions to Hammond's Annotations 〈◊〉 the New Testament In this Age it was that Quadratus a Disciple of the Apostles and Aristides an Athenian Philosopher wrote Apologies for the Christian Religion which are lost though there be a fragment of the former extant in the Sixth Book and Third Chapter of Eusebius's Natural History About those Times was also written that Tract which we have now under the Name of Hermes Pastor 128. Aquila Ponticus who was at first a Christian then turn'd Jew translated the Old Testament into Greek in the time of Adrian who not long after began to rebuild Jerusalem and to carry a Colony thither calling the same by the Name of Aelia Capitolina This the Jews were offended at wherefore they began secretly to consult about making an Insurrection and at last brake forth into open Rebellion under the Conduct of Barchochebas who boasted himself to have been the Messias and therefore took that Name upon him which implied as much as The Son of a Star 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But having failed the Expectation of the Jews for he and a great number of his Men were overthrown by Hadrian he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Barchozba i. e. The Son of a Lye Phavorinus of whom A. Gellius hath written so much in his Book called Noctes Articae flourished at this time as did also Ptolemy the famous Mathematician 137. Adrian adopted Cejonius Commodus Verus to whom he gave the Name of Aelius Verus and together with his Adopted Son died the following year But had a little before his departure adopted Arrius Antoninus who afterwards got the Sirname of Pius but it was upon this Condition That he should adopt Arrius Verus and M. Aurelius He was succeeded by Antoninus Pius in whose Reign lived Justin Martyr several of whose Pieces are still extant Galen of Pergamus the famous Physician Arrian a Philosopher of Nicomedia Maximus of Tyre Sextus of Chaeronea Plutarch's Grand-son and Lucian of Samosata Marcion and Valentine the Hereticks began at that time to diffuse their Heresies at Rome 161. Antoninus Pius dying this year was succeeded by the two Caesars M. Aurelius Antoninus and L. Aelius Verus who eight years after died of an Apoplectick Fit These Emperors waged various Wars both against the Parthians and Germans with good success In the Reign of these Emperors lived Athenaeus Author of the Deipnosophists and Polycarpus among the Christians whose Epistle to the Philippians is still extant and who himself was martyred Theophilus of Antioch whose Books we have to Autolychus as also Melito of Sardis and Athenagoras whose Apology for the Christians and Book concerning the Resurrection are still in being Marcus Aurelius after a Reign of nineteen years about nine whereof were in conjunction with Verus and the rest either alone himself or with his Son Commodus ended his days in Pannonia now called Hungary This was the best Prince that ever governed the Roman Empire he left an excellent and most useful Book behind him entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which Thomas Gataker wrote learned Notes 180. The best of Emperors was succeeded by the worst of Sons L. Aurelius Commodus in whose time lived Irenaens Bishop of Lyons and Theodotion Ponticus who translated the Old Testament into Greek Montanus also together with Priscilla and Maximilla gave now a beginning to the Heresie of the Montanists Neither are we to forget that Julius Pollux flourished in this Age whose work called Onomasticon is still extant 192. Commodus after he had escaped several Plots against him was at last taken off by the Contrivance of Martia his Concubine with Laetus and Electus his Chamberlains who advanced Pertinax in his room but he could not hold it full three months and so was slain by the Soldiery Next after him was Didius Julianus made Emperor who in about two months time ran the same fate as his Predecessor In the mean time L. Septimius Severus in Pannonia Pescennius Niger in Syria and Clodius Albinus in Britain set up for the Empire It was agreed not long after between Severus and Albinus That the former should allow the latter the Dignity of Caesar And as for Niger Severus overthrew him in battel at the River Euphrates and slew him When he had reigned near six years and frequently endeavoured though in vain in a clandestine manner to cut off Albinus he at last attacks him with open force They fought a very great Battel at Lyons in France where after many Men were slain on both sides Albinus also fell leaving the Empire to Severus alone 197. There was a great Controversie arose between the Asian and Western Churches concerning the Observation of Easter Victor Bishop of Rome who would have that Feast to be celebrated the first Sunday after the Fourteenth Day of the New Moon which immediately followed the Vernal Equinox Excommunicated the Bishops of Asia who thought the same should be celebrated on the very Fourteenth Day it self For which Procedure of his Irenaeus sharply reproves Victor Two years after Severus who had given his Son Bassianus the Name of Antoninus and made him Caesar in pursuance to a Decree of the Senate created him Emperor as he did his other Son Caesar 202. Under this Emperor it 's said the Fifth Persecution arose but it does not seem to have been very great Then it was that Tertullian and Origen flourished the former in Africa and the other in Egypt 211. When Geta Severus's younger Son was created Augustus Antoninus sought all opportunities to kill his Father Which when he came to understand he wasted away for very grief and died at York in Britain when he had built a Wall for the defence of that City and the Roman Province from Sea to Sea cross the Island against the Incursions of the Picts He reigned seventeen years eight months and some days As soon as he was dead Antoninus commanded the Physicians who
made a difference between Arius and Alexander the Bishop and that from thence it was that occasion was taken to preach the Consubstantial Doctrine This Philostorgius was indeed a favourer of Arius's Opinion but there is no reason we should give him no manner of credit and all as is usual to those of the opposite Party 324. About the same time began Licinius out of hatred to Constantine to trouble the Christians and soon after brake out into open War but being overcome by Constantine in some Engagements both by Sea and Land he was brought to comply yet Constantine finding at last that he and Martinianus whom the other had made Caesar could not forbear forming of new Designs and Attempts he commanded his Head to be struck off 325. But as the Controversie about the Celebration of Easter of which we have already made mention in the time of Victor Bishop of Rome did still the more heighten the Differences between Arius and his Opponents there was a Synod appointed to be called to meet at Nice from all the Roman Empire wherein met cccxviii Bishops and the same began on the 14th of June and ended on the 25th of August following In this Council it was Enacted That all should celebrate Easter on the same Day that is the first Sunday after the Fourteenth Day of the New Moon next succeeding the Vernal Equinox There was also a Creed or Confession of Faith made wherein that Opinion that opposed Arius's Sentiments was confirmed As for the Creed you will find it in Socrates l. i. c. 8. of his Eccles Hist But because this Synod was accounted to be the first Oecumenical Council we shall contrary to our custom say somewhat more concerning it In the first place There were great Contentions between the Bishops which is expresly affirmed by Eusebius cap. xiii lib. 3. of the Life of Constantine though Constantine in a grave Speech exhorted them all to Peace and Unanimity These are his words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Some began to accuse their Neighbours while others defended