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.
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
Spain sickened and died at Marseilles Eighteen Months after his Brother's decease Caius also departed this life in Lycia as he was at last returning into Italy whither he had been required to come by Augustus Tiberius from henceforward was as it were by the Suffrage of all Men designed Successor of the Empire Augustus had indeed a third Grand-son from his Daughter Julia whose Name was Agrippa but him he never dignified with those Honours nor loved to that degree as he did his Brothers Augustus at length after he had governed the Empire for fifty seven years obtained the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or easie death which he wish'd for at Nola in Campania on the 19th of August in the Seventysixth year of his age 14. Tiberius suceeded Augustus and reigned Two and twenty years This Prince by his overcruelty afflicted the Romans grievously as you may see in Tacitus and Suetonius In the mean time Germanicus the Son of his Brother Drusus reduced the mutinous Legions in Germany to Obedience though they made a tender unto him of the Empire and led them against the Cherusci Chatti and Angrivarii Nations dwelling about the Rhine whom he overcame and then triumphed From thence he was sent with an extraordinary Commission into the East of whom Tiberius who was of a most mistrustful and exceeding timorous Disposition growing jealous 't was believed he was poison'd by Piso Governor of Syria two years after Tiberius after the Revolution of seven years left Rome and retired to Campania with an intention never to return confining himself to the Island Caprea to his dying day The very same year that he went into Caprea was Pontius Filate sent Governor into Judaea 28. The next year which was the fifteenth of the Reign of Tiberius John the Son of Zacharias who was born in the same year with our Saviour began to preach Repentance in Judaea neither did he admit the Jews themselves to become his Disciples without they were first Baptized 30. After he had spent a year in that Work Christ came to be baptized by him and then began his own Ministry but John was cast into Prison by Herod upon account of the Reason given in the Gospel This year died Livia Tiberius's Mother being hated by her wicked Son when she had lived eighty six years 33. Christ in the third year after he began his Preaching was Crucified for the Salvation of Mankind on the Twenty third Day of March the Sixth Festival and fifteenth Moon according to the Usage field in Judaea when he had celebrated the Passover the third or at least the second time aster he had entred upon his Office He died towards the end of a Friday and rested in the Grave all the Saturday together with part both of Friday and the Sunday following that is about Six and thirty Hours in all He arose the Twenty fifth of March before Sun-rising ascended into Heaven the Third of May and sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles the Thirteenth of the same Month. The Apostles henceforward began to preach the Gospel not only in the Ghaldaean or Greek Tongues which were used in Judaea and common to them but also in all other Languages throughout the World This very year Stephen was martyred and the Church of Jerusalem except the Apostles scattered 34. But that we according to our Custom may mix Prophane with Sacred History two very memorable things happen'd at Rome this same year and four years after Sejanus who had been in highest favour with Tiberius was accused by him in the Letters he wrote to the Senate there upon taken Prisoner and put to death And the Parthians who were at very ill Terms with Tiberius and the Romans growing weary of their King Arabanus came to Rome that they might get Tiberius to allow of Phraates to be their King But Phraates dying on his Journey he made Tyridates their King and him Vitellius Governor of Syria conducted to his Kingdom Then died Philip Herod's Son on whom Augustus conferred a Tetrarchy in Judaea 36. Paulus Tarsensis who was converted to the Faith in the Three and thirtieth Year of our Redemption began then to enter upon his Apostolical Function and three Years after his Conversion went up to Jerusalem to see Peter from thence to Casarea and from Casarea journeyed to Tarsus 37. Next year died Tiberius and was succeeded by Caius Caligula Germanicus's Son As soon as he came to the Empire he set Agrippa Herod's Grandson by Aristobulus at liberty and not only bestowed on him the Tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias but also the Title of King This is that Agrippa whereof mention is made in the Acts of the Apostles Peter went the same year to Antioch where after the Revolution of three years the Disciples of Christ were called Christians Caligula after he had reigned four years and abounded in all Wickedness so far as to have a mind to be esteem'd a God and worshipped accordingly was at last cut off by Chaerea and other Conspirators 41. Claudius his Uncle succeeded him who was as remarkable for his Blockishness as the other was for his Madness Seneca writ an elegant Satyr upon him entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Emperor also enlarged the Kingdom of Agrippa by adding Judaea and Samaria thereunto which made him go to Jerusalem and to please the People to persecute the Christians of whom he slew James the Apostle and threw Peter into Prison The Ancients have recorded That Peter went next year from Antioch to Rome to oppose Simon Magus But some Modern Writers in this and the last Age from some Difficulties in Chronology and other light Conjectures deny that Peter ever was at Rome and even what all Antiquity hath unanimously concurred in that he suffered Martyrdom there But it looks like an absurdity in a thing of that nature to contradict all Men because we cannot clear up some Difficulties that lie in the way Indeed it 's certain Peter never was at Rome in the space of four and twenty years together but that he never saw that City looks like a crime to deny Consult hereupon the First Dissertation of Dr. Pearson concerning the Succession of the First Bishops of Rome chap. vii viii There are no Remains left to shew whether at Rome or where else the Second Epistle of Peter was written Hugo Grotius Salmasius and Joseph Scaliger think it to be none of his The First is said to be written from Babylon and by Babylon the Ancients meant no other than Rome by reason of the Greatness of the Roman Empire in conformity to that of Babylon and whose Metropolis might therefore very well be dignified with the Name of the Metropolis of the Babylonish Empire 'T is true Peter makes no mention of Paul therein because he was not then at Rome The time when it was written cannot be assign'd See Lud. Cappellus in his Appendix to the Apostolical History where however he enclines to the contrary Opinion The same Author has
with his Son of his own Name and Caesar held the Empire for about five years Some of the Ancients have mistakingly thought these Philips to have been Christians as after Joseph Scaliger and David Clerk in his Sacred Questions quaest xix hath shewed The Father was slain at Verona and the Son at Rome by the Soldiery 249. The next that succeeded in the Empire was Decius who was descended from Lower Hungary and who is said to have raised the Seventh Persecution against the Christians St. Cyprian flourishing under this Prince who a year before Decius came to be Emperor was made Bishop of Carthage wherein he succeeded Donatus Not long after a Schism brake forth in Africa upon account of the Defection of Persons from the Faith in time of the Persecution which we have spoken of whom Felicissimus the Deacon would never allow to come to Communion wherein he was followed by Novatus and Novatianus the Presbyters who a little while after were condemned in a Synod held at Rome 251. Three years after Decius was succeeded in the Empire by C. Vibius Trebonianus Gallus and C. Vibius Volusianus whom his Father made his Colleague in the Empire But these at the expiration of about three years as they were marching against Aemylianus who was forming new Designs against them in Moesia were slain at Interamna and three months were hardly at an end when Aemylianus himself ran the same fate 254. Valerian was made Emperor in Noricum and Galienus at Rome under whom began the Eighth Persecution In the third year of their Reign St. Cyprian having assembled a Synod of the Bishops of Africa Enacted That the Baptism of Hereticks was not valid and that therefore they ought to be Rebaptized who had been Baptized by them The