Period we are speaking of. But after that Defeat, the Sovereignty of Afia paffing from the Perfians to the Macedoni ans, here begins the third great Empire, which continued under Alexander and his Succeffors. The fame Reafons induce us to lengthen out the Times of the Macedonian Greatnefs to the Defeat of Perfeus by Paulus Emilius; for tho' the Romans had long before given Law to Greece, and even to the Kings of Macedon, yet that Kingdom was not utterly deftroyed till the Time of the above Overthrow, when becoming a Province of the Roman Empire, all the Power and Dominion that had formerly belonged to it, was transferred to the Conquerors, and Rome thereby advanced to the Sovereignty of the World. Thus we have a regular Succeffion of Empires, eftablishing themselves one upon the Ruins of the other, and being now arrived at the last and greateft, we fhall trace it in its Progrefs and gradual Advancement, which will compleat the Plan of ancient Hiftory, and furnish fuch a View of paft Times, as may be fufficient for enabling you to pursue the Train of Ages in an exact connected Series.

Years of the
World.

10. Epocha. The Defeat of Perfeus. 3836.

In the 4546th Year of the Julian Period, which answers to the 586th Year of Rome, and the 168th before Chrift; Paulus Emilius having vanquished Perfeus, and reduced his Kingdom to the Form of a Roman Province, the Macedonian Empire ceafed, and that of Rome fucceeded in its Stead. The Conful Emilius was honoured with a fplendid Triumph, and the Romans, who were now Masters of all Greece, began to think themselves more nearly interefted in the Affairs of Afia. Antiochus Epiphanes dying, his Son Antiochus Eu- 3840. pator a Minor of nine Years old fucceeded under

the Tuition of Lyfias. Demetrius Soter the rightful Heir was then an Holtage at Rome, but could not obtain Leave of the Senate to go and take Poffeffion of, the Kingdom, it being judged more for the Advantage of the Romans to have a Boy reign in Syria, than a grown Man of mature Underftanding, as Demetrius then was. Under Antiochus Eupator, the Perfecution of the Jews ftill continuing, Judas Maccaheus fet himself to oppofe it, and fignalized his Valour by the many Victories he obtained over the Syrians. Mean while Demetrius So er efcaping from Rome, is acknowledged by the Syrians for their King, and young Antiochus with his Governor Lyfias flain. This however made no Alteration with regard to the Jews; they were still perfecuted as before,

and

and Demetrius fending numerous Armies one after another against them, they were all feverally defeated by Judas; but being at length overpowered by the Multitude of 3843. his Enemies, he was flain fighting with astonishing

Bravery. His Brother Jonathan fucceeded in the Charge of defending the Jews, and no lefs diftinguished himfelf by his Valour, and a Firmness that no Misfortunes were able to fhake. The Romans pleased to see the Kings of Syria humbled, readily granted the Jews their Protection, and declared them their Friends and Allies. Alexander Balas pretending to be the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and fupported

by Ptolemy Philometor King of Egypt, claimed the 3855. Throne of Syria, and having flain Demetrius,

got Poffeffion of the Kingdom. The Carthaginians, who had now recovered in fome measure the great Loffes fuftained during the fecond Punic War, could not by all their Submiffions ward off the Jealousy of the Romans; who ftill dreading the Power of that warlike Republic, declared War against it, with a Refolution of deftroying it utterly, that they might rid themselves for ever of fo formidable a Rival, In Syria, Demetrius Nicator the Son of Demetrius Soter, setting himself to recover his Father's Kingdom, vanquished