themselves and returned the Accusation upon their Opponents Neither could their Wranglings be composed any otherwise than by throwing their Petitions into the fire There is no small Controversy about the meaning of the Nicene Creed concerning which you may read Stephen Curcellaeus's Dissertation de Vocibus Trinitatis c. where he shews the Nioene Fathers believed there were Three Gods equal to one another There were Five Bishops who would not subscribe and they were Eusebius of Nicomedia Theognis of Nice Maris of Chalcedon Theonas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais These said they could not consent to admit of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that may be said to be Consubstantial which proceeds from another either by Partition or Flowing or Eruption by Eruption as the Bud is from the Roots by Flowing as Children from their Parents and by Partition as two or three small vials from a mass of Gold But none of these ways can the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Word be the Son of God But the Synod said that the Son was from the Father without any Partition as it might be in Corporeal things but they made use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as signifying only the Equality of the Substance and not Numerical Unity Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea who sat near the Emperor in the Synod was at first dubious whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be allowed of but at last upon granting him to make his Interpretation he gave way to it He said He approved of it for peace sake as he did also of those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Begotten not made because they said Made was a word that was common to all other Creatures that were made by the Son wherewith the Son had nothing like unto them and moreover that he was not made like unto those things made by him but was of a much more excellent Substance than all the Creatures which indeed the Divine Oracles taught us to be of the Father by some secret method of Generation That he was Consubstantial with the Father implied no more than that the Son hath nothing of likeness in him to the Creatures he had made but that he was like unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father alone of whom he was begotten and that he was of no other Subsistence or Substance but of the Father These things which are taken out of Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea's Epistles as you have them in the foremention'd place of Socrates and others that might be mention'd do sufficiently manifest unto us that the Nicene Fathers had other sort of Sentiments than what the Modern Christians have in relation to the said Point The Arians also themselves did at length acquiesce except Theonas and Secundus with the Creed of that Synod and allowed of it but upon that Condition as you have it in Athanasius's Second Apology That Arius who himself also allowed thereof should not return to Alexandria Athanasius next year was advanced into the See of Alexandria who while he was yet but Deacon stiffly opposed Arius Philostorgius hath many things in relation to him that are not much to his Reputation which perhaps are as little to be credited as what the Consubstantial Men have said concerning Arius and therefore are yet no more to be rejected than these 326. The same year which was next after the Synod Crispus Caesar upon account of his being suspected to have committed Incest with his Mother-in-Law was put to death by his Father's Command And Fausta being kept in custody till the following year was killed in a Bath because she was thought to have falsly accused Crispus Ablavius who afterwards attained to the Honour of being Consul hath set forth Constantine's Cruelty in the following lines Saturni aurea saecla quis requirat Sunt haec gemmea sed Neroniana Then Constantine and his Mother Helen built several Churches in Judaea Jerusalem Mount Olivet and Bethlehem 330. The Council of Nice by the Definition they made could not extinguish the Dissentions reigning among the Christians In Egypt there were great Animosities between the Arians and Athanasians Which last the Consubstantial Writers have so far favoured that they have condemned the other's Proceedings in all Points This year there happened a Tumult at Antioch arising from the same Cause which Petavius after Baronius hath mistakingly assigned to the Year 324 and cites Eusbius's Authority for it to no purpose when that Author in Constantine's Life lib. iii. cap. 60. speaks of things quite different therefrom and such as happened five years after the Synod was held as H. Valesius upon that place in Eusebius hath demonstrated Vpon the death of Paulinus Bishop of Antioch they had great feuds amongst them in that City about the Choice of a Successor the Arians being obstinately bent to have Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea translated thither Euseb lib. iii. de Vita Constantini cap. 57. At
length Eustathius a Catholick and worthy Prelate was put in Theodor. lib. i. c. 7. Blondell has well observed in the Margin of Petavius it 's wrong for what Eusebius relates belongs to the Deposing of Eustathius He might also have added That it was not the Arians but Eustathius that was the occasion of the Sedition whom Eusebius in the fore-cited place calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This same year was the City Byzantium Dedicated which Constantine had two years before begun to re-build and was according to the Emperor's Name called Constantinople From henceforward it was made the Metropolis of the East and began to be called ÎΕΑ ΡΩΜΗ 333. Constans the Son of Constantine was made Caesar this year The Sarmatians about the same time that had been so often conquered and their rebellious Servants being brought to submit were divided through Macedon Thrace and Italy 335. Dalmatius the Emperor Constantine's Brother's Son having been advanced to the Dignity of Caesar the Empire was in this manner divided between the Caesars Constantine the Younger had the Charge of Gaul Constantius of the East and Africa Illyricum and Italy was the lot of Constans whilst Dalmatius was to look after the Gothick Frontiers Then it was that Athanasius was condemned in the Synod of Tyre because he had by ill methods got himself made Bishop of Alexandria and for other grievous Offences if you will believe Philostorgius See lib. iii. § 11. It 's certain that though Philostorgius was a favourer of Arius yet where he believes him to have fallen into an Error he fails not to reprove him and therefore he might deal candidly in other things See lib. ii § 3. Athanasius being accused a second time by the same Bishops now assembled at Constantinople that had condemned him at Tyre was by Constantine banished to Treves This year it was that Arius is said to have died by a wonderful Judgment of God as his Adversaries afterwards gave out but their Squabbles were then too hot to encline us to give credit to either Side 337. This year died the Emperor Constantine the Great after a Reign of One and thirty years His three Sous Constantine Constantius and Constans were immediately Proclaimed who divided the Empire betwixt them Dalmatius Caesar Constantius the Brother of Constantine the Great and Anaballianus on whom the Purple and Golden Robe was conferred by Constantine who declared them Nobilissimi at the same time were also in some measure Sharers in the Empire As to this last mention'd Dignity you may consult John Meursius in his Lexicon Graeco-Barbarum under the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But these three were slain in a Tumult of the Soldiery by the means of Constantius who egged the latter to it or at least connived at them and together with them Optatus made a Patrician by Constantine of which word see the