same thing was Decreed by Firmilianus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Dionysius of Alexandria Stephen Bishop of Rome opposed both and got another Synod of Italian Bishops to withstand them Two years after St. Cyprian was martyred in Africa In these times several Nations from Scythia and Germany particularly the Gorani Goths Carpi and Burgundians made an Irruption into the East which wrought so much Distraction in the Empire that many assumed the Imperial Dignity among whom seeing there were thirty Persons of greater Eminency than the rest they were called by the Name of the Thirty Tyrants which was taken from that of the Athenian Oligarchy the History of whom we have written by Trebellius Pollio About these times Sabellius originally of Ptolemais in Libya is said to have broach'd his Opinion which if we may give credit to the Ancients was this That he believed God who was one and the same numerically was in certain respects called Father Son and Holy Spirit 260. Valerian going unadvisedly to conferr with Sapores King of Persia was taken and slain by him Galienus after he had reigned with his Father for seven years held the Empire eight years longer but not without the Assistance of his Brother P. Lucinius Valerianus whom his Father had created Caesar While this Prince gave himself up wholly to his Pleasures Odenatus King of Palmyra seized on the East and defended those Parts against the Persians but being slain soon after his Wife Zenobia a Woman of a masculine Spirit took the Government upon her At this same time it was they say that Paul of Samosata Bishop of Antioch was condemned in the First Synod of Antioch for teaching that Christ was but a meer Man 268. Gallienus and Valerianus being treacherously slain M. Aurelius Claudius succeeded who reigned almost two years 270. This last Emperor dying of the Plague was succeeded by Aurelianus who is reckoned among the good Princes In his Reign it 's recorded That Paul of Samosata was condemned again at Antioch That when he would not go out of the House belonging to the Church nor be driven from the Flock whereof he was Pastor before he was driven thence by the Authority of the Emperor Aurelian though an Heathen Which how it could be done I cannot easily imagine seeing that Eusebius who tells this Story says that the Ninth Persecution raised against the Christians was in this Emperor's Reign 275. This Emperor overcame Zenobia and led her away in Triumph and commanded his Rhetorician Longinus who was Greek Secretary to him because it was thought he had wrote haughty Letters to be put to death Himself after a year and half 's Reign was treacherously murthered by Mnestheus his Secretary After whose decease happened what had never come to pass at any time before an Interregnum for Eight Months while the Senate and Army would leave the Power of chusing an Emperor to one another M. Claudius Tacitus was chosen by the Senate who died six months after and was succeeded by his Brother Florianus who in about another month's time was slain and succeeded by Marcus Aurelius Probus 276. In this Emperor's Reign sprang up the Heresie of the Manichaeans which had its beginning from a Babylonish Servant whose Name was Manes now in that Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man i. e. a Vessel which with the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dechai of the Living makes it Mandechai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Vessel of God This Man defended the Fatality held by the Stoicks and denied Free-Will so far to Man that all things must be done necessarily but for Sin and Vice he attributed none of that to God for he urged with the Persians and Magi that besides God there was another Principle which was the Author of all Evil. There were also several of the ancient Hereticks who in like manner denied this Freedom and introduced a fatal Necessity Which made Irenaeus Athenagoras Origen and other Fathers inveigh most sharply against such Opinions 282. The Emperor Probus for his severe Discipline over the Soldiery in his March through Illyricum was slain by them after he had reigned six years He was succeeded by M. Aurelius Carus who made his Sons Carinus and Numerianus Caesars and who succeeded him he being slain in Mesopotamia by a Thunderbolt within a year's time It was not much longer before Dioclesian a Dalmatian the Freed-man of Anulinus the Senator cut them off In these days lived Olympius and Nemesianus the Poets some Eclogues of whom which are not contemptible have survived to our times 284. Then also flourished Minutius Felix Arnobius and not long after Lactantius who writ against the Heathens in the Defence of the Christian Religion Seeing there were now divers Tumults in France that Britain was not quiet Wars coming on from the East and Seditions raised in Africa Dioclesian created Maximianus Herculius whom he had made Caesar before now Emperor And not long after they constituted each of them a Caesar which were Maximianus Armentarius and Constantius Chlorus who was sent into Britain against Carausius that had caused himself to be declared Emperor 291. Eutropius saith That Dioclesian was the first that found out the form of Royal Vsage
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
that such a vast number of People could be contained in the lower Egypt but the wonder will be lessen'd to him that considers how populous and fertil Egypt was of Old Concerning which consult J. Vossius observ var. c. 10. Neither could there be any danger in the Opinion though we were to grant that the Copyers or Transcribers might through neglect mistake in the number so as that they are sometimes found in our Books to be more than really they were But of this we shall speak elsewhere After they had passed dry-shod through the Red-Sea they lived forty years in the Desarts of Arabia where what befell them is contained in Exodas Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy There it was more especially that they received the Law which comprehended three sorts of Precepts The first related to good Manners and were common to all Mankind alike others related to Sacred Rites and the third were established for the Government of Civil Society The Moral Precepts were approved of by all Civilized Nations and every Wife Man as to the Ceremonials there are several of them taken from those of the Egyptians which God established by a Law because the Israelites were already used to them those being rectified which might be faulty concerning which you may consult the Famous J. Marsham and J. Spencera There were also many things in their Polity alike from whence it came to pass that the Athenian Laws agreed in many things with those of the Hebrews as Learned Men and especially Sam. Petyte have observed which last has made a Collection of them because that as Cecrops the first King of Athens being an Egyptian born brought his own Country Laws into the Country of the Athenians so also Moses by God's Command the Children of Israel having been used to the Laws of Egypt commanded many Precepts out of them though he added many particular ones But above all others this was peculiar to the Common-wealth of Israel that God was the chief Magistrate therein and that there was no name of any other Polity could agree with it so that a new one was to be invented which they called a Theocracy 2493. 1421. Moses dyed before he got into the Land of Canaan leaving to the Jews that Law which he had given them in the Name of God 2498. 1486. Joshua having Subdued the Land of Canaan divided it among the twelve Tribes and dyed eight years after 2570. 1425. The Argives having turned out Gelanor the last King of Inachus's Race gave the Government to Danaus who came from Egypt into Greece 2525. 1459. When the Children of Israel after the Death of Joshua fell into Idolatry they were Conquered by Cuschan King of Mesopotamia and paid him Tribute for eight years but at length they were delivered by Othoniel the first Judge after Joshua in Israel 2583. 1401. The Israelites returning again to their former sins were subdued by Eglon King of Moab who was Slain by Ehud their second Judge Some think that Minos Reigned about this time others will have him to have Reigned King of Crete much later some again contend there were two of them one more Ancient and a famous Law-giver and the other co-temporary with Theseus who also lived about the end of this our Period The Kingdom of Troy was Erected and Enlarged in the lesser Asia by Dardanus Erichthonius Tros Assaracus Laomedon and some other Princes Pelops the Phrygian the Son of Tantalus Reigned in Peloponnesus and left his Name to all that Country At this time the Isthmian Games were institutedh which were Celebrated in Honour of Archemorus every third year at the Isthmus of Corinth But some will have them to have been Consecrated to the Memory of Archemorus by Adrastus and those Captains that went to Thebes which hapned later perhaps these only restored them in Honour of Archemorus Belus in the same Age Reigned in Assyria and after his Death was reputed to have been taken into the number of the Gods 2663. 