Alexander Balas in Battle, and got Poffeffion 3858. of the Throne. This fame Year was rendered

famous by the Deftruction of two celebrated Cities, Carthage and Corinth. The former was taken by Scipio Emilianus, after a War of three Years, who thereby confirmed the Sirname of Africanus in his Family, and revided the Glory of the great Scipio his Grandfather. Corinth was reduced to Afhes by L. Mummius the Conful, and with it ended the famous Achean League. This Confederacy in Defence of Liberty had fome time before rifen to great Renown, by the Valour and Abilities of Philopemon, one of the moft renowned Generals that Greece ever produced. And indeed after him we read of no other of that Nation, who diftinguished himself by any eminent Accomplishments; which made the Hero we are speaking of, to be ftiled, as Plutarch tells us, The last of the Greeks. After his Death the Achean League no more fupported itself with the fame Reputation as formerly, and the Romans growing jealous of it, it was this Year, as we have feen, diffolved by the Deftruction of Cerinth, All the famous Statues, Paintings, and other curious Works of Art, wherewith that City had been fo richly adorned, being upon this Occasion transported to Rome; these Masters of the World, who had hitherto boafted of no other Knowledge

than

3861.

than that of War, Politics, and Agriculture, began henceforth to value themselves upon a polite Tafte, and the Relish of what was excellent in the fine Arts. Thus Learning became honourable at Rome, the liberal Sciences were encouraged, and fuch Advances were made in all the various Branches of Knowledge, that we shall fee the Auguftan Age no lefs diftinguifhed by the Productions of the Men of Genius, than by the Exploits and Bravery of the many Hereos wherewith it abounded. Syria in the mean time was the Scene of new Revolutions. Antiochus Theos the Son of Alexander Balas, under the Tuition of Diodotus Tryphon, dethroned Demetrius Nicator, who by his ill Conduct in the Government, had incurred the Hatred of his Subjects. He recovered his Authority however foon after, and declared Judea a free and independent State, in Confideration of 'the Services he had received from Simon the Brother and Succeffor of Jonathan. By this Grant Simon was conftituted High Prieft, and Sovereign Prince of the Jews, the Land released from all Taxes, Tolls and Tributes, and every thing that bore the Stamp of a foreign Yoke being abolifhed, Judea henceforth became a diftinct Kingdom, under Princes of its own. About this Time the Empire of the Parthians began to grow formidable, by the Victories of Mithridates, who having fubdued India and Bactria, was advancing with an Army towards the Euphrates, to push his Conquefts on that Side. Whereupon the Inhabitants of those Parts, calling in Demetrius Nicator to their Affistance, he conceived the Design of again reducing the Parthians, whom the Syrians ftill regarded as Rebels. He obtained many Victories over Mithridates, but preparing to return into Syria to chaftife Tryphon, who after murdering Antiochus Theos, had himself ufurped the Crown, he unfortunately fell into an Ambuscade, and was made Prifonner by the Parthians. Tryphan who thought himself fecure by this Difafter of his Adverfary, was fuddenly abandoned by his Subjects, to whom he had rendered himself infupportable by his Pride. As Demetrius was ftill a Prifoner in Parthia, and his Children by Cleopatra were under Age, it was neceffary to look out for a Protector, and this Office naturally fell to the Share of Antiochus Sidetes the Brother of Demetrius. But Cleopatra ftopt not here, for understanding that Nicator had married Rodaguna the Daughter of Phraates, who had fucceeded Mithridates in the Throne of Parthia, fhe out of Revenge made Antiochus Sidetes her Hufband. When he had fettled himself in the Kingdom, and put an End to the Ufurpation of Try