said Author under the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same being a new-coin'd Honour which privileged him who enjoy'd it to take Place of the Praejectus Praetorio At the same time Ablavius who was Praefectus Praetorio was cut off also We learn out of Philostorgius that there was a Rumour spread abroad That Constantine was poison'd by his Brethren and that when he found his death draw nigh he made his Will and commanded the first of his Sons that should reach Nicomedia where he died to revenge his death And perhaps Constantius who first arrived there laid hold of this pretence to cut them all off 341. Athanasius was honourably recalled from Banishment by Constantine the Younger who not long after making War upon his Brother Constans and breaking more like a Robber than an Enemy in War into his Division of the Empire was slain Athanasius was thereupon called to the Synod of Antioch where about an hundred Bishops were assembled one third whereof espoused Arius's Opinion who condemned and deposed him putting Gregory the Cappadocian into his See In the mean time Julius Bishop of Rome absolved not only Athanasius in a Synod assembled in that City but also condemned the Synod of Antioch And Athanasius returning to Alexandria raised a great Tumult against Gregory wherein divers Soldiers and Citizens were slain Macedonius at the same time being substituted by Hermogenes the Emperor's Praefect in the room of Eusebius who from the See of Nicomedia was translated to that of Constantinople Hermogenes was tore to pieces by the Homoousian Party as they were called these last being intent to restore Paul who had been put out to the exercise of his Function again Then it was that Photinus the Disciple of Marcellus of Ancyra they said broach'd his Opinion concerning Christ which was much the same as far as may be gathered from the Ancients with that of Paul of Samosata of which we have made mention under the Emperor Aurelian 344. There was a new Council held by the Arians at Antioch wherein was formed a new Confession of Faith besides that made in the former Synod held in the same City wherein the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was left out The latter is said to have been Lucian the Martyr's whom Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Philostorgius own to have been of Arius's Opinion See Sozomen lib. iii. cap. 5. Lucian and the Arians in this same Confession declining to make the Son Consubstantial say that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is As to his Divinity Immutable and not obnoxious to Change but the Immutable Image of the Essence Council and Power of the Father the First-born of every Creature H. Valesius translates the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In no wise differing But though the word frequently occurs in that sence yet it signifies also Immutable Which enclines me to believe that Lucian would have a Confession made in such terms as were agreeable to both Parties which hath been often done in relation to this Controversy 347. While Constantius was engaged in a War against the Persians Constans in the West was intent upon the Restitution of Athanasius to the See of Alexandria and for that end with his Brother's concurrence called a Synod at Sardis a City in Illyricum in the Confines of Thrace and Mysia Here met Three hundred and seventy Bishops wherein when most of them were Homoousians Athanasius was absolved But the Arian Bishops stealing from thence met at Philippi and set up contrary Decrees which they also called by the Name of Sardis-Decrees Neither would Athanasius have been recalled to Alexandria but that Gregory being killed by the Homoousian Party and that Constantius moved by Constans his threathing Letters thought fit to restore him for Peace-sake two years after the Synod of Sardis 350. Constans was this year slain by Magnentius who seized upon the Empire in Gaul The same was done by Vetranio in Panonia and Nepotianus at Rome But Magnentius quickly over-powered the rest though he was himself a year after he assumed the Empire ruined by Constantius The same year wherein Magnentius was slain
whence arose great Janglings 450. Theodosius having once expelled his Wife Eudoxin and Sister Pulcheria whose wise Counsels had been a long time useful to him from the Court did now upon a sense of his errour recall them and died not long after after he had appointed Marcianus to succeed him who together with his Wife Pulcheria taking the Reins of Empire into his hands assembled the Council of Chalcedon which was styled the Fourth General one and wherein Eutyches and Dioscorus were condemned From these times it seems to have come to pass that the Abyssines and others in Egypt who were infected with Dioscorus's Doctrine have begun to oppose other Christians as there were many in Babylon who followed Nestorius's Opinions remnants of whom continue to this day both in Africa and Asia Though Attila at that time was overcome in some Battels by Aetius yet he wasted Gaul and Italy far and near in which Age they say the City of Venice had its beginning many Persons for fear of Attila flying into the Island wherein the same is situated 453. He died the year after he had quitted Italy 454. Valentinian not long after he had put Aetius to death was himself cut off by Maximus a Senator who had advised him to that Fact But Eudoxia Valentinian's Wife called Geisericus out of Africa who possessing himself of Rome transported vast Riches from thence into Africa and marry'd Eudoxia's Daughter of the same Name to his Son Hunericus 455. Avitus in the mean time usurped the Empire in Italy while Merâ—veus who was the third in descent from Pharamund and who distinguish'd the first Race of the Kings of France by that of the Merovingian according to his own Name reigned among the Franks Theodoricus King of the Goths brought the Suevians who held part of Spain under his Subjection after he had made their King Rechiarius his Prisoner being encouraged thereunto by the Persuasions of Avitus 457. But this Person next year being forsaken by the Gauls and Goths lost both his Empire and his Life At the same time died Martianus Emperor in the East and was succeeded by Leo with whose consent Majorianus was made Emperor of Ravenna But this Prince after four years Reign was slain by Ricimer and succeeded by Severus In those times it was they say that the Egyptian Monks of the Eutychian Persuasion raised Commotions under the leading of Timotheus Aelurus and that at last they advanced him into the Episcopal See of Alexandria when they had slain Proterius but that Aelurus soon after was banish'd by the Emperor Leo. 463. Peter Fullo another seditious Person having expelled Martyrius invaded the See of Antioch They say this Peter held the same Opinion as the Theopaschites who affirmed That not only Man but God had suffered and that he had added to the Trisagium who died for us these words Sancte fortis Sancte Deus Sancte Immortalis qui passus es pro nobis miserere nobis O Holy and Strong Holy God Holy and Immortal who hast suffered for us have mercy on us But he was quickly banish'd by Leo. 465. This year Severus by the Treachery of Ricimer a Patrician was poisoned and died after whose decease there was an Interregnum for one year when Theodoricus King of the Goths departed this life and left his Son Evaricus to succeed him After this did Leo the Emperor send Anthemius a Nobleman to Rome and made him Augustus 467. In the mean time Geisericus who with a strong Fleet wasted the Coasts of Greece being overcome by Lea's Generals sued for Peace and confined himself within the Bounds of Africa But soon after he raised new Commotions which were difficultly quelled because of the Treachery of Basiliscus whom Leo sent against him 472. Anthemius was slain by Ricimer his Son-in-Law and Olybrius