1321. Jabin King of Canaan Subdued the Israelites but they were delivered Twenty years after by Deborah and Barak 2730. 1254. He was Succeeded by Gideon who overthrew the Midianites without fighting this Man was otherwise called Jerubbaal and Sanchoniathon of Berytis consulted him when he writ his History which he composed in the Phoenician Tongue and which Philo-byblius translated into Greek of which version there are some fragments still remaining See Sam. Bochaâ—tus in his Canaan lib. 2. Cap. ult You may also consult Henry Dodwell's Dissertation concerning it who would have Sanchoniathon to be a Supposititious Author 2770. 1214. Abimelech the Son of Gideon after he had Slain his Seventy Brethren Invaded the Office of Judge He was Succeeded by Thola Jair and Jephtha whose Deeds are recorded in the Book of Judges We shall only observe out of the History of Jephtha who vowed his Daughter in Sacrifice that some Learned Men have thought the Fable of Iphigenia to have sprung from thence whom the Greeks are said to have Slain in Aulis Certainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not much differ about which you may consult Capellus in his Diatriba de voto Jephthae But these belong to the following Period Many things during the time of these Judges in Israel worthy of Remembrance have hapned both in the East and West which cannot be reduced to any certain year Ninus the Son of Belus Reigned in the Greater Asia in the time of Deborah the same that built Niniveh and extended the Empire of Assyria far and near through Asia It was then this Empire seems to have begun to Flourish so as that Ninus may be esteemed as it were the founder of it The Computation of Herodotus is herein more exact from which it appears that the Empire of the Ancient Assyrians lasted only 500. years especially in the upper Asia After Ninus his Death his Widow Semiramis Ruled the Empire concerning whom as well as Ninus you may read Justin lib. 1. Palaetyrus or old Tyre was built in the Reign of Ninus as some would have it but others have thought it to be much older As for Greece there were several Kings who Reigned one after another as well in Athens as in Peloponnesus In Erichthonius his Reign who was the fourth King of the Athenians from Cecrops were the Panathenaea or Minerva's Festival instituted and under Erichtheus the Sixth King were appointed the Eleusinian Sacrifices in Eleusis a City in the Province of Athens which were attended with very Great and Sacred Rites and Phoemonoe was the first Priest at Delphos that delivered Oracles in Hexameter Verse Amphion Reigned in these times at Thebes and Perseus at Mycene A little after the time of Baruck the Theban Hercules the Son of Amphitryon and Alcmene Flourished He was believed to have been Jupiter's Son because in Old Times all that were Valiant were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Jupiter's Sons even as the Hebrews called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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
In the Second year of his Reign the Jews begged leave to finish the begun work and at length after sixteen years began to build again notwithstanding all the efforts of the Samaritans to obstruct them who were always very obnoxious to the Jews The Temple was entirely finished within the compass of six years and a little after the Passover was kept at Jerusalem Esd 6. A few years before to wit in the fourth of Cambyses his Reign before the Birth of our Saviour 527 upon the Death of Pisistratus Tyrant of Athens Hippias Succeeded who was his Eldest Son and held the Government for eighteen years Hipparchus a very Learned Man was his Brother who is said to have compiled the Rhapsodies of Homer into one Volume which were before in several scattered pieces This Man seeing he maintained the Tyranny of his Brother was Slain by Harmodius and Aristogiton who though they were themselves killed in the midst of the Guards yet this did so incense the Athenians that they Divested Hippias of the Government who strove now to maintain it in vain and so put an end to Pisistratus his Tyranny 3472. 512. LXVIII ii 242. Not long after the Province of Babylon Revolted from King Darius which however after a long Siege of the City of Babylon he recovered by the cunning of Zopyrus While these things were doing in Greece and Asia Tarquinius Superbus the last King of Rome was expelled from thence because that his Son Sextus Tarquinius Ravished Lucretia and immediately thereupon the Kingly Authority was Abrogated and two Consuls created in the place of the Kings The first that executed that Office were L. Junius Brutus and L. Tarquinius Collatinus which last was by P. Valerius who succeeded him forced to lay down because of his invidious Name as not long after M. Horatius succeeded Brutus who was Slain in Battle a Catalogue of the Consuls that succeeded you have in Petavius About these times Pythagoras of Samos flying both from Samos and the Rulers of it for fear of the Tyranny exercised there went an exile into Italy Syloson Polycrates's Brother was then Tyrant of Samos Hence 't is manifest that Ovid who makes Pythagoras to be Numa Pompilius his Tutor is guilty of a gross Anachronism Next year after the Creation of Confuls at Rome M. Valerius Poplicola in his second Consulship Triumphed for his Conquering Tarquinius and the Etrurians whom he excited to make War upon the Romans But his Victories rendring him afterwards suspected by the People he made a Law whereby a Citizen that was called into question for his life might Appeal from the Consuls and the Senate to the People In the mean time the Family of the Tarquins making it their constant business to seek for aid among the Neighbouring Nations against the Romans stirred up Porsenna King of Etruria to make War upon them in which War the Romans did great exploits and amongst others M. Horatius Cocles Mutius Scaevola and Cloelia Virgo very much signalized themselves by whose Valour more especially Porsenna was brought to raise the Siege of Rome which he had invested and to grant a Peace to the Romans A little after the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was Consecrated by M. Horatius At that time Darius being to make War upon the Scythians made a Bridge over the Thracian Bosphorus and then over the Danube from whence passing over into Scythia after he had lost a great part of his Army he returned into Asia leaving Megabazus to subdue Europe with Eight hundred thousand Men as being perswaded thereto by Hippias the Tyrant of Athens who by the assistance of the Persian Forces thought to reassume his lost power Megabazus Conquered Thrace and Macedon for the King of Persia as also the Ionians but having been overthrown by the Athemians upon several occasions Darius was so incensed at it that he resolved to make War upon Greece In these times flourished Heraclitus the Ephesian and Democritus of Abderis both famous Philosophers The Romans won many Victories over the Sabines and Vejentians they brought also the Latines who made a bustle and stir against them after various overthrows wherein the Romans still worsted them to renew their Alliance with them to whom they added the Volsci and Aequi who also gave them trouble 3491. 493. LXXI iv 261. But the Romans themselves could scarce be at Peace at home for the Commonalty finding they were opprest with the extortions of the Nobility passed over the Anien to the Hill called Mons Sacer as if they designed to erect another Republick without any Nobility but they were brought back to Rome by the Speech and Dexterous Management of Menenius Agrippa There it was that three Tribunes of the People were first created by a Law which they called the Holy Law to whose number two more were afterwards added who were to defend the Privileges of the Commonalty against the Nobles The Power of these Magistrates was esteemed most Sacred and no Law could be enacted without one of them were present While these wranglings were at Rome Darius made open War upon Greece and Mardonius his Son in Law was the first that expelled their respective Tyrants out of the Cities of Ionia and reduced Thrace and Macedon again which had shaken off the Persian yoke under its obedience 3492. 