ductive. Every wealthy house possessed a semi-cir ular table of inassy silver, such as two men could scarcely lift, a vase of solid gold of the weight of 40 lbs. cups, dishes of the same metal, &c." Gibbon

PERIOD III,

THE PERIOD OF THE JUSTINIAN CODE AND OF THE WARS OF

BELISARIUS,

EXTENDS FROM

THE EXTINCTION OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE,

476 YEARS A. C.

ΤΟ

· THE FLIGHT OF MAHOMET,

622 YEARS A. C.

The length of this period is 146 years.

Emportant Events in Period XXX,

The principal events in this period are five First, the Taking of Rome by Odoa'cer prince of the Her uli:

Second, the Reign of Theod'oric the Great, in Italy:

Third, the Defeat of the Vandals in Africa, by Belisa'rius:

Fourth, the Subjugation of the Ostrogoths in Italy, by Belisarius :

Fifth, the Conquest of Italy by the Lombards. The dark ages, as they have been commonly called, commenced with this period. At least the darkness now begins to be particularly apparent, and we shall find it prevailing over the nations, though with some intervals of light, nearly 1000 years. Records, however, of the times, and of the state of the human nind, are found both in civil and ecclesiastical wri

ters.

1. The Taking of Rome by Odoacer, prince of the Heruli, put an end to the Western Roman Empire, 476 A. C. The length of time which it had existed as an empire, viz. from the battle of Actium, was 507 years. The whole period from the building of the city was 1224 years. The Eastern empire of Rome continued several ages after this date, though in comparative darkness.

The extinction of the Western empire took place during the reign of Romulus, surnamed Augus'tulus, the son of Orestes. Odoacer, having subdued Italy and taken its capital, spared the life of Augustulus, ou condition of his resigning the throne.

This feeble youth was directed to signify his resig nation to the senate; while that body humbly requested Zeno, the emperor of the East, to invest Odoacer with the administration of the diocess of Italy. To Augustulus was assigned a splendid income to support him in a private station, at a villa in Campania.

Writers have not failed to reinark that the empire began in Augustus, and ended in a prince, called y

a diminutive of that name, meaning "Little Augus tus."

The ruin of the Roman empire was the result of its greatness, connected with its moral corruption. The divine perfections are concerned in effecting, by natural causes, the extinction of enormously guilty nations.Rome, having become a mass of luxury, weakness, and profligacy fell an easy prey to the barbarians who poured in upon its dominions.

2. The Reign of Theodoric the Great, in Italy, commenced 488 years A. C. Having wrested the sovereignty of that country from the hands of Odoacer, by means of several engagements, he enjoyed the possession of it for a number of years, with credit to himself, and with the approbation of his Roman subjects.

The Herulian dominion in Italy, under Odoacer lasted but little beyond 20 years. The whole nation of the Ostrogoths attended the standard of Theodoric, their prince, who had obtained permission of the Eastern emperor, to attempt the recovery of Italy, and a promise of its sovereignty as the reward of his

success.

After a severe struggle, Odoacer surrendered all Italy to the conqueror. The happiness enjoyed by the Romans under Ôdoacer, was not at all diminished, but rather increased by their change of masters. Theodoric has the reputation of haying been an able and virtnous prince, though he was doubtless too partial to the Arian heresy, and though some acts of cruelty marked the conclusion of his reign.

3. The Defeat of the Vandals in Africa, by Belisarius, occurred 534 years A. C. By that event Africa was recovered to the empire. The army of the Vandals under Gelimer, a successor of Genseric, vastly exceeded that of the Romans; but the fate of Afiica was soon decided by the valour of the Roman general

The hero Belisarius, who revived the fainting glory of Rome, was born among the Thracian peasants, and had gradually risen to military command in the army of Justinian. Great was his merit as a warrior and citizen, and though the ornament of Justinian's reign, he was often shockingly ill-treated by the latter.

In the expedition to Africa he encountered many dangers, but meeting, soon after he landed, the army of Gelimer, he defeated it in a general engagement.

Gelimer, collecting_his scattered forces, was soon joined by his brother Zano, and before he had arrived from the fields of Bulla to Tricameron, his army exceeded ten times that of the Romans. Belisarius, however, conscious of the uperior merit of his troops, permitted the barbarians to surprise him at an unsea sonable hour. But the battle was won by the Romans with scarcely any loss on their part, and the Vandal king was carried a prisoner to Constantinople.

4. The Subjugation of the Ostrogoths in Italy, by Belisarius, restored that country to the empire. This event took place 537 years A. C. The restoration, however, was temporary: for, after various turns of success and defeat, during 30 years, Italy was abandoned to the barbarians.

After taking various places in Italy, Belisarius ap proached the ancient capital of the empire. Vitiges who had been raised to the head of the Gothic government, by a singular policy determined to delay offensive operations, and left Rome to its fate. Having recruited his forces, the Gothic monarch advanced to the capital, now occupied by Belisarius; but with 100,000 men he failed of his object, and was entirely defeated.

Six years after this event, Totila, the Goth, attempted the recovery of Italy from the Romans, and succeeded. Belisarius, who had been called away from the theatre of action, returned to Italy, but he was at first unable to preserve the capital. Totila took it, and began the work of dest uction.

Warned, however, by Belisarius, who appealed to The barbarian's sense of glory, he forbore to execate his threat of changing Rome into a pasture for cattle Totila, soon leaving the city, to proceed to other conquests, and posting an army in its vicinity, Belisarius suddenly cut his way through the opposing enemy with only 1000 horse, and erected his standard on the capitol. At this juncture, he was cruelly called away, through the jealousy of Justinian, and Narses, the eunuch, was despatched to prosecute the advantage already obtained by Belisarius over the Gothic forces. The eunuch entirely succeeded. But he followed the fate of Belisarius, for he was ungratefully recalled by the successor of Justinian, after he had governed Italy with great ability for 13 years. To avenge his injuries, he invited the Lombards to invade the country.

5. The Conquest of Italy by the Lombards was accomplished under their leader, Alboin, 568 years A. C. They expelled the Ostrogoths from the country, and were masters of the greatest portion of it for 206 years. They had a succession of 21 kings, the last of whom was defeated and imprisoned by Charlemagne.

The Lombards have given a permanent name to a portion of Italy, viz. Lombardy. The occasion of their entrance into this country, was the invitation of Narses, the eunuch, to avenge his wrongs. In five months after the departure of Alboin from Pannonia, Milan was invested by his forces, and from the Tarentine hills to the gates of Ravenna and Rome, the inland parts of Italy submitted without a siege or a battle.

Some attempts were made by Maurice, the Eastern emperor, assisted by several barbarian chiefs, to expel the Lombards. Little, however, was accomplished, except some political changes, and during a period of more than 200 years, Italy was unequally divided be tween the kingdom of the Lombards, and the exarchate of Ravenna. Charlemagne, as will hereafter appear, put an end to their sovereignty.