CHAPTER VII

DEATH OF THE TYRANTS MAGNENTIUS AND SILVANUS. SEDITION OF THE JEWS IN PALESTINE. GALLUS CÆSAR IS SLAIN

IN the meantime Magnentius made himself master of ancient Rome, and put numbers of the senators and of the people to death. Hearing that the troops of Constantius were approaching, he retired into Gaul, and here the two parties had frequent encounters, in which sometimes the one and sometimes the other was victorious. At length, however, Magnentius was defeated, and fled to Mursa, which is the fortress of Gaul, and here he strove to revive the courage of his soldiers, who were much dispirited by their defeat. But although they received Magnentius with the honours usually paid to emperors, and rendered him the customary demonstrations of respect, they proclaimed Constantius emperor. Magnentius, concluding, from this circumstance, that he was not destined by God to hold the reins of empire, endeavoured to retreat from the fortress to some distant place. But he was pursued by the troops of Constantius, and being overtaken at a spot called Mount Seleucus, he escaped alone from the encounter, and fled to Lugduna. On his arrival there he slew his own mother and his brother whom he had named Cæsar, and lastly he killed himself. Not long after, Decentius, another of his brothers, put an end to his own existence. Still the public tumults were not quelled; for not long after, Silvanus assumed the supreme authority in Gaul: but he was put to death by the generals of Constantius.

The Jews of Diocæsarea also took up arms and invaded Palestine and the neighbouring territories, with the design of shaking off the Roman yoke. On hearing of their insurrection, Gallus Cæsar, who was then at Antioch, sent troops against them, defeated them, and destroyed Diocæsarea. Gallus, intoxicated with success, aspired to the supreme power, and he slew Magnus the treasurer, and Domitian, the prefect of the East, because they apprised the emperor of his designs. The anger of Constantius was excited; and he summoned him to his presence. Gallus did not dare to refuse obedience, and set out on his journey. When, however, he reached the island Havonius, he was killed by the emperor’s order; this event occurred in the third year of his consulate, and in the seventh year of the reign of Constantius.