490. LXXII iii. 264. At length when he had entred Greece he engaged at Marathon a City of Attica with the Athenians and Plataeensians who under the Conduct of Miltiades whose number did not exceed ten thousand Men overthrew three hundred thousand of these Barbarians Darius soon after as he was preparing for a new expedition dyed At this time flourished Aeschylus the Athenian a Tragick Poet and Sophocles his Country-man was now born who excelled him in the same sort of Poetry Now the Athenians by the advice of Themistocles built the Pyraeum and Gelo became Tyrant of Syracuse C. Marcius Coriolanus being Banished from Rome excited the Volsci to make War upon this Country and being made their General he besieged Rome whose Siege when he could have taken it he raised at his Mothers tears and intreaties 3498. 486. LXXIII iii. 268. Sp. Cassius in his third Consulship was the first Author of the Agrarian Law which was made about dividing the Land of the Hernici whom the Romans and Latines had Conquered but next year the same Cassius as affecting Tyranny was thrown down headlong over the Rock Tarpeia and so perish'd 3500. 484. LXXIV i. 270. While the Romans waged War with the Vosci Vejentians and Aequi their Neighbour Nations Xerxes fourth King of Persia succeeded Darius and Reigned twenty years in the fourth of his Reign he made War upon Greece whither he Transported his Land Forces consisting of eight hundred thousand Men over a Bridge made cross the Hellespont His Navy consisted of above twelve hundred Ships But he was first beaten by the Athenians more especially under the Conduct of Themistocles in a Naval fight at Salamis and three hundred Spartans
under the leading of Leonidas durst with wonderfull boldness oppose his Land-forces at the Streights of Thermopylae where valiantly fighting they were every man of them Slain But that vast Army was next year utterly overthrown at Plataea a City of Boeotia Mardonius being General of the Persians as Pausanias and Aristides were of the Graecians In these times flourish'd Pindar the Poet and Anaxagoras the Philosopher 3057. 477. LXXV iv 277. Caeso Fabius who with the single Family of the Fabij to the number of three hundred and six of ripe years and four thousand Vassals made War against the Vejentians was overthrown by them at the River Cremera and the whole Army destroyed of which Ovid in his Fastorum says Una dies Fabios ad bellum miserat omnes Ad Bellum missos perdidit una dies One day the Fabij all One day the Fabian Race made all extinct But that many things are false herein as that amongst such a number of Men grown there was one under Age is shewn by Dionys Halicarnasseus and the matter is handled at large by Jac. Perizonius in his Observ c. 5. At this time Sicily was imbroil'd several ways what with Gelon and Hieron Tyrants of Syracuse and Theron of Agrigentum within and the Carthaginians from without who endeavoured to possess themselves of it 3510. 474. LXXVI iii. 280. Artaxerxes was made partner with his Father in the Kingdom About the same time Sophocles began to teach the way of Tragedies and a few years after was the most excellent Tragedian Euripides born In the same Age also flourished Herodotus of Hallicarnassus who is the most Ancient of all the Greek Historians we have 3514. 470. LXXVII iii. 284. Cimon the Son of Miltiades Admiral of the Athenians Fleet took away several Cities of Asia from the Persians and overcame them at Sea with two hundred and fifty Ships only when they had no less than three hundred and forty and a little after gained another Victory over their Land Forces at Eurymedon a City of Pamphylia The Athenians at that time waged War with good success against their Neighbours in Greece and gave divers overthrows to the Thassians Thracians and Aeginetans The Lacedaemonians also brought the Hilotes and Messenians who Rebelled against them under Subjection again having sent home the Auxiliary Troops of Athens because of the suspicion they had of them 3516. 468. LXXVIII i. 286. T. Quinctius General of the Romans obtained a Victory over the Voscians and after the taking of Antium Triumphed Next year upon the Death of Hieron in the Isle of Sicily succeeded his Brother Thrasibulus in his Tyranny over Syracuse but being expelled by the Syracusians he went into Banishment to Locris and from that time forward the Syracusians enjoyed a free State for 40 years together till Dionysius his days 3519. 465. LXXVIII iv 289. Artabanus the Hyrcanian slew Xerxes and Accused his Brother Darius of the Parricide before Artaxerxes whom as we have said Xerxes had made his Copartner in the Empire Darius being condemn'd to die Artaxerxes was wounded by Artabanus but afterwards slain by him whence he obtain'd the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Long Hands and began this year to Reign alone and Reigned XL years To him Themistocles fled in his Banishment who was very kindly received and rewarded by him The same Artaxerxes was a great favourer of the Jews and in the twentieth year of his Reign gave Nehemiah leave to Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem when Cyrus had only allowed them the favour of Rebuilding the Temple Nehemiah finish'd that work in a very short time notwithstanding all the opposition made to the contrary by the neighbouring Samaritans Ammonites and Arabians 3522. 462. LXXIX iii. 292. In the mean while there was a Law made at Rome after several Tumults raised by the People which was called the Terentian Law concerning the Quinqueviri that were to be created with consular power as well from among the Commonalty as Nobility The year after Ap. Herdonius the Sabine with four thousand Exiles and Servants seized on the Capitol but soon after by the assistance above all others of the Tusculans they were driven out Thenceforward the Romans gave many overthrows to the Sabines and Aequi and when it hapned so that Minucius the Consul through ill management was Besieged by the Aequi in his Camp Quinctius Cincinnatus being called from his Plow to take upon him the Office of Dictator he conquered the Aequi and made them Slaves The Athenians this very time under the Conduct of Leocrates often beat the Corinthians and Epidaurians and forced Garrisons upon the Aeginetae and Megarensians after which under the leading of Myronides they Routed the Lacedaemonians and from this spark was afterwards that flame of the Peloponnesian War kindled 3530. 454. LXXXI iii. 300. Petavius thinks that Daniel s Seventy weeks ought to take their beginning from this year See Lib. 12. de Doc. temp This same year upon the Abrogating of the Terentian Law concerning the Quinqueviri there were three Embassadors sent into Greece to make an inspection into the Laws of that Country and especially into those of Athens that they might amend the Roman Laws by them Upon the return of the Embassadors which was three years after the Tribunes of the People and Consuls were laid aside and the Decemviri constituted to set down the Laws of the Common-wealth who were the first that reduced the same into ten Tables which by the addition of two more to them afterwards made up those Famous twelve Tables which were the foundation of the whole Body of the Roman Laws After the Republick had for the space of two years or a little more been Governed by this sort of Magistracy it reverted to its Ancient form upon this occasion As the Decemviri demeaned themselves but indifferently in their charge and that Appius Claudius had made Virginia a free Maiden of Rome a Slave out of the hopes he had to enjoy her her Father Virginius Slew him made the People Mutiny and brought things so to bear that the Office of the Decemviri was Abrogated and Tributes of the People and Consuls were chosen again While these things were doing in Rome Nehemiah returning from Chaldaea together with Ezra the Scribe Rectified the corrupt manners of the Jews and pressed upon them the observation of the Law of Moses From this time it was that the Jews began to gather the Books of Scripture together into one Volume which is the same we have at this day But seeing that the Jews during the Babylonish Captivity had almost forgot the Hebrew Tongue and way of Writing the Ancient Books were written in Assyrian Characters and what was read in the Hebrew Tongue in the Scriptures was expounded to the People in the Chaldee See Lud. Capellus concerning the Hebrew letters But the Samaritans when they received Moses his Law before the Phoenician or Ancient Character was grown quite obsolete preserved them from whence it comes