advanced to his Place who died the same year His Successor was Glycerius After him came Majorinus and then Nepos all of them in the space of two years There were also others who rashly snapt at the Western Empire which they could not hold At length Augustulus the Son of Orestes was the last Emperor of the West 474. Leo in the East left a Son of his own Name Leo II. who made Zeno his Colleague in the Empire and not long after by his death gave Basiliscus and opportunity to invade the Empire who expelled Zeno But he in a short time recovered his Station and made an Exile of Basiliscus in which state he died 476. In the mean time the Ostrogoths wasted Illyricum and Italy while the Arabian Saracens did the same by Mesopotamia or caused the People to ransom it for Money The Herulians also being called in by Nepos's Favourers whom Augustulus had succeeded divested this last of the Throne and at length PUT AN END TO THE WESTERN EMPIRE So that their King Odoacer took the Government upon him 482. Acacius whom Zeno had advanced to the See of Constantinople was the occasion of his writing a Letter to the Clergy and Monks of Egypt wherein he reconciled the Tenets of those who followed Dioscorus's Opinion with the Decrees of the Synod of Chalcedon And those who followed the said Decrees were by others called Melchites because they embraced the Opinion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melech the King for in the Arabick Language used by the Egytian-Arabs that is the Name they give a King as 't is also in the Hebrew Zeno would have the Egyptians subscribe this Epistle which in inserted in Evagrius's Ecclesiastical History lib. iii. cap. 14. but herein they did not comply with him The same was also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was written with a design of reconciling the contending Parties The Synods of Nice Constantinople and Ephesus are approved of therein but that of Chalcedon is left out and this Confession of Faith inserted We confess one only begotten Son of God and God made true Man our Lord Jesus Christ These words are taken out of the Chalcedon Creed See Evag. l. 2. c. 4. consubstantial with the Father according to the Divine Nature and the same consubstantial with us according to his Humanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who came down and was begotten by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and the Mother of God That he is One and not Two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For we call both the Miracles and Sufferings which he endured of his own accord in the flesh the Miracles and Sufferings of One but for those who divide or confound them or introduce a phantom we by no means receive them for that true and sinless Incarnation from the Mother of God made no accession of another Son for the Trinity always remains the Trinity though God to wit the Word one of the Trinity was Incarnate Those who have followed this Edict because they have neither condemned the Eutychians nor others nor yet adhered to the Heads of any one Faction have been called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doubting and
Colleague in the Empire and died not long after This Prince began his Reign with the Persecution of Hereticks whose Opinions he Condemned by Edicts which are still extant in his Code and with a War against the Persians which his Generals because of their Discord managed with ill Success The Kings of the Hunns and Herulians did then embrace the Christian Faith as Tzathus King of the Lazians had done not long before in whose Favour Justinian made War upon the Persians There were great Differences in the mean time in the Families of the Kings of France which Petavius hath distinctly set out who also shews there were divers Synods held in France as one at Orange against the Semipelagians and another at Arles for them each of them boasting their Sentence to be the Opinion of all Christians Justinian at the same time publish'd both his Novellae and his Code while his General Belisarius waged War against the Persians and overthrew them whence it came to pass that Narses and Aratius Princes of Persia took part with the Romans But the same Persians renewing the War at the Instigation of Alamandurus Prince of the Saracens overcame Belisarius in a bloody Battel 532. This Year a great Sedition was raised in Constantinople by the Prasinan and Venetan Factions with whom the Monks and People falling in occasioned a great Slaughter in the City and struck such a terror into the fearful Emperor that he would have left the Place and was hardly restrain'd from it by the Perswasions of Theodora his Wife There were two Persons whom the common People chiefly struck at in that Sedition and they were John the Cappadocian who was Captain of the Guard and the Lawyer Tribonianus who was Treasurer both of them very different from one another herein That the latter was a most Learned Person but the other illiterate yet they agreed in this that both of them were abominably Covetous Tribonianus published Justinian's Code Institutions and most of the Laws that bear the Name of that Emperor but the Sedition at length was supprest by the Conduct of Narses and Belisarius A strange Question was started among the Divines of Alexandria in the Reign of Justinian whether to wit the Body of Christ was corruptible or incorruptible before the Resurrection Those who thought his Body was incorruptible denied he had suffered any thing but contested that a fantastical Body was only put upon the Cross which is the Opinion of the Mahometans at this day They who contended that Christ's Body was altogether like unto ours because the Apostle to the Hebrews said He was made in all things like unto us Sin excepted became divided into two Factions some among whom Timothy of Alexandria was one denied that it followed from hence that any thing was unknown unto Christ while Themistius his Deacon urged most warmly that he was ignorant of some things But these last were branded as noted Hereticks with the Name of Agnoëtae from whence arose great Commotions in the Reign of Justinian 533. This Emperor set upon the Vandals in Africa where they had now fixed themselves almost for an Age and within two Years space successfully drove them out thence by the Conduct of Belisarius whil'st himself besides the abovemention'd Collections of the Laws set forth the Digests which are as it were a Body of all the Ancient Laws From thence Belisarius where they often overcame Theodahatus King of the Goths at whose Misfortunes the Goths were so disturbed that they slew him and advanced Vitiges into his room who stoutly withstood the Romans and reigned Four Years 539. He was at last constrain'd to deliver himself up into the hands of Belisarius who lead him in Triumph to Constantinople but soon after in the absence of Belisarius the Affairs of the Goths began to have a better Aspect in Italy first under the Conduct of Theudibaldus and then of Totilas while the Roman Generals wasted away their time in Idleness 545. The Doctrine of Origen concerning the Pre-existence of Souls and the end of Punishments being defended by some Origen was again Condemned in Paelaestine Theodorus Bishop of Caesarea who was a favourer of those Opinions says that if it were lawful to Condemn a Tenent after the Author's Death that then the Opinions of Theodorus Bishop of Mopsuesta Theodoritus of Cyrene and Iba of Edessa should be Condemned because they wrote what was contrary to the Determinations of the Synod of Chalcedon tho' they were not Condemned by it Hence sprang those three Factions which wrought great Disturbances in the East while some Condemned those three Men and others declined it Vigilius Bishop of Rome after some delay Condemned them and made himself suspected of Eutychianism tho' he afterwards be silent in that Matter till the