phon, he entered upon a War with the Parthians 3873. under Pretence of delivering his captive Brother At first he had full Succefs, overthrew Phraates in three Battles, and recovered Babylonia, Media, and the other Eastern Provinces formerly belonging to the Syrian Kings, Parthia only excepted, where Phraates was reduced within the narrow Limits of the firft Parthian Kingdom. The Parthian Monarch not difcouraged by these Loffes, watched the Opportunity of the Syrian Army's going into Winter Quarters, where being obliged to disperse all over the Country by reafon of their great Numbers, he fell upon them unexpectedly, and advancing against Antiochus, who was haftening with the Forces about him to help the Quarters that lay next him, he over-powered him with Numbers, flew him and all his Followers, and pushing his Advantage, made fo dreadful a Slaughter, that there fcarce returned a Man into Syria of all this numerous Army, to carry thither the mournful News of fo terrible an Overthrow. In the interim Demetrius was returned into Syria, and on his Brother's Death there again recovered the Kingdom. For Phraates after being thrice vanquished by Antiochus had released him from his Captivity, and fent him back into Syria, hoping that by raifing Troubles there for the Recovery of his Crown, he might force Antiochus to return for the fuppreffing of them. But on the obtaining of this Victory, he fent a Party of Horfe after him to bring him back again; Demetrius being aware hereof, made fuch Hafte, that he was gotten over the Euphrates into Syria, before thefe Forces could reach the Borders of that Country, and by this means again recovered his Kingdom. But he was foon difpoffeffed by Alexander Zebina, the Son of Balas, who was in his Turn van3880. quifhed and expelled by Antiochus Gryphus. The Succeffion of the Kings of Syria being very perplexed by reafon of the inteftine Divifions of that Kingdom, and the many different Pretenders to the Crown, has obliged me to be fomewhat particular in their Hiftory, to prevent Confufion, Let us now turn our Eyes towards the Romans, whom we find engaged in a War with the Numantines in Spain, and so often defeated, that they were obliged to fend Scipio Emilianus as their laft Resource and Hope, before they could fubdue that warlike People. They were also about the

fame time in no fmall Danger from an Infurrec3871. tion of their own Slaves in Sicily under Eunus, infomuch that they were obliged to employ the whole Forces of the Republic against them. Attalus King

of

of Pergamus dying, left the Romans Heirs to his immense Wealth, who not fatisfied with the Dominion of Italy, Greece, and Africa, were now beginning to extend their Conquefts beyond the Alps, where Sextius having fubdued the Saluvians, established the first Roman Colony at nix in Provence. Fabius defeated the Allobrogians, and Narbonefe Gaul was reduced into the Form of a Province. But tho' the Republic was thus enlarging her Territories abroad, fhe was far from enjoying that domeftic Tranquillity which makes the Security and Strength of a State. The Avarice, Ufurpation, and Ambition of the Patricians, had encroached fo far upon the Properties and Privileges of the People, that they ftood in need of new Defenders to fave them from abfolute Ruin. The two Gracchi who generously undertook that Office, being over-powered by the Faction of the Nobility, perifhed in the glorious Attempt. After them few Tribunes arofe poffeffed of that noble Spirit of Liberty, which hitherto makes fo eminent a Part of the Character of this brave People. Faction, Bribery, and Corruption, began to prevail univerfally among them, and we fhall foon see these Conquerors of the World, themfelves made Slaves to the worft of Tyrants. Jugurtha King of Numidia, infamous by the Murder of his Brothers, who had been left under the Protection of the Romans, defended himself a long time, more by his Lagreffest than by Arms. Marius was at length fent against him, and having put an End to that troublefome War, fignalized himself next by the Defeat of the Teutones and Cimbri, who threatened all the Provinces of the Roman Empire, and even Italy itself with Deftruction. No fooner were these Enemies quelled, than a new and more formidable one arofe in Mithridates King of Pontus, who having made himself Master of all Afia Minor, pafled into Greece, and was not without great Difficulty driven thence by Sylla. Mean while Italy habituated to Arms, and exercised in War, endangered the Roman Empire by an univerfal Revolt; and to add to all thofe Calamities, Rome saw herself at the fame time torn by the Factions of Marius and Sylla, one of whom had by his Victories, fpread his Fame to the remoteft Quarters of the North and South, and the other fignalized himself as the Conqueror of Greece and Afia. Sylla tiled the Fortunate, was but too much fo againft his Country, over which be affumed a tyrannic Sway, and laid the Foundation of all

2

3885.

3904.

3913.

the