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
357. CV iv 397. While divers Wars were waged among the Greeks all which seem to have turned to the advantage of Philip King of Macedon only Dionysius Tyrant of Syracuse was divested of his Government by Dion during his absence from Syracuse Two Transport Ships laden with Mercenary Troops overturned a Government furnished with 400 Ships of War an Hundred thousand Foot and Ten thousand Horse In the mean time Philip Subdued the three Neighbouring Kings of Thrace Paeonia and Illyria and in the three hundred fifty sixth year before the Birth of Christ had born to him by his Wife Olympias his Son Alexander on the very same day wherein the fam'd Temple of Diana at Ephesus was burnt Of this Timaeus in his History spake prettily when he said that it was not to be wondered that Diana who was desirous to be at the Labour of Olympias should be absent from home as you have it cited in Cicero de natura Deor. lib. 2. c. 27. A little after began that called the Sacred War in Greece which the Thebans and Locrensians undertook against the People of Phocis because these last had possest themselves of some part of the Holy Ground and afterwards by the incouragement of Philomelus pillaged the Temple of Apollo at Delphos Philip after eight years time put an end to this War by destroying the Cities of Phocis 3633. 351. CVII ii 403. Artaxerxes Ochus sent an Army against the Phoenicians and Cyprians who revolted from him and subdued the Cyprians by the help of Idrieus Prince of Caria Phocion of Athens and Evagora who held Cyprus in his Name but Tennes King of Sydon having received from Nectanebos King of Egypt some mercenary Greeks to assist him defended himself for some time but afterwards having made a Peace with the King he was slain which brought the Sydonians to such a desponding condition that they burnt themselves and all their Substance together with their City all at once From hence forward the Riches of New Tyre seem to have encreased as being a Place that was very potent in Alexander's days whereas the Affairs of the Sydonians were but in a mean condition Nectanebos himself was driven out of Egypt by Ochus with the assistance more particularly of the Theban Army and forced to fly into Aethiopia Four Years after Dionysius recovered Syracuse ten years after he had lost it but the Syracusians some time after having got of the Corinthians Timoleon for a General who had kill'd his Brother Timophanes for seeking to compass the Supreme Power into his hands Dionysius was driven out again who went to Corinth where it was said he turn'd Schoolmaster to get him a livelyhood The same Timoleon overthrew the Carthaginians divers times In this tract of time the Romans under the Conduct of several Dictators and Consuls a Catalogue of whom you have in Petavius's Tables won several Victories over the Gauls Samnites and other neighbouring Nations but they underwent very great danger in that called the Social War where T. Manlius struck off his Son's Head because that being challenged to a single Combat he overcame his Enemy when there were strict Orders given that none should stir out of their Ranks The other Consul P. Decius Mus devoted himself to death for the Army the same being a Ceremony usual to the Romans in extreme Danger 3644. 340. CX i. 414. Artaxerxes Ochus was succeeded by Arses who was the twelfth King of Persia and reigned four years At this time flourished Isocrates Demosthenes and Aechines Athenian Orators and the Philosopher Anaxarchus Epicurus was born the year before Ochus his death Philip after many happy Successes overcame the Athenians and Boeotians at Charonea in which Battel his Son Alexander but then Eighteen years of age fought valiantly Then Philip was chosen by all Greece to be their Captain-General against the Persians but next year he was slain by Pausanias after he had reigned four and twenty years 3648. 336. CXI i. 418. Bagoas the Eunuch who slew Ochus and put Arses upon the Throne having laid him aside and substituted Darius Codomannus Arsamus's Son and Great Grand-son to Darius the Bastard in his room yet when he went about to take away Darius by Poison Darius forced him to drink the Cup he had made ready for that purpose In the mean time Alexander Philip's Son was chosen General of the Greeks against the Persians and when the Thebans revolted from him he hasted from Thrace where he was then waging War besieged Thebes took and levelled it with the ground no Houses being saved but a few among which were those of Pindar and Epaminondas From thence the following year he transported the Army into Asia and overturned the Persian Empire We shall pass over most of his Actions unmentioned as being such as may easily be seen in Quintus Gurrius 3652. 332. CXII i. 422. Alexander after he had taken Tyre went to Jerusalem with a design to be revenged on the Jews who refused to send him any Aid while he was engaged in the said Siege but he was pacified by Jaddua the High-priest who being dress'd in his Sacerdotal Ornaments went out to meet him with all the People clad in White and commanded Sacrifices to be offered for him and granted the Jews many Privileges In these times also Manasses the Brother of Jaddua raised a Disturbance who refusing to put off Sanballat's Daughter the Samaritan whom he had married contrary to the Law was forced to flee to Samaria Sanballat his Father-in-Law who was much in favour with Darius by whom he was made Governor of that Country obtained leave of the King for this Man to build a Temple in Mount Garizin like unto that at Jerusalem The same Sanballat when he saw how prosperously things went with Alexander revolted from Darius and sent the other some Auxiliary Troops when he was besieging Tyre whereby he won to himself the Favour of Alexander From thence Alexander went and in the Battel of Arbela gave Darius a total Overthrow who having norrowly escaped being killed among the rest was said to have been slain afterwards by Bessus Governor of Bactria The Persian Monarchy ended with this King after it had lasted for about two hundred years Whilst Alexander the Macedonian subdued the Upper Asia Alexander King of Epirus his Uncle waged War in Italy where at length he died It 's reported that he comparing the War his Sister's Son was engaged in with his own should say That Alexander had to do with Women but he with Men. In the mean time the Romans fought with the Gauls and Samnites with various success but at last after having been beaten in some Battels they came off Conquerors in the War 3660. 324. CXIV i. 430. Alexander having almost conquered all Asia by Arms returned to Babylon and died there after he had reigned twelve years and seven months on the 22d day of June He would appoint no Successor but his Empire being divided into several Dynasties was from henceforwards infested
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
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
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
furnish'd us with an History of Paul's Travels and the time when he wrote each of his Epistles which Argument is also most accurately handled by Dr. Pearson in his Annales Paulini and Praelectiones in Acta 49. Claudius in the ninth year of his Reign turn'd the Jews out of Rome and the Christians also with them who were at that time confounded with and taken for the Jews whence Suetonius says that they Auctore Chresto tumultuantes growing tumultuous under Christ their Leader were expelled Rome Then it was as some will have it that Peter returned into Judaea and Aquila and Prisoilla came to Corinth as you have it Act. xviii The same year arose a Controversie at Antioch about the Jewish Ceremonies Whereupon the Apostles with the Church of Jerusalem make that Decree that is contained in the XVth Chapter of the Acts. Claudius at that time having slain his Wife Messalina who was an open Adulteress marry'd Agrippina the Daughter of his Brother Germanicus who by Domitius Ahenobarbus had a Son whose Name was Nero to whom this same Year he assigned L. Seneca now recalled from Banishment for his Tutor and being moved thereunto by the advice of his freed Man Pallaes disinherited his Son Britannicus whom Messalina bare him In the fourth year of Claudius's Reign died King Agrippa so that his Kingdom was put under the Government of Roman Magistrates who by innumerable Enormities so exasperated the minds of the Jews that they broke out at last into open War 54. Claudius being removed by Poison was succeeded by Nero whose very Name was enough to strike Horrour for his brutal savage Disposition and unheard-of