Sitting of the Council 553. Italy in the mean time was torn to pieces by the Romans and Goths until Narses overcame and slew Totilas after he had reigned almost Eleven Years The fifth General Council was held the same Year at Constantinople wherein the three fore-mentioned Writers were Condemned against the will of Vigilius Bishop of Rome but the same was at length confirmed by that celebrated at Rome tho' they had condemned the Writings which had been approved of in the Synod of Chalcedon The French in the mean time finding the Goths decline in Italy invaded the remainders of their Conquests in France and began also to draw nigh to Italy whereinto together with the Almains they made several Incursions in spite of Narses who was Governor thereof 561. Some who had conspired against Justinian being detected and taken accused Belisarius as being guilty of the same Crime who thereupon was seized with all his Family but next Year was discharg'd being now an old Man Some Authors who were too great Favourers of the See of Rome feign'd a Story that his Eyes were put out and he reduced to beg because he contested with the Roman Pontiffs for the Empire but the Greek Writers Procopius and Agathias who wrote the History of these Times wherein they lived make mention of no such thing He died the Second Year after the said Accusation 563. It 's said that Justinian the Emperor who had plagued the Hereticks with so many Edicts fell into their Opinion himself who believed that Christ's Flesh was incorruptible and could not suffer and began to persecute those who were of another Sentiment wherein indeed he did not give us a new instance of his former Cruelty but turned the same upon others He died two years after leaving behind him most excellent Laws to the Roman World But he was a Prince not fit for War because he was of a timorous Nature and therefore mistrustful and Covetous if we believe the Historia Anecdota of Procopius Towards the end of his Reign Ethelbert King of Kent embraced the Christian Religion being instructed therein by Augustine the Monk who was sent from Rome thither Columban the Presbyter is said to have gone at the same time
from Ireland to the Picts and to have converted them also to the Faith From henceforward the Christian Religion flourish'd in that Island which before seemed to have lain hid therein seeing the same if we believe Gildas a British Writer of those times had been brought thither in Tiberius's days 565. Justin II. Steward of the Houshold and his Sister's Son succeeded Justinian in the Empire who because he did not go out of his Palace by reason of a Meagrim wherewith he was afflicted he could not give a Hearing to the Complaints of the People against the Nobles which yet were very great but they had Satisfaction given them through the prudent Management and Severity of the Captain of the Guard Narses in the beginning of his Reign was called out of Italy and Longinas put into his room who was the first Exarch of Ravenna At that time Alboinus King of the Lombards leaving their Habitations in Germany invaded part of Italy where they erected the Kingdom of the Lombards 578. Justin died without doing any thing memorable and left Tiberius Anicius Constantine for his Successor Leovigildus King of the Goths in Spain is said at this time to have forbidden that any of those who went from the Homoousian or Consubstantial Party over to the Arians should be rebaptized by them as had been practised before but that they should only be admitted by the Imposition of Hands with this set form of Words If he gives Glory to the Father through the Son in the holy Spirit which Evagrius also says was in use among the Arians in the East 582. Tiberius did in the mean time overthrow the Persians in several Battles by his General Mauritius whom for that reason he created Caesar because he had overcome the Enemy with a small Army and falling Sick not long after he appointed him to be Emperor and gave him his Daughter Constantina to Wife The Avarians made War upon him but without Success while the French fought with the Lombards and the Saxons with the Suevians who had taken Possession of their Seats in Germany while the Saxons were with the Lombards in Italy These last People after the Death of Alboinus were without a King for Ten Years but at last they advanced Atharitus to the Regal Dignity who prevailed mightily over the Romans in Italy Recaredus at the same time quits Arianism and espouses the Consubstantialists Opinion in Spain and for that reason had the Appellation of Catholick given him Mauritius by his Generals Philippicus and Commentiolus worsted the Persians in divers Battles at what time Gregory sirnam'd the Great was chosen Bishop of Rome in a Season when a great Plague raged there Gregory soon after wrote his Dialogues and Evagrius bears Testimony that he wrote his History in the same Age. The Avares and Sclavi having possess'd themselves of Pannonia and the neighbouring Countries Mauritius was almost continually at War with them therefore as he was resolved to keep an Army upon the Frontiers of the Empire to defend the remote Provinces he chose rather that they should take up their Winter Quarters in the Enemies Countries than there which so disgusted the Soldiery that they rebelled against him and chose Phocas a Centurion to be Emperor who presently laying hold of the opportunity marched with a Body of his Troops directly for Constantinople and soon after when he had first slain Mauritius's Sons before his Face put him to Death also who shewed wonderful Constancy in this Tragedy 602. This Phocas is said to have given the Title of Vniversal Patriarch to the Bishops of Rome and a right of Precedency before the Bishop of Constantinople which hapned during the Incumbency of Boniface who next to Sabinianus succeeded Gregory and was the Third of that Name 606. Phocas as he had begun went on to reign cruelly and condemned all to Death whom he suspected to be in the least guilty of any Innovation without excepting his own Sons in Law Hence it was that several conspired together against him and Heraclius and Gregoras made an Agreement between themselves that he should be Emperor that Killed him wherein Heraclius prevail'd who immediately together with his Wife Eudoxia took upon him the Imperial Dignity This Prince observing Phocas's neglect of Military Affairs made it his first Care to levy an Army to oppose the Persians who ravaged all the Frontiers of the Empire Soon after died his Wife after she had brought him forth a Son whom he named Heraclius and dignify'd with the Title of Augustus then with the Permission of Sergius the Patriarch he Married Martina his own Niece 5. 〈◊〉 that time a most wicked Woman in France whose Name was Brunechildis sowed Discord between her Nephews Theodobertus and Theodoricus disturbed the Royal Family and at length after he had been twice overthrown procured Theodobert to be slain by his Brother She her self afterwards took care to have his Children put to Death and then removed Theodoricus also by Poison out of the way who was Succeeded by Clotair his Cousin-German and who obtained the Monarchy of all France which was before divided between the Brethren Now the first Attempts of Heraclius to raise an Army proving slow and faint because he was naturally averse to War the Persians and Avares rejecting the terms of Peace he offer'd them pressed him hard on both Sides so that he went seriously to work about forming an Army wherewith having now made Peace with the Avares he might at least repress the Insolence of the Persians for which end he was forc'd to borrow Silver and Gold Plate and other the Sacred Treasure of the Church Wherefore the War commenced in the Twelfth Year of his Reign at the beginning whereof the Persian General Saes having contrary to the Law of Nations made his 70 Ambassadors Prisoners sent them to King Cosroes who being Angry that he had not taken Heraclius himself commanded Saes his Skin to be flea'd off alive and put Sarbarus into his Command 622. Mahomet this year being accused of Sedition in Mecha a City of Arabia fled to Medina which for that reason by the Arabs is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medinath ol Nabi the Jurisdiction of the Prophet from this year it is that the Mahometans begin their Aera which they called by the name of Hegira i. e. flight It 's said Mahomet was at first a Keeper of Camels but that afterwards by conferring with a certain Monk whose name was Sergius who was a follower of Manetes's Phantastical Opinion he became well instructed in the Notion of Predestination for which the Mahometans are great Sticklers and for those who thought Christ himself had not Suffer'd but that a Phantasm was substituted in his room which is believed by Mahomet's Followers to this day From hence it was that the Crafty Man had an itching desire to erect a new Sect in the World whereof himself was Head wherefore having Married his Mistress whom he had served in looking after her Camels he
