10—A Roman army under Varus was defeated and cut to pieces in Germany. It was the severest defeat the Romans had suffered since the overthrow5 and death of Crassus, by the Parthians, sixty-three years before.
14—The Emperor Augustus died and was succeeded by his step-son, Tiberius.
29—Jesus Christ was crucified by Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Judea, at the solicitation6, and on the accusation7, of the leading Jews.
37—Tiberius died and was succeeded by Caligula. The commencement of the reign8 of Tiberius was wise and moderate, but he soon became violent and cruel. Caligula was a still greater monster of wickedness.
40—Growing weary of his cruelty he was assassinated9 by one of his officers, and his uncle, Claudius, was raised to the throne. He was of feeble intellect and became the tool of infamous10 favorites. He was poisoned by order of his wife, Agrippina.
54—Nero, the son of Agrippina by a former husband, was made emperor at seventeen years of age. He exceeded[122] all description in folly11, extravagance and crime. His violence and barbarity fell generally on the patricians12 and members of his court, but he was esteemed13 by the common people, as were most of the emperors, who spent vast sums on theatres and spectacles for their amusement. The two bases of the empire were the populace and the army. The emperor was terrible and tyrannical chiefly to the patricians, while the army made him formidable to the provinces and the barbarians14. A conflagration15 which some attributed to the orders 64—of Nero lasted nine days and destroyed the greater part of Rome. Nero cast the blame on the Christians16, who had become numerous, and raised a horrible persecution17 against them.
66—The Jews rebelled and defied the Roman Empire.
68—Nero was dethroned by the Roman senate and army, and committed suicide to avoid punishment for his crimes.
69—Three emperors, Galba, Otho and Vitellius, were placed on the throne in succession, but rebellions were raised against them and all were put to death. Vespasian, then besieging18 Jerusalem, was proclaimed emperor by his army at the desire of the rulers of the eastern provinces, and, in the same year, overcame all opposition19 and commenced the first reign since Augustus that was free from disgraceful profligacy20 and public crime.
70—Titus, the son of Vespasian, captured and destroyed Jerusalem. Vespasian, during a reign of ten years, restored order and prosperity to Rome and the empire, but not without great labor21 and danger.
79—Titus succeeded as emperor, and was remarkable22 for his clemency23 and care for his subjects. During his reign occurred the most fearful eruption24 of the volcano Vesuvius on record. Herculaneum and Pompeii, two wealthy and flourishing cities, were destroyed, being[123] buried by the ashes. Pliny, an eminent25 writer, was suffocated26 while observing the eruption.
81—Titus died, to the great grief and loss of mankind, and was succeeded by his brother, Domitian, who was one of the most infamous rulers that ever desolated27 the earth. He raised a violent persecution against the Christians for refusing to adore his statues and worship him as a god. Among the victims was his own cousin, Clemens, who had embraced Christianity. He 96—was assassinated by his wife and officers in self-defense, and the senate proclaimed Nerva, a native of Crete, emperor. He was remarkable for his lenity and all the gentle virtues28. He was followed, after a reign of two 98—years, by Trajan, whom he had adopted as his colleague and successor, who is said to have been the greatest and most deserving person of his time. He was, by birth, a Spaniard, was wise and successful as a warrior29 and statesman, and extremely noble as a man. He bridged the Danube and the Euphrates rivers and conquered both the Germans and Parthians on the north and east of the empire. A stain on his memory was the persecution of the Christians.
117—He was succeeded by Adrian, in whose reign all the Roman laws, or annual edicts of the pr?tors, were compiled into one body, and law assumed the dignity of a science. He promoted literature, but continued the persecution of the Christians. A rebellion of the 139—Jews was punished with merciless severity. He was followed by Antoninus Pius, who suspended all persecution of Christians, promoted the best interests of all parts of the empire, and introduced, during a prosperous reign of twenty-two years, the most important reforms into every part of the government.
161—Marcus Aurelius, called the Philosopher, succeeded. He carried on a successful war with the Germans, and made the welfare of his subjects his special care, but[124] was seduced30, by the pagan philosophers, into a persecution of the Christians. Having discovered his error he stopped it, toward the close of his reign. Commodus, 180—his son, inherited the purple. He also inherited a vicious and cruel disposition31, and received a demoralizing education from his mother. He was a monster of vice32 and cruelty. He was assassinated in 192—his bed by his own family and guards to save their lives. Pertinax reigned33 three months, but, attempting to restrain the license34 of the soldiery, he was murdered by them. The soldiers in Rome then proclaimed that the empire was for sale, and a rich merchant, Didius, bought it from them and reigned in Rome two months, 193—when he was also slain35 by the army. Septimus Severus, an able general, seized the purple which he secured against many rivals, and retained for eighteen years. His vigor36 alone prevented general anarchy37, but he was systematically38 cruel.