Cruelties He slew his own Mother Brother Britanmicus Seneca his Tutor and other famous Men turn'd Stage-Player set Rome on fire and having cast the odium of the Crime upon the Christians cut off a great many of them by exquisite Torments In his time lived Perseus and Lucan the Poet as did Quintillian a little before who was a most excellent Rhetorician It was not long after that Juvenal flourish'd to whom we are to join Curtius the Historian though he publish'd his History in Vespasian's Reign 68. Peter and Paul are thought to have suffered Martyrdom at Rome in the fourteenth and last year of Nero's Reign 69. The Jewish War began a little before whereof Josephus who was engaged therein has writ an accurate History Vespasian Governor of Syria won many Victories over the Jews before he assumed the Empire into his Hands which he acquired the year after Nero's death when Galba Otho and Vitellius having slain one another had in vain endeavoured to secure themselves He then made his Son Titus Commander in Chief in the Jewish War who after a Siege of seven months took Jerusalem and razed it down to the Ground As there was scarce any other Nation that committed such flagitious Impieties and Evils as the Jews did in this War so was there scarce ever any that suffered so much A little after this was Onion or the Temple of the Jews in Egypt built by Onias the High-Priest levelled with the Ground upon a Tumult raised by the Jews in that Country Somewhat before these-times are supposed to be written the Two Epistles of those Apostolick Men viz. Barnabas which is Catholick or Universal and Clemens First Bishop of Rome to the Corinthians The Ancients differ very much whether Clemens or Liâ—â—â— or else Cletus was first fixed in the See of Rome Hereof you may consult Dr. Pearson and Henry Dodwell in his Dissertation concerning the Succession of the first Bishops of Rome At this time flourished Asconius Pedianus the famous Grammarian as did also Pliny Author of the Natural History 79. After Vespasian had for the space of ten years and six months governed the Empire he died and left Titus the best of Emperors to succeed him who complained That he lost a Day when he had not done some good Deed or other But he scarce attained to the third year of his Reign in which he was cut off by an untimely fate and left so much the more longing after him by how much his Brother Domitian that succeeded him proved a worse Prince than he This Man growing imperious both towards God and Man commanded himself to be stiled both God and Lord slew a great many of the Citizens and expelled Philosophers out of Rome for which Sulpitia writ the Satyr upon him which is still extant 81. But he who was thus outragious to Heathens proved much more so to the Christians in raising up the Second Persecution after Nero against them though it was of short duration of which you may read as well as of others in Dodwell's Dissertation entituled de Pancitate Martyrum 93. John the Apostle is said at that time to have been thrown into a Cauldron of hot Oil and to have come from thence safe and unhurt and to be afterwards banished to the Isle of Patmos Christianity began now to spread it self far and near so that Persons of highest Quality began to own and profess it of the number of whom was Flavius Clemens Consul and Domitian's Cousin German whom for that reason he commanded to be put to death About these times it 's generally believed that John writ the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation and Josephus himself bears witness that he was employed in writing his Book of Antiquities At the same time flourished Justus of Tiberias Josephus's Enemy who also wrote the Jewish History 96. Domitian after he had reigned for the space of fifteen years was slain by certain Persons that conspired against him and was succeeded in the Empire by Cocceius Nerva who rescinded all the other had done whence it came to pass that John had the opportunity of returning from the Isle of Patmos into Asia where the next year which was the Ninetieth of his Age he is said to have wrote his Gospel and to have lived two years longer 98. Nerva after he had reigned one year and some months had Vlpius Trajanus for his Successor who did great things for he conquered the Dacians Armenians Iberians Sarmatians Parthians and several other Barbarous Nations But the Persecution that was raised during his Reign against the Christians did not a little detract from that Princely Vertue of Clemency wherewith he was allowed to have been endowed However it was of no long continuance as appears by the 17th Epist Lib. 10. of Plinius Junior where he gives the Christians a great Character This is reckon'd for the Third Persecution wherein many did not die as Mr. Dodwell sets forth But yet it was under this Emperor that Clemens Bishop of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch suffered Martyrdom concerning whose Epistles that are remaining you may consult the most learned Doctors James Vsher and John Pearson 113. The Jews making an Insurrection in Cyrene and Egypt after having committed many Outrages were slain in vast numbers as well in the forementioned Places as in the Isle of Cyprus whither it was
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
See the eighth day after he was baptized Then it was that Jerom Epiphanius Augustine though not yet converted to the Faith and Martin Bishop of Tours lived which last wrought a great many Miracles according to the Account given by Sulpicius Severus a faithful Writer both in his History and Dialogues But we may justly prefer before all those miraculous Stories what is said concerning Martin's Judgment in respect to the Slayers of Hereticks with whom he would not Communicate and did not above once and that against his will at the instance of Maximus Tyrannus 375. Upon the death of Valentinian besides Gratian who was already Emperor his younger Brother was also elected to the Dignity and next year Valence was overcome in Thrace by the Goths and his Body never found the Barbarians having burnt the Village whither he was carried out of the Army The Goths thereupon ravaged all Thrace and Moesia and advanced sometimes even to the Gates of Constantinople but they were repulsed by the Citizens 379. As they stood in need of a valiant Man in the East to repress the fury of these Barbarians and their Incursions Gratian made Theodosius Emperor and so retired to the Western Parts of the Empire and it was not long before Theodosius overthrew the Goths and drove them out of Thrace Then was there a Council held at Antioch wherein it was Agreed between Meletius and Paulinus Successor to Eustathius That upon the death of one or other of them the Survivor was to be Bishop alone Here also Apollinaris of Laodicea was condemned who they say should affirm that the Word was only united to the Flesh of Christ and not to the Soul and that the Soul remained in sin See Theodoritus lib. v. cap. 3. But his Adversaries bring him in arguing in so absurd a manner that it gives occasion for no small doubting whether they have given a faithful Account of his Opinion There arose a great Controversy in the Church of Antioch to use the words of Henry Valesius concerning the word Hypostasis the Meletians affirming there were Three Hypostases or Substances in the Trinity whereas the Eustathians would have only One therein Alexander in the Council held at Alexandria reconciled the matter by enacting That the Profession of the Nicene Faith should be only required without making any mention of the Hypostasis as you may see in Athanasius's Synodical Epistle to the Church of Antioch But this Controversie notwithstanding the Decree of the said Council continued in the Church of Antioch as Jerom witnesseth in his lviith Epistle to Damasus Valesius is of opinion they differed only in words which is true But the Word-warring did not consist herein that they who affirmed or were for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meant it to be One Substance for Number or that they who were for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believed there were Three Persons though they participated of one and the same Numerical Substance The Ambiguity consisted herein that those who stood upon the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meant that there was but One Substance in Species whereas others affirmed there were Three Hypostases in Number though they agreed with others in respect to the Unity of the Species as others did with them as to the Trinity of Substances Now the original of the strife or rather obscurity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was