afterwards for this reason named Gebal-Tarich that is the Mountain of Tarich whence comes the word Gibraltar Roderick endeavoured to no purpose to drive out the Saracens from thence but there they continued wasting the Neighbourhood for the space of two years till having called in fresh Forces often defeated and at last slain Roderick they seized in the Year 713 on all Spain In the mean time Justinian the Emperor by the unheard-of Cruelties which he exercised in the Chersonesus because there had been Attempts in that Province to betray him forced the Inhabitants to make choice of Philippicus for their Emperor whose Eyes being put out not long after was succeeded by Artemius who was also called Anastasius whom Rufus Praefect of the Army was instrumental to advance to that Dignity and therefore Philippious was justly punish'd seeing himself a little after he had seiz'd on the Empire had slain Justinian and his Children 714. Artemius also had his turn for the Army which he had sent into Phoenicia against the Saracens having slain their General and fearing Artemius's Displeasure made one Theodosius a Syrian and Collector of the Tribute-Money Emperor though against his will He marched to Constantinople laid Siege to it for six months at length took the Emperor Artemius and thrust him shaven into the Monastery of Thessalonica 716. But in about two years after Leo whom Artemius had before sent to be General into Armenia and who stood hitherto for him took upon him the Imperial Dignity which the Armenians and Saracens tendred to him and made Theodosius his Son Prisoner who having been advanced against his will to be Emperor did voluntarily relinquish and going to Ephesus he and his Son both took Holy Orders upon them Leo soon after by the help of that which they call'd Ignis Graecus or Powder not unlike that made use of by us at this day burnt a great Fleet of the Saracens Isaac Vossius in his Oservat cap. xv may be consulted concerning the Invention of that Fire A new Fleet of the same Nation consisting of Four hundred Ships was also partly destroyed by Leo and partly by Storms The Emperor had the same year a Son born to him who at his Baptism befoul'd the Baptismal Water and for that reason was call'd Constantine Copronymus But Artemius who had fled to the Bulgarians and by their help endeavoured to recover the Empire was the following year betrayed by them to Leo and slain 722. In these times Charles Martell Mayor of the Palace in France after other great feats in Arms subdued the Saracens also who were ravaging the neighbouring Provinces compelling them to retreat over the Pyrenaean Hills and did many other famous Exploits And making War upon Adgillus the Son of Radbodus King of the Frisons forced him to embrace the Christian Religion and by his Authority was very helpful to Boniface an English-Saxon who by the Command of Pope Gregory II. preached the Gospel in Germany 722. It 's said the Emperor Leo endeavoured to do the same thing by the Jews at that time but with ill Success for those whom he compelled to be Baptized either fled elsewhere and abjured it or shut themselves and their whole Family up in their Houses and setting them on Fire were burnt He endeavour'd not long after this to throw out the Images which the Bishops had introduced into the Churches wherein he found Opposition from the People whom the Priests incensed against him Gregory Bishop of Rome condemned his Edict and having entred into an Alliance with the Lombards refused to pay the usual Tax to the Exarch of Ravenna who govern'd Italy under the Emperor and at last brought things so to bear that the Exarch himself was driven out of Ravenna and he sought for Aid of Charles Martell who in the Year 726. won a great Victory of the Saracens that if Leo should attempt any thing in Italy by force he might be opposed by French Arms. This Martell also at the Request of Willibrordus Bishop of Vtrecht constrained the Frisons who would not according to their King's Example embrace the Christian Religion by force of Arms at least to feign themselves Christians In the mean time Leo did not so easily prevail against the Iconolatrae or Image-Worshippers in the East who stiffly withstood him while the Exarch Eutychius with the Assistance of the Venetians recover'd Ravenna 731. This year Venerable Bede finish'd his Ecclesiastical History of the English and in the next Leo Married Irene the Daughter of Chaganus King of the Chazari whom he had taken care to have brought up in the Christian Religion to his Son Constantine and contended sharply with the Bishop of Rome about the Images which last would have them again introduced into the Churches and expell'd the Eastern Bishops that favoured Gregory's Party Tho' the Saracens possess'd themselves of Spain yet Pelagius who was descended from the ancient Stock of the Goths preserved the Country of Asturia out of their hands and transmitted the Dominion thereof to his Posterity wherein he was not a little favoured by the great Slaughter which Charles Martell made of the Saracens in these times his Son Flavilla succeeded him and then Alphonso his Son-in-Law who deducing his Pedigree from Reccaredus would as well as he be styled the Catholick which title being neglected by his Successors was again conferred upon Ferdinand of Arragon by Pope Julius the Second 740. Luitprand King of the Lombards did this year divest Transamundus of the Dutchy of Spoleto and wasted the Territories of the Bishop of Rome for from the time that the Authority of the Eastern Emperors began to decline in Italy the Bishops of Rome Usurped the Dominion of that City and the adjacent Country 742. Next year died three Men of the greatest Authority of any in that Age viz. the Emperor Leo Gregory III. Bishop of Rome and Charles Martell Mayor of the Palace in France The first of these was Succeeded in the Empire by Constantine Copronymus the other by Zacharias and the third by his Sons Carloman and Pippin Artavastus endeavoured to deprive Constantine of the Empire while he was engaged in a War against the Saracens but he overcame him at last However Walidus of Damascus King of the Arabs making use of the Contest between them ravaged Natolia or Asia minor and seem'd to menace the Empire with greater Evils had he not been next year prevented by Death wherein also died Luitprand King of the Lombards who had it not been for the intercession of Pope Zachary would have driven Eutychius quite out of Italy 751. While Pippin now his Brother Carloman was turned Monk managed all Affairs in France at his Pleasure under Hilderic a sluggish Prince he proved at length unsatisfied with the Chief Power and nothing would serve but he must assume the Royal Name also therefore having dispatch'd Ambassadors to Pope Zachary he desired that Stupid Hilderic might be shut up in a Monastery and himself declared King as being more
