The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 06 : $b the early Roman Empire
History
The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 06 : $b the early Roman Empire
World history
At the same time the great stretch of country from Istria to Macedonia
and from the Adriatic to the Save was won for the empire; what had
hitherto been the maritime province of Illyricum was not only augmented
by the addition of the territory of the Iapydes (Iapodes) and Dalmatians,
but a station and magazine was established on the lower Danube by the
conquest of the Pannonian town of Siscia at the confluence of the Colapis
(Kulpa) and Save. In vain did the Iapydes defend their capital with the
courage of desperation; the emperor himself, though wounded in the thigh
and in both arms, prosecuted the attack until all men capable of bearing
arms had fallen in the fray, and the women, old men, and children had
perished either in the flames of the burning town or by their own hands.
In a very short time strong fortified lines were drawn through Pannonia
and Mœsia to the southern bank of the river, and presently a continuous
chain of fortresses under the charge of six legions prepared the way
for the acquisition of fresh provinces, and warded off the raids of the
northern barbarians.
The Thracian principalities south of the Hæmus sank into a more and
more dependent position. In the reign of Tiberius, Cotys, a gentle and
amiable prince, was murdered by his cruel uncle Rhescuporis. The widow
appealed to Rome, whereupon the perpetrator of the crime was deposed by
a decree of the senate, and the country divided between the sons of the
two kings. Under these circumstances the sovereignty of Rome struck ever
deeper root, till at length the last shadow of liberty and independence
vanished and the whole of Thrace was gathered into the ample bosom of the
world-empire.
The attempts at revolt made by the Pannonians and Dalmatians in the years
12 and 11 B.C. were savagely suppressed by Agrippa, and after his death
by his successor Tiberius. The deportation of the men capable of bearing
arms into slavery and the disarmament of the remainder re-established
quiet and submission for a long while. But the love of liberty was not
quelled in this warlike race. Infuriated by the extortions of Rome,
who--in the words of one of their leaders--sent “not shepherds and dogs,
but wolves, to tend the flocks,” and at the enlistment of their gallant
sons for service in foreign parts, the Dalmatians and Pannonians again
drew the sword in the year 6 A.D. to free themselves from the burdens of
taxation and military service.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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