this that the word bore two significations one whereof was in use among Philosophers and the other among the Vulgar The Philosophers called the Existence of some thing and not the thing it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examples whereof we have in Budaeus's Commentaries of the Greek Tongue p. 138 244. Now in this sence some have affirmed there were Three Hypostases that is that there were Three Substances in the Trinity subsisting apart from one another though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a like perfect and of the same kind But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vulgar sence is not the Existence of the thing but the Thing it self and accordingly Paulinus Eustathianus asserts a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that the Substance of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is not of a different Nature The same Budaeus has Examples of this Notion pag. 466. In the Synod convoked at Sardis whose words are recorded in Theodoritus lib. ii cap. 8. there is an Anathema pronounced against those who say that the Hypostases of the Father Son and Holy Ghost are different and 't is affirm'd there was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one Hypostasis which the Hereticks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's expresly said in the words of this Synod that the Hereticks call that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Catholicks name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Jerom in his Epistle to Damasus doth not use another word when he saith That all the learned Schools in all Ages knew no other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many others have also spoke after the same manner Gregory Nazianzen went to Constantinople and began to engage the People with such an admiration of his Learning that he had had that Episcopal See conferred upon him unless Peter of Alexandria had withstood it who made it his business in the absence of the other to get Maximus who from a Cynick was turned Christian by ill methods substituted in his room But Demophilus the Arian and Maximus being turned out by the Authority of Theodosius he was not long after brought in again to the Church of Constantinople 381. Then was the Second Oecumenical Synod convocated in that City when Meletius first with some other Bishops confirmed Gregory in Antioch before the Synod met together Afterward upon the death of Meletius and that Flavian was substituted in his room Gregory upon account of the fore-mention'd Compact opposed it so that a Contention arose and upon the arrival of the Egyptian Bishops things came to that pass that Gregory relinquished the Bishoprick of his own accord After this there were Canons made against Macedonius Maximus next year seized upon the Empire in Britain and having the Seat of his Empire at Treves he made his Son Victor his Colleague therein Not long after his General Andragathius flew the Emperor Gratian now forsaken by his Party while Theodosius in the East gave the Dignity of Augustus to his Son Arcadius 385. There was a Synod held at Bourdeaux against Priscillian Bishop of Abila in Spain and some others who being declared guilty of notorious Wickednesses were beheaded and their Disciples slain The Bishops Idacius and Ithacius were so eager for the Infliction of the said Punishment that 't was thought Martin of Tours refrained Communicating with them upon that account and herein you may consult Sulpitius Severus St. Jerom went the same year into the Land of Palaestina and St Augustin was converted from Manichaeism saving that he never utterly relinquished the Notion of Fatal Necessity and the
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
worthy in the opinion of the Nobles of the Royal Dignity Aistulphus who at that time was King over the Lombards drove Eutychius at length out of Italy and so an end was put to the Power of the Eastern Emperors in that Country The same Aistulphus began to be troublesom to the Pope and endeavoured to Possess himself of the City of Rome but Stephen Zachary's Successor withstood him stiffly and having sought to Constantine for Aid to no purpose he has recourse to Pippin to whom he privily wrote Letters wherein he begged his Assistance against the Lombards and Pippin at length prevail'd so far with Aistulphus as to make a Truce with the Pope but Aistulphus refusing to stand to his Promise Stephen in the year 754. went himself in Person to Pippin and wrought so far upon him as to raise an Army to pass over the Alps in his favour who accordingly entring Italy overthrew Aistulphus's Forces and at last granted him Conditions of Peace But so as that he should deliver up Ravenna to the Pope and make restitution of whatever he had taken from him From thence he returned into France and finding by the time a year came about that Aistulphus had violated his Faith he made a second Expedition into Italy and having beaten Aistulphus again imposed the same Conditions upon him Here was laid the principal foundation of the Pope's Power so that the Roman Pontiffs were beholding almost for all to Pippin and Charles the Great In the mean time Constantine having assembled 338 Bishops held the Seventh General Council wherein Images were put down and called Idols The Iconolatrae or Image-Worshippers do not allow this to have been a lawful Synod because the Western Bishops consent was wanting 759. Jusaph who reigned over the Saracens in Spain was dispossess'd in the Name of the King of the Asian-Saracens by reason of an overthrow given him by the remainders of the Christians in that Kingdom and Abderamen made King in his stead who reigned at Corduba Seven and twenty Years 763. All the Work which the Image-Worshippers found for Constantine could not hinder him from making War upon the Bulgarians whom he overcame and at his return to Constantinople triumphed tho' the Turks breaking into Armenia through the Streights of the Caspian Sea committed great Depredations there as they did afterwards and won great Victories over the Saracens themselves 766. He sent Ambassadors not long after to Pippin to perswade him to take away the Images about which there arose much Strife between the Greeks and Latins in the Synod of Gentiliacum but nothing seems to have been determined upon that Head The Greeks also accused the Latins because they added and from the Son to the Nicene Creed where it treats of the Procession of the Holy Ghost whereas it was only before who proceeds from the Father 768. This year wherein after much Contention Stephen III. was chosen Bishop of Rome died Pippin who left his Sons Charles and Carloman to succeed him Constantine about the same time finding by Experience that the Monks were a sort of People given to Sedition commanded them to leave their Monasteries and to Marry and so live among the Laiety unless they rather chose to be banished 771. Carloman after a Reign of Four Years died and left his Brother Charles sole Monarch of France who not long after sent Bertha Daughter to Desiderius King of the Lombards back to her Father This Prince divested Pope Stephen of the Exarchate of Ravenna and Charles's Ambassadors could by no means bring him to restore it which made Charles march with an Army into Italy and wrest that out of his hands which he could not effect by an Ambassy and so put an end to the Kingdom of the Lombards Paul the Deacon was Secretary to Desiderius and was the most Learned Man of those times and therefore highly esteemed by Charles who as the times went was a Learned Prince Alcuin an Englishman and Charles his Tutor was also a Person not inferior to the Deacon 773. The Saxons by their continual Rebellions cut out much Work for him now and afterwards while that Constantine the Emperor died in the mean time leaving Leo III. his Son to succeed him who also created his Son Constantine of that same Name with his Grandfather Emperor when he had first bound his Nobles by an Oath that they should suffer no other to Reign Leo had before this made his Wife Irene his Mother's Name-sake Augusta This same Princess was the King of Bulgaria's Daughter whereas the other Irene was Daughter to the King of the Chazari which I thought fit to take notice of in this place lest the sameness of the Name should work any Confusion in History 779. Whilst Charles the Great overcame the Saracen Prince of Navarr in Spain Leo also got a great Victory over that People in Syria This Prince was so set against the Idolaters or Image-Worshippers that upon his finding some Images with his Wife Irene he abstain'd from her Company tho' she