Nineveh to no purpose Page 35 Phul King of the Assyrians Page 30 Pindar the Poet Page 50 Pippin Son of Charles Martell King of France brought back Aistulphus into his Obedience Page 188 Placida Sister of Honorius 148. She is Dignified with the Title of Augusta Page 150 Plataean Battel Page 50 Plato the Philosopher Page 60 Pliny the Elder Page 103 Pliny the Younger Page 105 Plutarch the Philosopher Page 106 Polycarpus the Martyr Page 108 Polycrates a Tyrant of Samos Page 45 Cn. Pompey the Great his Acts 90. overcome by Caesar and slain by Ptolemy Page 91 Sex Pompey Son of Cn. Pompey Page 92 Pontius Pilate Page 97 Porsennus his War with the Romans Page 47 A. Posthumius Dictator Page 56 Priscian the Grammarian Page 163 Priscillian the Heretick Page 144 Probus the Emperor Page 119 Prodicus the Rhetorician Page 55 Propertius Page 94 Psammeticus King of Egypt Page 35 Psmamenitus King of Aegypt Page 44 Ptolemy the Son of Lagus Page 70 Ptolemy Philadelphus Page 71 Ptolemy Philopater a Hater of the Jews Page 77 Ptolemy the Mathematician Page 107 Pulcheria Augusta Page 154 Punick War 72. Second War 77 Pupienus the Emperor Page 115 Pygmalion 's Kingdom Page 27 Pyrrha whence so called Page 14 Pyrrhus King of the Epyrots Page 72 Pythagoras the Philosopher Page 46 Pythian Games instituted Page 38 Q QUadratus Page 107 T. Quinctius Cincinnatus triumphs over the Volscians and Antium 51. Overcomes ths Aequi Page 53 Quintilian Page 102 R RAchisius a Beneventan Captain Page 191 Ravenna 's Exarchate its Beginning 168. It s End ibid. Recharedus the Catholick Page 169 Rehoboam 's Reign Page 26 Roderick King of Spain Page 182 Rotharitus Langobardus Page 177 Romulus 's Reign 32. His Death Page 33 Ruffinus of Aquileia Page 139 Ruffinus a Seditious Captain Page 146 S SAbellus the Heretick Page 117 Saguntum Besieged Page 76 Salaminian Battel Page 49 Salmanassar King of Assyria Page 32 Samaritans sent from Assyria into Judea 32. use the ancient Characters of the Hebrews Page 54 Sanaballat a Samaritan Page 67 Sanchoniathon an Historian of Phoenicia Page 19 Seven Wise Men of Greece Page 37 Sappho the Poetress Page 38 Saracens when they began to flourish Page 177 Sardis a Synod held there Page 134 Saul 's Reign Page 24 P. Scipio Aemilianus Page 84 85 P. Scipio Africanus ended the Second Punick War 79. Condemned Page 81 L. Scipio Asiaticus Page 80 P. Scipio Nasica Page 79 Scipio Pompey 's Son-in-Law conquer'd in Africa Page 91 Scythians invade Asia Page 36 Sedekiah the last King of Judaea Page 37 Seleucian Synod Page 136 Seleucus Nicanor Page 68 Semiramis Queen of Babylon Page 20 Sennacherib King of Assyria Page 33 Sextus of Chaeronea Page 108 Seventy Greek Interpreters of Moses 's Law Page 71 Q. Sertorius 's Acts Page 88 Servius Tullius 's Reign Page 39 Servile War Page 89 Servilius Isauricus Page 88 Sesostris King of Egypt what time he lived 26. Subdues Asia ibid. Seth when born Page 4 Severus L. Septimus the Emperor Page 109 Severus Caesar Page 121 Severus the Emperor Page 154 Severus the Theopaschite Page 161 Sextus the Empirick Page 106 Sicyons Kingdom 8. comes to a period Page 23 Sidon burnt Page 65 Simon the Maccabee Page 85 Simonides the Poet Page 44 Sirmium Synod Page 135 Smerdis Magus Page 44 Socrates Chief of the Philosophers 55. His Death 60. His Disciples ibid. Sodom destroyed Page 11 Sogdianus King of Persia Page 57 Solomon's Kingdom Page 26 Solon when born 35. Corrects the Laws of Draco Page 38 Sophocles the Tragoedian Page 51 Spanish War Page 84 85 Spartachus General of the Servii Page 89 Stesichorus the Poet Page 41 Stephen the Protomartyr Page 98 Stephen Bishop of Rome Page 117 Stephen the Pope flies to King Pepin to no purpose Page 187 Stilicho one of Honorius 's Captains Page 146 147 148 Strabo Page 94 Suetonius Page 106 L. Sulla his Exploits Page 88 Sulpitius Severus Page 140 Syloson a Tyrant of Samos Page 46 Symmachus Page 139 Symmachus Bishop of Rome when Created Page 160 Syphax King of Numidia Page 79 Syrian Kings most Potent in the times of the Kings of Israel Page 26 28 Syracuse built Page 30 T TAchos King of Egypt Page 63 Tacitus the Historian Page 105 Tacitus the Emperor Page 119 Tarichus the Arabian Invades Spain Page 182 Tarquinius Priscus 's Reign Page 36 Tarquinius Superbus King of the Romans 44. is Banish'd Rome Page 46 Tatius Reigns with Romulus Page 32 Temple of Jerusalem built 25. Dedicated Page 83 Tertullian Page 110 Teuta Queen of the Illyrians Page 76 Theban War twice begun Page 21 Themistius Page 138 Themistocles Conquers Xerxes 49. Is Banished Flies to Artaxerxes Page 52 Theodoricus I. King of the Goths Page 155 Theodoricus II. King of the Goths 159. a Disciple of Arius Page 163 Theodosian Code Page 152 Theodosius the Elder Emperor 140. His Repentance 145. His Death Page 156 Theodosius the Younger Emperor 148. His Death Page 154 Theodosius a Syrian made Emperor Page 183 Theodotion Ponticus Page 109 Theognis the Poet Page 41 Theophilus of Alexandria Page 147 Theophilus of Antioch Page 108 Theophrastus the Peripatetick Page 70 Theron of Agrigentum the Tyrant Page 50 Theseus when he lived Page 21 Thrasibulus Tyrant of Syracuse Expell'd Page 51 Thucydides the Historian Page 56 Thyestes when he lived Page 21 Tiberius obtains the Empire Page 97 Tiberius Anicius the Emperor Page 168 Tibullus Page 94 Timaeus 's jocular Expression concerning the Birth of Alexander Page 64 Timoleon 's Acts at Corinth Page 65 Timotheus Aelurus Page 155 Titus Vespasian the Emperor Page 104 Tolmides the Athenian Page 55 Trajan the Emperor Page 105 Trebonianus the Emperor Page 116 Three Factions Page 166 Tribonianus the Lawyer Page 164 Tribunes of the Roman People instituted Page 48 Thirty Tyrants of the Roman Empire Page 117 Triumvir's Proscriptions Page 62 Troy when its Kingdom began Page 18 Trojan War the occasion thereof Page 22 Tullus Hostilius 's Reign Page 34 Turks call'd in by Heraclius to his Assistance Page 175 Type an Edict of Constans the Emperor Page 177 Tyrus Old When it was Built 20. Destroyed and Re-built Page 38 Twelve Tables containing the Roman Laws Page 53 V VAlens the Emperor 138. His Death Page 140 Valentinian the Elder Emperor Page 138 Valentinian the Younger slain 145. His Laws Page 144 145 Valentinian the Son of Placidia Augusta 150. His Death Page 154 Valerian the Emperor Page 116 117 Valerian Caesar Page 117 M. Valerius Poplicola Page 46 Vallias King of the Goths Page 149 Vandals they possess themselves of Africa Page 153 M. Varro Page 89 Veij is Besieged Page 59 Venetians their Original Page 154 Vespasian the Emperor Page 104 Vetranio the Tyrant Page 135 Vincentius Lirinensis Page 152 Virgil Page 94 Viriathus Lusitanus Page 84 Vitalianus the Count Page 161 Vitellius the Emperor Page 103 Vitruvius Page 94 Ulpian the Lawyer Page 112 Volusianus the Emperor Page 116 W WAlidus King of Arabia sends an Army into Spain Ransacks Natolia Page 182. 