Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 19, Scripture-SUG
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t 49° ]
SPA
Spain.
31.
Lands in
with them to join him, he made a defcent on the coaft
of Ivi^a, overpowered the garrifon left there by An¬
nins, and gained a coniiderable booty. On the news
of this victory Annius fet iail for Ivi^a, with a confi-
derable fquadron, having ian<^ forces on board.
S-ertorius, not intimidated by the fuperiority of the
enemy, prepared to give them battle. But a violent
itorm arifing, molt of the (hips were driven on {bore
and dallied to pieces, Sertorius himfelf with great diffi¬
culty efcaping with the fmall remains of his fleet. For
fome time he continued in great danger, being prevent¬
ed from putting to fea by the fury of the waves, and
from landing, by the enemy ; at lalt, the ftorm abating,
he paired the ftraits of Gades, now Gibraltar, and land¬
ed near the mouth of the river Baetis. Here he met
with fome feamen newly arrived from the Atlantic or
Fortunate iilands; and was fo charmed with the account
which they gave him of thofe happy regions, that he
relolved to retire thither to fpend the relf of his life in
quiet and happinefs. But having communicated this
defign to the Cilician pirates, they immediately aban¬
doned him, and fet fail for Africa, with an intention to
affift one of the barbarous kings againft his fublefts who
had rebelled. Upon this Sertorius failed thither alfo,
Africa, and kut the oppolite fide; and having defeated the king
carries on a narnccl Afcaiis, obliged him to flmt himfelt up in the
warln that city of Tingis, now Tangier, which he clofely befieged.
country. But in the mean time Pacianus, who had been fent by
Syila to affift the king, advanced with a confiderable
army againft Sertorius. Upon this the latter, leaving
part of his forces before the city, marched with the reft
to meet Pacianus, whofe army, though greatly luperior
32 to his own in number, he entirely defeated ; killed the
Returns to general, and took all his forces prifoners.—I he fame of
Spain, ami yj£^ory {bon reached Spain ; and the Lufitanians,
defeats the tbreatened with a new war from Annins, invited
Sertorius to head their armie«. With this requeft he
very readily complied, and foon became very formidable
to the Romans. Titus Didius, governor of that part
of Spain called Batica, firft entered the lifts with him ;
but he being defeated, Syila next difpatched IMetellus,
reckoned one of the beft commanders in Rome, to ftop
the progrefs of this new enemy. But Metellus, not-
withftanding all his experience, knew not how to aft
againft Sertorius, who was continually changing his fta-
tion, putting his army into_ new forms, and contriving
new ftratagems. On his firft arrival he fent for L. Do-
mitius, then praetor of Hither Spain, to his affiftance ;
but Sertorius being informed of his march, detached
Hirtuleius, or Hereuleius, his quseftor, againft him, who
gave him a total overthrow. Metellus then difpatched
Lucius Lollius praetor of Narbonne Gaul againft Hir¬
tuleius ; but he met with no better fuccefs, being ut¬
terly defeated, and his lieutenant-general killed.
Tlie fame of thefe viftories brought to the camp of
Sertorius fuch a number of illuftrious Roman citizens
of the Marian faction, that he formed a defign of ereft-
ing Lufitania into a republic in oppofition to that of
Rome. Syila was continually fending frefh fupplies to
Metellus ; but Sertorius with a handful of men, ae-
euftomed to range about the mountains, to endure hun¬
ger and thirft, and live expofed to the inclemencies of
the weather, fo harafied the Roman army, that Me¬
tellus himfelf began to be quite difoouraged. At 1'aft,
Sertorius hearing that Metellus had fpoken difrefpeft-
Romans
there.
S3
Erefts Lu¬
fitania into
a republic.