denied that she knew any thing of them Irene soon after upon his Death in her Son's Name assumed the Imperial Power and held it for Ten Years Thereupon the Images were presently set up again and the Monks and Nuns sent into their Monasteries Nicephorus Leo's Brother whom Copronymus had formerly given the Dignity of Caesar to was still alive who when some of the Nobles had endeavoured to advance to the Throne was seized by Irene together with his Brothers shorn and shut up in a Monastery 786. Irene this year endeavoured to assemble a General Council at Constantinople in order to Condemn the Image-Breakers but was obstructed in her Design by a Sedition of the Common People yet next year there was one held at Nice wherein the Image-Breakers were condemned and this second Nicene Council was called the Seventh General one by those who approved of the Worship of Images Irene and Charles could not well agree because Rachisius Duke of Beneventum her Vassal was quelled by Charles when he would have made War upon the Bishop of Rome wherefore the Proud Woman sent an Army into Italy to restore the Kingdom of the Lombards but being overthrown by Charles's Forces they returned to Constantinople without effecting their Design 788. This year the Normans or Danes arriving at first with three Ships only in Britain ravaged the Sea-Coast of it In the mean time the Government of Irene grew daily more and more intolerable to the Nobility but when she observed that some of them favoured her Son's Interest she thrust them into Monasteries and forced the Inhabitants of Constantinople to Swear fealty to her without any mention of her Son But she could not the year following hinder Constantine by a Joint Consent of the Army to be advanced to his Father's Throne Tho' this Prince who before was invited by every body to take the Administration upon him being beaten often in the succeeding years became hated almost of all Men
120. His Cruelty towards the Christians 121. Resigns his Imperial Dignity ibid. Dionysius Senior Tyrant of Syracuse Page 59 Dionysius Junior is expell'd by Dion 64. Recovers Syracuse and is thence expell'd Page 65 Dioscorus of Alexandria Page 154 Domitian the Emperor Page 104 Donatists Schisms 122 124. Extinguish'd by force Page 147 Draco amends the Laws of Athens Page 36 Drusus Aug. his Son in Law Page 94 C. Duillus the Consul Page 74 E. ECbatan built Page 34 Eglon King of the Moabites Page 18 Ehud King of the Hebrews ibid. Eleusinian Sacrifices when instituted Page 20 Elam its Kings more powerful than those of Babylonia Page 10 Elisha the Prophet Page 28 Empedocles the Philosopher Page 55 Ennius the Poet Page 75 Epaminondas the Theban 62. His Death ibid. Ephesian Synod Page 151 Epimenides the Philosopher Page 37 Epiphanius Page 140 146 Epicurus the Philosopher Page 66 Epoch what they be How many in this History Page 2 Ethelbert King of Kent Page 168 Evagrius the Historian Page 170 Evaricus King of the Goths Page 156 Eugenius the Tyrant Page 145 Evil-merodach King of Babylon Page 39 Eumenes King of Pergamus Page 75 Euripides the Tragedian Page 55 Eusebius of Caesarea Page 128 Eustathius of Antioch Page 130 Eutropius a Seditious Captain Page 146 Eutyches condemned Page 152 Eutychius the Exarch thrust out of Ravenna 185. Recovers it again ibid. Is Expell'd a second time Page 189 Ezekiel the Prophet Page 37 F FAbius Caeso slain with the whole Fabian Family Page 50 Fables of the Greeks relating to the Second Period Page 8 Fausta Constantine 's Wife slain Page 129 Florianus the Emperor Page 119 Florus Page 106 Fohi I. King of the Serans Page 8 Francfort Synod Page 192 Fruit the Antidiluvian Food Page 5 M. Furius Camillus expells the Veians Page 60 Furcae Caudinae Page 69 G GAinas a Seditious Person Page 147 Galba the Emperor Page 103 Galen Page 108 Galenus Maximus Caesar 121. Emperor Page 122 Galienus the Emperor Page 116 Garizim Temple Page 67 Gauls depopulate Macedon and other neighbouring Coasts Page 73 Gauls take Rome and are expelled Page 61 Geisericus King of the Vandals 153 takes Rome Page 154 Gelon Tyrant of the Syracusians Page 50 Gentiliacum 's Synod Page 189 George the Sub-Patriarch Page 192 Germanicus Son of Drusus Page 94 97 Geta the Emperor Page 110 Gibraltar whence derived Page 182 Gideon Judge of the Hebrews Page 19 Glycerius the Emperor Page 156 Gnosticks Hereticks Page 106 Gomorrah 's Subversion Page 11 Gordianus the Emperor Page 115 Gordias the Rhetorician Page 55 Goths their Affairs grow desperate in Italy Page 165 Goths Arians Page 160 Gratian Aug. 139. is slain Page 143 Gregory Thaumaturgus Page 114 Gregory the Great Page 169 Gregory III. Bishop of Rome Page 184 Gregory Nazianzen Page 139 143 Gyges King of the Lydians Page 33 H HAdarezer King of Syria Page 26 Hadrian the Emperor Page 107 Hereticks ordered by some to be Re-baptized by others not Page 117 Hali Patriarch of Persia Page 178 Hazael King of Syria Page 28 Helen is stoln Page 22 Henoch taken up into Heaven Page 4 Henoticon 's Epistle of Zeno Page 158 Heracleon the Emperor Page 176 Heraclides return into Peloponnesus Page 24 Heraclitus of Ephesus Page 47 Heraclius I. Emperor Page 171 Heraclius II. Emperor Page 172 Hercules the Theban when he lived and why he was called the Son of Jupiter Page 21 Ap. Herdonius possessing the Capitol is from thence cast down Page 52 Hermas Pastor Page 107 Herod the Great made King of Judaea 92 93. His Reign Page 94 95 Herod Antipas Page 95 Herodotus Halicarnasseus Page 51 54 Hesiod what time he lived Page 26 Hieron Tyrant of the Syracusians Page 51 Hiero Junior King of the Syracusians Page 74 Hilarius a Pict Page 135 Hipparchus an Astronomer Page 84 Hipparchus an Athenian Page 45 Hippias a Tyrant of Athens Page 45 47 Hipponax a Poet Page 42 Hiram King of the Tyrians Page 25 Homer at what time he lived Page 26 Homer 's Poems by whom collected Page 45 Honorius Aug. Page 146 Horace Page 94 Hosea the Prophet Page 30 Hyperides the Orator Page 69 Hypostasis Dissentions about the word Page 141 Hyrcanus King of the Jews Page 88 89 I JAbin King of the Canaanites Page 19 Jaddua the High-Priest of the Jews Page 67 Janus when he reign'd Page 22 Ibycus a Poet Page 41 Iconolatrians vex'd by Leo Armenus the Emperor 184 185. Defended by the Bishops of Rome 184. Condemned by the Seventh Synod 188. by Leo III. Page 191 Idolatry when and how it sprung up Page 8 Jephtha 's Daughter gave Original to the Fable of Iphigenia Page 20 Jerom Page 140 144 Jeroboam 's Reign Page 26 Jerusalem 's Walls repaired Page 52 Ignis Graecus Page 183 Ignatius a Martyr Page 105 Image-Worship defended and opposed Page 158 I nachus whence so called Page 12 Joakim King of the Jews Page 37 John the Apostle Page 105 John Hyrcanus Page 85 John Mailros Page 192 John Principal Notary Page 151 John Zacharias 's Son Page 97 Jonas the Prophet Page 28 Jonathan the Machabite Page 84 Ionians whence so called Page 24 Joseph carried into Egypt Page 13 Josephus the Historian Page 105 Joshua divides Canaan Page 18 Jovian the Emperor Page 138 Irene Daughter to the King of Bulgaria 190. defendeth Images 191. Her Wickedness Page 192 Irene Chaganus 's Daughter Page 185 Isdegerdis 's Fidelity in the Education of Theodosius Page 148 Israelites how they could pass over the Red Sea in so short a time Page 15 Isthmian Games when instituted Page 19 Italian War Page 87 Jews First Captivity 37. Second ibid. Third Page 38 Jews return from Babylon 43. Lay the Foundation of the Temple ibid. At last finish it Page 45 Jews change their Letters Page 55 Jewish Priests dissent among themselves Page 82 Jews compell'd to abjure their Religion by Leo Armenius Page 184 Jewish War with Vespasian Page 103 Judas the Macchabite Page 84 Jugurtha and his War Page 86 Julianus Didius the Emperor Page 109 Julianus Caesar the Emperor 136. professeth Heathenism 137. His Death Page 138 Julianus the Count calls the Arabians into Spain Page 182 Julius the African Page 114 Julius Caesar obtains Gaul 90. His Civil War is slain ends it within five years ibid. Page 91. ibid. Julius Pollux the Grammarian Page 109 Justinian I. Emperor 163. His Heresie Page 167 Justinian II. Emperor his Exploits and various Fortune i 79. His Death Page 183 Justin I. Emperor of Thrace Page 162 Justin II. Emperor Page 163 Justin Martyr Page 108 Justus the Historian Page 105 Juvenal Page 102 L LActantius Page 120 Langobards invade part of Italy Page 169 Langobardian Laws Page 177 Latinus when he reigned Page 23 Lavinium when built Page 23 Leo I. Emperor Page 155 Leo II. Emperor Page 156 Leo III. an Armenian Emperor Page 183 Leo IV. Emperor by others III. omitting the II. the Son of Leo I. because of his short Reign Page 190