211—Caracalla, his son, succeeded. He was a bloody39 and atrocious tyrant40, supported on the throne only by his soldiers, whose aid he secured by large pay. He was 217—murdered by the commander of his guards, Macrinus, who succeeded in acquiring his place, but was soon 218—murdered by the soldiers. They raised Heliogabalus, a young Syrian priest of fourteen years of age, through the assurance of his female relatives that he was the son of Caracalla, to the purple. He is described as the most cruel and infamous of all the Roman emperors.
222—After four years of horrible crime, he was slain in a mutiny of his guard and his body thrown into the Tiber. Alexander Severus succeeded. He was apparently41 a secret admirer of Christianity and a model 235—prince. He was murdered by Maximin, a Thracian peasant, who had, by his valor42, risen to high command in the army, who seized the reins43 of power. He was successful in war, but his severity provoked mutiny in[125] 238—various parts of the empire, and he was slain by his own soldiers. Gordian succeeded, a heroic youth of a noble family. He was successful in war, but was murdered 244—by his own prime minister, Philip, an Arabian, who became emperor. He favored the Christians, and reigned five years. In his reign, the thousandth year of the foundation of Rome was celebrated44 by public 249—games. He was slain in a revolt by Decius, the general of his army, who occupied the throne. He raised a most violent storm of persecution against the Christians, who were despoiled45 of their goods and driven to caves and deserts. From this time is dated the sect46 of 250—anchorites, or hermits47, who imagined they could acquire superior holiness by abandoning society and devoting themselves to meditation48 and prayer. The idea appears to have been derived49 from the Persian Magians, who, in this century restored the ancient dynasty and religion of the Persians, or Parsees, in Persia. During the political and social disorganization that soon commenced the anchorites became numerous, and the system was extensively prevalent for a thousand years to the great injury of active and true Christianity.
251—Decius was slain in a battle with the Goths, who had invaded the empire, and Gallus became emperor.
253—He was put to death by Emilianus, who attempted to seize the reins of government, but the army elected Valerian, governor of Gaul. The empire was invaded by the Goths on the north and the Persians under their king, Sapor, on the east. From this time, it had to 259—fight for its life. Valerian was defeated by Sapor and remained nine years in captivity50, Gallienus, his son, becoming emperor. He was extremely incompetent51 and a multitude of rival claimants for the supreme52 authority arose in all directions. They were called the “Thirty Tyrants53.” One of them, Odenatus, king of Palmyra, in the Syrian desert, defeated Sapor, and[126] Gallienus proclaimed him his colleague. On the death of Odenatus, his wife, Zenobia, assumed the title of “Queen of the East,” conquered Egypt and ruled a wide region with success and splendor54. Both Goths 262—and Persians invaded Asia Minor55. Gallienus was murdered 268—and Claudius succeeded. He defeated the Goths 270—but died in a pestilence56. Aurelian succeeded. He was an able general. He subdued57 the Germans and 272—Goths, and conquered Zenobia, one of the most remarkable 275—women of history. Aurelian was assassinated by some victims of his severity, and Tacitus, a Roman senator succeeded, but died in seven months, and was followed by Probus. He was a vigorous general, and drove back the barbarians on all sides, but attempting to employ his soldiers in labor on public works, they 282—revolted and murdered him. Carus, the captain of the 283—imperial guard, was raised to the throne. Dying the next year, his sons, Carinus and Numerianus, inherited his authority, but Numerianus was assassinated in a 284—few months by his father-in-law, and Diocletian, said to have been formerly58 a slave, was proclaimed emperor by the army. This was called “The Era of the Martyrs,” from the long and bloody persecutions against the Christians. This was the tenth general attack on them, and proved to be the last. The barbarians pressing in great force on all sides, Diocletian appointed several colleagues, and their united ability drove the invaders59 back.
305—Diocletian resigned his power to Galerius, who appointed three associates, making a division of the empire. One of these, Constantius, died in Britain, and was succeeded 306—by his son, Constantine. For a time, there were six emperors, but one was killed, Galerius died, and Constantine conquered the others.
312—Constantine changed the whole character of the empire by embracing Christianity and relying largely on that[127] element for the support of his power, while he disbanded the Pretorian, or royal Guard, which had for two hundred years assumed to make and unmake emperors, and whose example, imitated by the other armies, kept the world periodically disturbed by the disputes and battles of rival claimants to the imperial purple. By the 313—edict of Milan, Constantine abolished all laws unfriendly to Christianity; he restored the authority of the senate and magistrates60, and removed his capital from Rome to Constantinople.
