History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2

Name: History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2
Author: Gibbon, Edward

Gibbon, Edward

Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.

81 (return) [ Zosimus gives a very large account of the war, and
      the negotiation, (l. ii. p. 123-130.) But as he neither shows
      himself a soldier nor a politician, his narrative must be weighed
      with attention, and received with caution.]

      The city of Mursa, or Essek, celebrated in modern times for a
      bridge of boats, five miles in length, over the River Drave, and
      the adjacent morasses, 82 has been always considered as a place
      of importance in the wars of Hungary. Magnentius, directing his
      march towards Mursa, set fire to the gates, and, by a sudden
      assault, had almost scaled the walls of the town. The vigilance
      of the garrison extinguished the flames; the approach of
      Constantius left him no time to continue the operations of the
      siege; and the emperor soon removed the only obstacle that could
      embarrass his motions, by forcing a body of troops which had
      taken post in an adjoining amphitheatre. The field of battle
      round Mursa was a naked and level plain: on this ground the army
      of Constantius formed, with the Drave on their right; while their
      left, either from the nature of their disposition, or from the
      superiority of their cavalry, extended far beyond the right flank
      of Magnentius. 83 The troops on both sides remained under arms,
      in anxious expectation, during the greatest part of the morning;
      and the son of Constantine, after animating his soldiers by an
      eloquent speech, retired into a church at some distance from the
      field of battle, and committed to his generals the conduct of
      this decisive day. 84 They deserved his confidence by the valor
      and military skill which they exerted. They wisely began the
      action upon the left; and advancing their whole wing of cavalry
      in an oblique line, they suddenly wheeled it on the right flank
      of the enemy, which was unprepared to resist the impetuosity of
      their charge. But the Romans of the West soon rallied, by the
      habits of discipline; and the Barbarians of Germany supported the
      renown of their national bravery. The engagement soon became
      general; was maintained with various and singular turns of
      fortune; and scarcely ended with the darkness of the night. The
      signal victory which Constantius obtained is attributed to the
      arms of his cavalry. His cuirassiers are described as so many
      massy statues of steel, glittering with their scaly armor, and
      breaking with their ponderous lances the firm array of the Gallic
      legions. As soon as the legions gave way, the lighter and more
      active squadrons of the second line rode sword in hand into the
      intervals, and completed the disorder. In the mean while, the
      huge bodies of the Germans were exposed almost naked to the
      dexterity of the Oriental archers; and whole troops of those

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History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2Gibbon, Edward

History

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2

Gibbon, Edward

Byzantine Empire -- History -- To 527; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.

81 (return) [ Zosimus gives a very large account of the war, and
      the negotiation, (l. ii. p. 123-130.) But as he neither shows
      himself a soldier nor a politician, his narrative must be weighed
      with attention, and received with caution.]

      The city of Mursa, or Essek, celebrated in modern times for a
      bridge of boats, five miles in length, over the River Drave, and
      the adjacent morasses, 82 has been always considered as a place
      of importance in the wars of Hungary. Magnentius, directing his
      march towards Mursa, set fire to the gates, and, by a sudden
      assault, had almost scaled the walls of the town. The vigilance
      of the garrison extinguished the flames; the approach of
      Constantius left him no time to continue the operations of the
      siege; and the emperor soon removed the only obstacle that could
      embarrass his motions, by forcing a body of troops which had
      taken post in an adjoining amphitheatre. The field of battle
      round Mursa was a naked and level plain: on this ground the army
      of Constantius formed, with the Drave on their right; while their
      left, either from the nature of their disposition, or from the
      superiority of their cavalry, extended far beyond the right flank
      of Magnentius. 83 The troops on both sides remained under arms,
      in anxious expectation, during the greatest part of the morning;
      and the son of Constantine, after animating his soldiers by an
      eloquent speech, retired into a church at some distance from the
      field of battle, and committed to his generals the conduct of
      this decisive day. 84 They deserved his confidence by the valor
      and military skill which they exerted. They wisely began the
      action upon the left; and advancing their whole wing of cavalry
      in an oblique line, they suddenly wheeled it on the right flank
      of the enemy, which was unprepared to resist the impetuosity of
      their charge. But the Romans of the West soon rallied, by the
      habits of discipline; and the Barbarians of Germany supported the
      renown of their national bravery. The engagement soon became
      general; was maintained with various and singular turns of
      fortune; and scarcely ended with the darkness of the night. The
      signal victory which Constantius obtained is attributed to the
      arms of his cavalry. His cuirassiers are described as so many
      massy statues of steel, glittering with their scaly armor, and
      breaking with their ponderous lances the firm array of the Gallic
      legions. As soon as the legions gave way, the lighter and more
      active squadrons of the second line rode sword in hand into the
      intervals, and completed the disorder. In the mean while, the
      huge bodies of the Germans were exposed almost naked to the
      dexterity of the Oriental archers; and whole troops of those

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2

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