186 Western Empire put to an end Page 157 Willibrordus Bishop of Utrecht Page 185 X XEnophanes the Philosopher Page 44 Xenophon the Socratick Page 60 Xerxes I. King of Persia 49. Conquer'd by the Greeks ibid. Is slain by Artabanus Page 52 Xerxes II. King of Persia Page 57 Y YEar amended by Julius Caesar Page 91 Years in ancient Times were not Monthly Page 5 Z ZEno the Emperor Page 157 Zeno the Philosopher Page 55 Zenobia Queen of Palmyra Page 118 Zorobabel Leader of the Jews brought back out of Captivity Page 43 Zosimus a Roman Bishop Page 150 THE END BOOKS Printed for M. Gillyflower J. Tonson W. Freeman J. Walthoe and R. Parker A New Voyage to Italy with Curious Observations on several other Countries as Germany Switzerland Savoy Geneva Flanders and Holland Together with useful Instructions for those who shall Travel thither Done out of French The Second Edition Enlarg'd above one Third and enrich'd with several new Figures By Maximilian Misson Gent. In Two Volumes A Compleat Body of Chyrurgical Operations containing the whole Practice of Surgery with Observations and Remarks on each Cases amongst which are inserted the several ways of Delivering Women in Natural and Unnatural Labours The whole illustrated with Copper Plates explaining the several Bandages Sutures and divers useful Instruments By M. de la Vauguion M. D. and Intendant of the Royal Hospitals about Paris Faithfully done into English The Roman History from the Building of the City to the perfect Settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar containing the space of 727 Years and from the Settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar to the Removal of the Imperial Seat by Constantine the Great containing the space of 355 Years Designed as well for the understanding of Roman Authors as the Roman Affairs Carefully Revised and Corrected In Two Volumes Octavo By Lawrence Echard A. M. late of Christ's College in Cambridge Prebendary of Lincoln and Chaplain to the Right Reverend James Lord Bishop of that Diocess
of Abraham out of Mesopotamia to the time of the Law given by Moses which we referr to the year of the World 2453 before Christ 1531 and comprehends 431 years The Fourth commences from the time of the Law given by Moses from whence to the taking of Troy we reckon 347 years in the year of the World 2800 before Christ 1184. The Fifth is the Destruction of Troy from whence to the building of the Temple of Jerusalem which was effected An. M. 2992 before Christ 992 are comprehended 192 years The sixth is the Building of the Temple at Jerusalem by Solomon which was 216 years before the first Olympiad which is computed to fall in the year of the World 3208 before Christ 776. The Seventh is taken from the first Olympiad from whence are reckoned 238 years to the return of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity that hapned An. M. 3446 before Christ 538. The Eighth is the Freeing of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity by Cyrus which fell out 336 years before Carthage was overcome by Scipio An. M. 3782 before Christ 202. The Ninth is taken from the Subduing of Carthage which hapned 202 years before our Saviours Birth and fell out in the year of the World 3984. The Tenth is the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ from which to the Conversion of Constantine the Great to the Christian Faith are reckoned 312 years which fell out An. M. 4296. The Eleventh is taken from the Conversion of Constantine which hapned 488 years before the Reign of Charles the Great which begun in the year of our Lord 800 An. M. 4784. The Twelfth we fetch from the Reign of Charles the Great with which we close up this our Compendium of Ancient History Now as for those Intervals of time that flow between the several Epochs them we call Periods The Creation The First EPOCH From the beginning of the World to the Deluge are computed 1656 years which space contains The First PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ 1. 3984. THE most accurate Chronologers do reckon that the World was Created in Autumn in the Month of October concerning which you may consult Dionys Petavius his Ration Lib. 2. p. 2. as also his book De Doc. temp p. 2. l. 9. c. 7. We are informed by no other History besides the Scripture what was done in this Interval of time which yet at the same time speaks of things with that obscureness and brevity that but little knowledge of those times can be got from thence Recourse may be had to the first six Chapters of Genesis where after the Creation of the World these are the principal Events to be met with The Creation of Adam and Eve their sinning and begetting Cain and Abel 129. 3855. Cain Slew his Brother Abel when Adam and Eve had no other Sons besides them but afterwards begat Seth the Scripture says nothing of any Children they had of the Female Sex save that before Adam dyed he begat Sons and Daughters Gen. 5.4 987. 2997. Enoch was Translated to Heaven without tasting of Death 1536. 2448. God forewarns the corrupted World of the Deluge by Noah an hundred and Twenty years before it came to pass Here two things are observable the long life of the Antediluvian Patriarchs and their food They lived then many Ages which when some Men have not been able to digest they have said they were Monthly years so that 1200 years before the Deluge made up no more than 100 Solar years but how ridiculous this is will immediately appear by observing of the Computation for according to their Calculation Seth who is said to have begot Children when he was 105 years old must have begot his first born at nine years of Age and others as Enoch Cainan and Mahalaleel must have done so much sooner See Lanct Div. Inst lib. 2. c. 12. As to their Food most of the Ancient and many of the Modern Writers have been of Opinion that they lived only upon Fruit and that eating of Flesh did not begin till after the Flood which is very likely from Gen. 9.3 The Deluge The Second EPOCH From the Deluge to the calling of Abraham are 366 years which Interval makes up The Second PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ 1656. 2328. GOD sent the Deluge to destroy the Corrupted Race of Mankind from off the face of the Earth and Noah with his Family alone escaped whereof there remain clear Footsteps in the Ancient Monuments of the Heathens concerning which among others Hugo Grotius may be consulted in his Annotations on the first Book of V. R. C. as also Sam. Bochartus in his Phaleg lib. 1. The Memory of Noah and his Sons Sem Cham and Japheth remained among the Heathens though obscured with divers Fables as they have shewed 1809. 2175. Then Mankind began to Build the Tower of Babel to preserve them a Name among Posterity and about which they might fix their Habitations least they should be scattered over the face of the Earth But through Discord they were dissipated into different Regions and it came to pass in process of time that the Original Language underwent various changes among a People that were so remote from one another Of this you may see what we have writ in our Philological Comment upon Gen. 11. The Posterity of Sem fixed their Seats in the upper Asia of Cham partly in Asia and partly in Africa and of Japheth in the lesser Asia and Europe See Gen. c. 10. as also the forecited Bochartus Soon after the first Discipation of Mankind Nimrod the Son of Chus who in the Chaldee is called Bar-Chus whence the name of Bacchus amongst the Greeks began to settle his Empire in Mesopotamia the beginning of whose Kingdom were Babylon Ezech Chalne and Acchad in the Land of Sinaar that is Babylon from whence he went out into Assyria and built Nineve Rechoboth Chalach and Rosen as Moses relates Gen. 10.10 11. by which words is only meant that he laid the Foundation of those Cities which were afterwards so called for Nineve was so named some ages after by Ninus See Bochartus his Phaleg Lib. 4. c. 12. But whether the Kingdom descended from this first King to his Posterity is uncertain Africanus doth indeed recite the Names of seven Chaldean Kings and six Arabian that Reigned in Babylon but these are clearly different from those which some have produced out of Ctesia The first that Africanus has is called Evechous but that in Ctesia is Belus and therefore all these are to be reckoned amongst the obscure number See Is Vossius and Dion Petavius Kingdoms were in those times very small and what has been usually said of that great Empire of Babylon whose bounds were extended by Ninus the Son of Belus who is thought to have been Nimrod through all the greater Asia is a meer Fable The Earth in those days was in a manner incumbred every where with Trees and inhabited rather