324—The pagan element was now so worn and decrepit61 that no general disorders62 resulted. Whatever was left rallied under Licinus, who was conquered by Constantine. It appears to have been the strength of the Christian3 element and its essential hostility63 to the Roman principle of violent subjugation64 that produced so many and fierce persecutions. Had it not been for the pressure of barbarians on the empire the prevalence of that system would have preserved society and the state for a thousand years more, as it actually did in the Eastern empire; but every thing that man has the management of must be affected65 by his limitations, his mistakes and his follies66. Christianity needed a better ally, a fresher and purer society, built up by the young blood and better instincts of another and newer people.
Constantine paid great respect to the clergy67 of the church and took a leading part in its general counsels—a great mistake and a great misfortune.
325—His spiritual supremacy68 was virtually acknowledged at the council of Nice which he convoked69.
330—Constantine died leaving his vast dominions70 to his three sons, who, in the course of ten years, were reduced to one, Constantius. After a troubled reign of twenty 361—years more, he died, and was succeeded by his cousin Julian, called the “Apostate,” from his renouncing71 Christianity and laboring72 to restore the pagan religion.[128] In this he signally failed. He undertook to rebuild the Jewish temple at Jerusalem, without success.
363—He was mortally wounded in an invasion of Persia, and was succeeded by Jovian, who restored imperial favor 364—to the Christian religion. He died after one years reign and Valentinian was elected emperor by the council of ministers and generals. He divided the empire with his brother, Valens, and afterward73 Rome and Constantinople usually had each an emperor. Valentinian died 375—and was succeeded by his son, Gratian.
378—The Huns appeared in Europe, having wandered from the borders of China, and defeated Valens with dreadful slaughter74. Valens himself was among the slain. This was the commencement of the great migrations75 that finally overwhelmed the Roman Empire of the west.
379—Gratian, left sole emperor, appointed Theodosius, called The Great, his colleague, who subdued the Goths, repelled76 the Huns, and restored order.
388—Theodosius conquered and put Maximus to death and restored Valentinian II., brother of Gratian, to the throne of the western empire. In a few years the whole 394—empire was reunited by the death of Valentinian. Theodosius soon died, universally lamented78, leaving the two empires to his sons, Honorius and Arcadius.
402—Alaric, the Goth, invaded Italy and, though defeated, endangered the safety of Rome.
408—Theodosius II. succeeded to the empire of the east.
410—Alaric again invaded Italy and sacked Rome. Alaric soon after died and his forces were persuaded, by negotiations79, to leave Italy, but they permanently80 established themselves in Spain and Southern Gaul (France). Thus the empire began to fall to pieces.
425—Honorius died and Valentinian III. became emperor.
429—The Vandals soon conquered the Roman provinces in[129] Africa, under their king, Genseric. They extended 440—their conquests to Sicily.
447—Attila, called the “Scourge of God,” appeared at the head of the Huns, and Theodosius made a humiliating treaty with him to save his dominions from desolation.
448—In the next year the Saxons and Angles were invited into Britain by the civilized81 Romans, to protect them from the Picts and Scots, and laid the foundation of the modern Anglo-Saxon race, and the Franks invaded Gaul laying the foundations of the modern kingdom of France. England received its name from the Angles—France from the Franks.
451—Attila, the Hun, invaded Gaul, and was defeated at 452—Chalons, by the united Romans and Visigoths. Attila then invaded Italy and laid it waste, but died before he 454—had completed the ruin of the empire. Valentinian III. was murdered, and the Vandals from Sicily invaded Italy and sacked Rome.
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1
chronological
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| adj.按年月顺序排列的，年代学的 | |
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Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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census
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| n.(官方的)人口调查，人口普查 | |
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overthrow
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| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
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solicitation
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| n.诱惑；揽货；恳切地要求；游说 | |
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accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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assassinated
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| v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏 | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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patricians
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| n.（古罗马的）统治阶层成员( patrician的名词复数 )；贵族，显贵 | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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profligacy
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| n.放荡，不检点，肆意挥霍 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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clemency
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| n.温和，仁慈，宽厚 | |
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eruption
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| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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desolated
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| adj.荒凉的，荒废的 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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seduced
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| 诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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anarchy
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| n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序 | |
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systematically
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| adv.有系统地 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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hermits
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| （尤指早期基督教的）隐居修道士，隐士，遁世者( hermit的名词复数 ) | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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49
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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51
incompetent
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| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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tyrants
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| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
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54
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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pestilence
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| n.瘟疫 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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disorders
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| n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调 | |
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hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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subjugation
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| n.镇压，平息，征服 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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convoked
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| v.召集，召开（会议）( convoke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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71
renouncing
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的现在分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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72
laboring
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| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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73
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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74
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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75
migrations
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| n.迁移，移居( migration的名词复数 ) | |
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76
repelled
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| v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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77
usurper
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| n. 篡夺者, 僭取者 | |
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78
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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79
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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80
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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81
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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