fully of his courage, challenged his antagonift to end Spain,,
the war by fingle combat; but Metellus very pru- v'-*
dently declined the combat, as being advanced in years;
yet this refufal brought upon him the contempt of the
unthinking multitude, upon which Metellus refolved to obliges
retrieve his reputation by fome fignal exploit ; and Meteltaij
therefore laid fiege to Lacobriga, a confiderable city iniaiie the
thofe parts. This he hoped to reduce in two days, as ^ °f
there was but one well in the place ; but Sertorius hav- *
ing previoufly removed all thofe who could be of no
fervice during the fiege, and conveyed 6coo ftdns full of
water into the city, Metellus continued a long time be¬
fore it without making any impreffion. At laft, his
provifions being almoft fpent, he fent out Aquinas at
the head of 6ooo men to procure a new fupply ; but
Sertorius falling unexpeftedly upon them, cut in pieces
or took the whole detachment; the commander himfelf
being the only man who efcaped to carry the news of
the difafter : upon which Metellus was obliged to raife
the fiege with dilgrace. _ 3-
And now Sertorius, having gained fome intervals of civilize
eafe in confequence of the many advantages he had ob-theLufi
tained over the Romans, began to civilize his new fub-tan,ans
jefts. Their favage and furious manner of fighting he
changed for the regular order and difcipline of a well-
formed army ; he beftowed liberally upon them gold and
filver to adorn their arms, and by converfing familiarly
with them, prevailed with them to lay afide their own
drefs for the Roman ioga. He fent for all the children
of the principal people, and placed them in the great
city of Ofca, now Huefca, in the kingdom of Ara¬
gon, where he appointed them mailers to inftruft them
in the Roman and Greek learning, that they might, as
he pretended, be capable of (haring with him the go¬
vernment of the republic. Thus he made them really
hoftages for the good behaviour of their parents 3 how¬
ever, the latter were greatly pleafed with the care he
took of their children, and all Lufitania were in the
higheft degree attached to their new fovereign. This
attachment he took care to heighten by the power of
fuperftition 3 for having procured a young hind of a
milk-white colour, he made it fo tame that it followed
him wherever he went 3 and Sertorius gave out to the
ignorant multitude, that this hind was infpired by Dia¬
na, and revealed to him the defigns of his enemies, of
which he always took care to be well informed by ths
great number of fpies whom he employed.
While Sertorius was thus employed in eftabliihing his
authority, the republic of Rome, alarmed at his fuccefs,
refolved to cruili him at all events. Sylla was now dead, ^
and all the eminent generals in Rome folicited this ho- pompe;j
nourable though dangerous employment. After much Great i|
debate a decree was paffed in favour of Pompey the^airit
Great, but without recalling Metellus. In the mean im'
time, the troops of one Perpsnna, or Perperna, had,
in fpite of all that their general could do, abandoned
him, and taken the oath of allegiance to Sertorius..
This was a moft fignal advantage to Sertorius 3 for Per-
penna commanded an army of 33,000 men, and had
come into Spain with a defign to fettle there as Serto¬
rius had done 3 but as he was defc^nded from one of
the firft families of Rome, he thought it below, his dig¬
nity to for ve under any general, however eminent he
might be. But the troops of Perperna were of a dif-
forent opinion 3 and therefore, declaring that they would
*■ ferve
t 49° ]
SPA
Spain.
31.
Lands in
with them to join him, he made a defcent on the coaft
of Ivi^a, overpowered the garrifon left there by An¬
nins, and gained a coniiderable booty. On the news
of this victory Annius fet iail for Ivi^a, with a confi-
derable fquadron, having ian<^ forces on board.
S-ertorius, not intimidated by the fuperiority of the
enemy, prepared to give them battle. But a violent
itorm arifing, molt of the (hips were driven on {bore
and dallied to pieces, Sertorius himfelf with great diffi¬
culty efcaping with the fmall remains of his fleet. For
fome time he continued in great danger, being prevent¬
ed from putting to fea by the fury of the waves, and
from landing, by the enemy ; at lalt, the ftorm abating,
he paired the ftraits of Gades, now Gibraltar, and land¬
ed near the mouth of the river Baetis. Here he met
with fome feamen newly arrived from the Atlantic or
Fortunate iilands; and was fo charmed with the account
which they gave him of thofe happy regions, that he
relolved to retire thither to fpend the relf of his life in
quiet and happinefs. But having communicated this
defign to the Cilician pirates, they immediately aban¬
doned him, and fet fail for Africa, with an intention to
affift one of the barbarous kings againft his fublefts who
had rebelled. Upon this Sertorius failed thither alfo,
Africa, and kut the oppolite fide; and having defeated the king
carries on a narnccl Afcaiis, obliged him to flmt himfelt up in the
warln that city of Tingis, now Tangier, which he clofely befieged.
country. But in the mean time Pacianus, who had been fent by
Syila to affift the king, advanced with a confiderable
army againft Sertorius. Upon this the latter, leaving
part of his forces before the city, marched with the reft
to meet Pacianus, whofe army, though greatly luperior
32 to his own in number, he entirely defeated ; killed the
Returns to general, and took all his forces prifoners.—I he fame of
Spain, ami yj£^ory {bon reached Spain ; and the Lufitanians,
defeats the tbreatened with a new war from Annins, invited
Sertorius to head their armie«. With this requeft he
very readily complied, and foon became very formidable
to the Romans. Titus Didius, governor of that part
of Spain called Batica, firft entered the lifts with him ;
but he being defeated, Syila next difpatched IMetellus,
reckoned one of the beft commanders in Rome, to ftop
the progrefs of this new enemy. But Metellus, not-
withftanding all his experience, knew not how to aft
againft Sertorius, who was continually changing his fta-
tion, putting his army into_ new forms, and contriving
new ftratagems. On his firft arrival he fent for L. Do-
mitius, then praetor of Hither Spain, to his affiftance ;
but Sertorius being informed of his march, detached
Hirtuleius, or Hereuleius, his quseftor, againft him, who
gave him a total overthrow. Metellus then difpatched
Lucius Lollius praetor of Narbonne Gaul againft Hir¬
tuleius ; but he met with no better fuccefs, being ut¬
terly defeated, and his lieutenant-general killed.
