The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire
History
The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 07 : $b the history of the later Roman Empire
World history
Deeply sensible of the disgrace and danger, Belisarius passed an
apprehensive night on the field of victory; at the dawn of day he
planted his standard on a hill, recalled his guards and veterans, and
gradually restored the modesty and obedience of the camp. It was equally
the concern of the Roman general to subdue the hostile and to save the
prostrate barbarian; and the suppliant Vandals, who could be found only
in churches, were protected by his authority, disarmed, and separately
confined, that they might neither disturb the public peace nor become
the victims of popular revenge. After despatching a light detachment to
tread the footsteps of Gelimer, he advanced with his whole army about
ten days’ march, as far as Hippo Regius, which no longer possessed the
relics of St. Augustine. The season, and the certain intelligence that
the Vandal had fled to the inaccessible country of the Moors, determined
Belisarius to relinquish the vain pursuit and to fix his winter quarters
at Carthage. From thence he despatched his principal lieutenant to inform
the emperor that, in the space of three months, he had achieved the
conquest of Africa.
Belisarius spoke the language of truth. The surviving Vandals yielded,
without resistance, their arms and their freedom; the neighbourhood of
Carthage submitted to his presence, and the more distant provinces were
successively subdued by the report of his victory. Tripolis was confirmed
in her voluntary allegiance; Sardinia and Corsica surrendered to an
officer who carried, instead of a sword, the head of the valiant Zano;
and the isles of Majorca, Minorca, and Yvica consented to remain a humble
appendage of the African kingdom. Cæsarea, a royal city, which in looser
geography may be confounded with the modern Algiers, was situate thirty
days’ march to the westward of Carthage; by land, the road was infested
by the Moors; but the sea was open, and the Romans were now masters of
the sea.
An active and discreet tribune sailed as far as the straits, where he
occupied Septem or Ceuta, which rises opposite to Gibraltar on the
African coast; that remote place was afterwards adorned and fortified by
Justinian; and he seems to have indulged the vain ambition of extending
his empire to the columns of Hercules. He received the messengers of
victory at the time when he was preparing to publish the pandects of
the Roman law; and the devout or jealous emperor celebrated the divine
goodness, and confessed, in silence, the merit of his successful general.
Impatient to abolish the temporal and spiritual tyranny of the Vandals,
he proceeded without delay to the full establishment of the Catholic
church. Her jurisdiction, wealth, and immunities, perhaps the most
essential part of episcopal religion, were restored and amplified with a
liberal hand; the Arian worship was suppressed; the Donatist meetings
were proscribed, and the synod of Carthage, by the voice of 217 bishops,
applauded the just measure of pious retaliation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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