Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

Of the Caledonians. ^i
reign. His ambition infpired him with very dif-
ferent views. He made war on his brother Con-
ftans, at no great diflance from the feat of the
Roman empire, and was flain by his generals in
battle near Aquileia *. This event fubjecled
Britain to Conftans ; and it is allowed that he,
accompanied by his brother Conllantius, came in
perfon to vifit his new territories. But it does not
appear that either of the brothers did penetrate as
far as Caledonia. Two declamatory writers of
that age, who fpeak of this expedition in a very
high tone f, feem to refolve the glory of it into the
vidory obtained by Conftans and Conftantias over
the Britifh ocean, during the winter feafon : a feat
which, according to the opinion of one of thefe
authors, was never performed before, nor ever to
be performed afterwards.
CoNSTANs was murdered in Spain, after a
reign of feventeen years, by the party of Magnen-
tius, who afllimed the purple in Gaul, and drew
over Britain to his fide. It is not probable that
ever this ufurper had any difputes with the Cale-
donians. Conftantius made war upon him with-
out any intermiilion, during the whole courfe of
his riiorc reign, and brougi;;: him at laft, after the
lofs of feverai battles, to th::^ neceffity of laying
vio'ent hands upon himfelf Upon the death of
Magnentius, Britain, together vvith all the other
rebellious provinces of the empire, fubmitted to
Conftantius.
From this review of the hiftory of Rome, in fo
far as it is conneded with that of North Britain,
from the death of Severus to Conftantius, feverai
* Eutrcp. 1, X.
I* Livan. in Bas. Julius Firm, de error, profan. &c.
queftions