Tlie fame of thefe viftories brought to the camp of
Sertorius fuch a number of illuftrious Roman citizens
of the Marian faction, that he formed a defign of ereft-
ing Lufitania into a republic in oppofition to that of
Rome. Syila was continually fending frefh fupplies to
Metellus ; but Sertorius with a handful of men, ae-
euftomed to range about the mountains, to endure hun¬
ger and thirft, and live expofed to the inclemencies of
the weather, fo harafied the Roman army, that Me¬
tellus himfelf began to be quite difoouraged. At 1'aft,
Sertorius hearing that Metellus had fpoken difrefpeft-
Romans
there.
S3
Erefts Lu¬
fitania into
a republic.
fully of his courage, challenged his antagonift to end Spain,,
the war by fingle combat; but Metellus very pru- v'-*
dently declined the combat, as being advanced in years;
yet this refufal brought upon him the contempt of the
unthinking multitude, upon which Metellus refolved to obliges
retrieve his reputation by fome fignal exploit ; and Meteltaij
therefore laid fiege to Lacobriga, a confiderable city iniaiie the
thofe parts. This he hoped to reduce in two days, as ^ °f
there was but one well in the place ; but Sertorius hav- *
ing previoufly removed all thofe who could be of no
fervice during the fiege, and conveyed 6coo ftdns full of
water into the city, Metellus continued a long time be¬
fore it without making any impreffion. At laft, his
provifions being almoft fpent, he fent out Aquinas at
the head of 6ooo men to procure a new fupply ; but
Sertorius falling unexpeftedly upon them, cut in pieces
or took the whole detachment; the commander himfelf
being the only man who efcaped to carry the news of
the difafter : upon which Metellus was obliged to raife
the fiege with dilgrace. _ 3-
And now Sertorius, having gained fome intervals of civilize
eafe in confequence of the many advantages he had ob-theLufi
tained over the Romans, began to civilize his new fub-tan,ans
jefts. Their favage and furious manner of fighting he
changed for the regular order and difcipline of a well-
formed army ; he beftowed liberally upon them gold and
filver to adorn their arms, and by converfing familiarly
with them, prevailed with them to lay afide their own
drefs for the Roman ioga. He fent for all the children
of the principal people, and placed them in the great
city of Ofca, now Huefca, in the kingdom of Ara¬
gon, where he appointed them mailers to inftruft them
in the Roman and Greek learning, that they might, as
he pretended, be capable of (haring with him the go¬
vernment of the republic. Thus he made them really
hoftages for the good behaviour of their parents 3 how¬
ever, the latter were greatly pleafed with the care he
took of their children, and all Lufitania were in the
higheft degree attached to their new fovereign. This
attachment he took care to heighten by the power of
fuperftition 3 for having procured a young hind of a
milk-white colour, he made it fo tame that it followed
him wherever he went 3 and Sertorius gave out to the
ignorant multitude, that this hind was infpired by Dia¬
na, and revealed to him the defigns of his enemies, of
which he always took care to be well informed by ths
great number of fpies whom he employed.
While Sertorius was thus employed in eftabliihing his
authority, the republic of Rome, alarmed at his fuccefs,
refolved to cruili him at all events. Sylla was now dead, ^
and all the eminent generals in Rome folicited this ho- pompe;j
nourable though dangerous employment. After much Great i|
debate a decree was paffed in favour of Pompey the^airit
Great, but without recalling Metellus. In the mean im'
time, the troops of one Perpsnna, or Perperna, had,
in fpite of all that their general could do, abandoned
him, and taken the oath of allegiance to Sertorius..
This was a moft fignal advantage to Sertorius 3 for Per-
penna commanded an army of 33,000 men, and had
come into Spain with a defign to fettle there as Serto¬
rius had done 3 but as he was defc^nded from one of
the firft families of Rome, he thought it below, his dig¬
nity to for ve under any general, however eminent he
might be. But the troops of Perperna were of a dif-
forent opinion 3 and therefore, declaring that they would
*■ ferve
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Description | Ten editions of 'Encyclopaedia Britannica', issued from 1768-1903, in 231 volumes. Originally issued in 100 weekly parts (3 volumes) between 1768 and 1771 by publishers: Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell (Edinburgh); editor: William Smellie: engraver: Andrew Bell. Expanded editions in the 19th century featured more volumes and contributions from leading experts in their fields. Managed and published in Edinburgh up to the 9th edition (25 volumes, from 1875-1889); the 10th edition (1902-1903) re-issued the 9th edition, with 11 supplementary volumes. |
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