Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 6, CHI-Crystallization

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tad furvlved the late defeat, kept within the ttrong dox Chnftlans
holds of Thrace, without daring fo much as to look
abroad, much lels face the victorious enemy, who mo¬
ved about the country in great bodies. But notwith-
ftanding this critical fituation, the hiftorians of thofe
times give us no account of the tranfaitions of the
year 379. Many great battles indeed are faid to
have been fought, and as many viftories obtained by
Theodofius j but the accounts of thefe are fo con-
fufed and contradidlory, that no ftrefs can be laid upon
them.
In the month of February 380, -Theodofms was feized
with a dangerous malady, lb that Gratian found himlelf
obliged to carry on the war alone. This emperor, ap¬
prehending that the neighbouring barbarians might break
into fonae of the provinces, concluded a peace with the
Goths, which was confirmed by Theodofius on his re¬
covery. The treaty was very advantageous to the bar¬
barians } but they difregarding all their engagements,
no fooner heard that Gratian had left Illyricum, than
they pafled the Danube, and breaking into Thrace and
Pannonia, advanced as far as Macedon, deftroying .all
with fire and fword. Theodofius, however, drawing
together his forces, marched againft them j and, ac¬
cording to the molt refpeftable authorities, gained a
complete vi&ory j though Zofimus relates, that he was
utterly defeated.
The following year, Athanaric, the moft powerful
of all the Gothic princes, being driven out by a faction
at home, recurred to Theodofius, by whom he was
received with great tokens of friendlhip. The empe¬
ror himfelf went out to meet him, and attended him
with his numerous retinue into the city. The Gothic
prince died the fame year j and Theodofius caufed him
to be buried after the Roman manner with fuch pomp
and folemnity, that the Goths, who attended him in
his flight, returned home with a refolution never to mo-
left the Romans any more. Nay, out of gratitude to
the emperor, they took upon them to guard the banks
of the Danube, and prevent the empire from being in¬
vaded on that fide.
In 383, one Maximus revolted againft: Gratian in
Britain ; and in the end, having got the unhappy em¬
peror into his powrer, caufed him to be put to death,
and affumed the empire of the Weft himlelf. Gra¬
tian had divided his dominions with his brother Va-
lentinian, whom he allowed to reign in Italy and Weft
Illyricum, referving the reft to himfelf. Maximus,
therefore, immediately after his ufurpation, fent de¬
puties to Theodofius, alluring him that he had no de-
iigns on the dominions of Valentinian. As Theodofius
at that time found 4nmfelf in danger from the barba¬
rians, he not only forbore to attack Maximus after
this declaration, but even acknowledged him for his
partner in the empire. It was not long, however, be¬
fore the ambition of the ufurper prompted him to
break his promife. In 387, he pafled the Alps on a
fudden ; and meeting with no oppofition, marched to
Milan where Valentinian ufually refided. The young
prince fled firft to Aquileia $ and from thence to Fhef-
‘ falonica, to implore the proteftion of Iheodofius.
The latter, in anfwer to Valentinian’s letter, inform¬
ed him, that he was not at all furpnfed at the pro-
grefs Maximus had made, becaufe the ufurper had
protefted, and Valenlinian had perfecuted, the ortho-
C O N
w...At laft he prevailed on the young Conftaa-
prince to renounce the Arian herefy which he had hi-
therto maintained ; after which Theodofius promifed 1 1
to affift him wbh all the forces of the Eaft. At firft,
however, he fent meflengers to Maximus, earneftly
exhorting him to reftore the provinces he had taken
from Valentinian, and content himfelf with Gaul,
Spain, and Britain. But the ufurper would hearken S3
to no terms. This very year he befieged and took His fuccefs.
Aquileia, Ouaderna, Bononia, Mutina, Rhegium, Pla¬
centia, and many other cities in Italy. The following
year he was acknowledged in Rome, and in all the
provinces of Africa. Theodofius, therefore, finding a
war inevitable, fpent the remaining months of this and
the beginning of the following year in making the ne-
ceflary preparations. His army confifted chiefly of Goths,
Huns, Alans, and other barbarians, whom he was glad
to take into the fervice in order to prevent their raifing g4
difturbances on the frontiers. He defeated Maximus Defeated
in two battles, took him prifoner, and put him to death. Put t*
The ufurper had left his fon Victor, whom he created
Auguftus, in Gaul, to awre the inhabitants in his ab-
fence. Againft him the emperor defpatched Arboga-
ftes, who took him prifoner after having difperfed the
troops that attended him, and put him to death. The
victory was ufed afterwards by Theodofius with great
clemency and moderation.
In 389, Theodofius took a journey to Rome •, and,
according to Prudentius, at this time converted the g.
fenate and people from idolatry to Chriftianity. XhcThetem-
next year was remarkable for the deftruftion of theP^esin-^-
celebrated temple of Serapis in Alexandria j which,
according to the defeription of Ammianus Marcellinus, throUghout
furpafled all others in the world, that of Jupiter Capi-all Egypt
tolinus alone excepted. The reafon of its being now deitreyed.
deftroyed was as follows. Theophilus, bilhop of Alex¬
andria, having begged and obtained of the emperor
an old temple, formerly confecrated to Bacchus, but
then ruined and forfaken, with a delign to convert it
into a church, the workmen found among the rubbiih
feveral obfeene figures, which the bilhop, to ridicule
the fuperftition of the Heathens, caufed to be expofed
to public view. This provoked the Pagans to fuch a
degree, that they flew to arms ; and tailing unexpec¬
tedly upon the Chriftians, cut great numbers of them
in pieces. The latter, however, loon took arms in
their own defence 5 and being fupporttd by the few
foldiers who were quartered in the city, began to re¬
pel force by force. Thus a civil war was kindled,
and no day paffed without fome encounter. The Pa¬
gans uftd to retire to the temple of Serapis j and
thence Tallying out unexpeftedly feized on fuch Chri¬
ftians as they met, and dragging them into the tem¬
ple, either forced them by the moft exquifite torments
to facrifice to their idol, or, if they refufed, racked
them to death. As focn as they expedled to be at¬
tacked by the emperor’s troops, they chofe a philolb-
pher named Olympus for their leader, with a defign to
defend themfelves to the laft extremity; The emperor,
however, would not fuffer any punifhment to be inflift-
ed upon them for the lives of thofe they had taken
away, but readily forgave them ; however, he ordered
all the temples of Alexandria to be immediately pulled
down, and commanded the bilhop to fee his orders put
in execution. The Pagans no fooncr heard that th*
4 D 2 emperor