Dio's Rome, Volume 3: An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English FormCassius Dio Cocceianus
History
Dio's Rome, Volume 3: An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English Form
Cassius Dio Cocceianus
Rome -- History
[-7-] While these negotiations were going on, the Arabians, influenced by
Quintus Didius, the governor of Syria, burned the ships which had been
built in the Arabian Gulf for the voyage to the Red Sea, and all the
peoples and the potentates refused their assistance. And it occurs to me
to wonder that many others also, though they had received many gifts from
Antony and Cleopatra, now left them in the lurch. The men, however, of
lowest rank who were being supported for gladiatorial combats showed
the utmost zeal in their behalf and contended most bravely. These were
practicing in Cyzicus for the triumphal games which they were expecting
to hold in honor of Caesar's overthrow, and as soon as they were made
aware of what had taken place, they set out for Egypt with the intention
of aiding their superiors. Many were their contests with Amyntas in Gaul,
and many with the children of Tarcondimotus in Cilicia, who had been
their strongest friends but now in view of the changed circumstances
had gone over to the other side; and many were their struggles against
Didius, who hindered them while passing through. They proved unable,
after all, to make their way to Egypt. Yet even when they had been
encompassed on all sides, not even then would they accept any terms of
surrender, though Didius made them many promises. They sent for Antony,
feeling that they could fight with him better in Syria: then, when he
neither came himself nor sent them any message, they decided that he had
perished, and reluctantly made terms with the condition that they should
never take part in a gladiatorial show. They received from Didius Daphne,
the suburb of Antioch, to dwell in, until the matter was called to
Caesar's attention. Then they were tricked (somewhat later) by Messala and
were sent in different directions under the pretext that they were to be
enlisted in different legions and were in some convenient way destroyed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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