firft directed by the counfels of Aratus; but being offended at the freedom of his remonftrances on fome parts of his conduct, and incited by the wicked fuggeftions of his flatterers, he caufed him to be poifoned, while prætor the feventeenth time, together with his fon; by which means he afterwards loft the af fitance of the Achæans in his wars with the Romans. After the death of Aratus, the Achæan league was fupported by PHILOPEMEN, called, on account of his fingular virtues, the laft of the Greeks. He, attempting to reduce Meffene by furprife, which had revolted from the league, was taken prifoner, and put to death by poison, b. C. 183. The Achæans afterwards revenged this outrage with great feverity.

After the reduction of Macedonia, the Romans, laying afide their former affected moderation, treated the ftates of Greece with lefs deference. They interpofed their authority in all difputes, and affumed the fame fuperiority over them as if they were already conquered. The Achæans having made. war on the Lacedæmonians, at that time in alliance with Rome, were required in a commanding tone, to defift from hoftilities. Provoked at this haughtinefs, and ftimulated by Diaus and Critolaus, two feditious magiftrates, they had the imprudence, by infulting the Roman deputies, to bring on themselves the whole weight of the Roman power, under which they were finally cruihed, and together with them the whole of Greece.

Athens, however, although fubdued, continued to maintain the most flattering of all empires, that of genius and taste. It was the school to which the moft illuftrious citizens of Rome repaired, to learn the arts of elegance and refinement. The democratical government was still preserved, and the people permitted to enjoy almost all their former privileges. In the war against Mithridates, Athens was conftrained to fide with that monarch, by Archelaus his general, and Ariftion, a native of the place. Sylla having taken the city by aflault, gave it up to be plundered by his foldiers, b. C. 86. The tyrant Ariftion and many others were put to death. The Athenians, however, were still left in the enjoyment of their democracy. Upon the invasion of the northern nations, Greece was over-run by Alaric king of the Goths. Athens capitulated; and by paying a ransom, was preferved, A. D. 396,

HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST, OR OF THE GREEK EMPIRE.

THE Eaftern empire, called alfo the Greek or Conftantinopolitan empire, was faved by the fettlement of the barbarous nations in the Weft, where they feem to have spent their force. Satiffied with their acquifitions, or divided among themselves, they thought no more of new conquefts. The great policy of the Greek emperors was to foment their divifions.

The hiftory of the Greek empire is feldom interesting. It prefents a fad picture of diforder and weaknefs, attended with all the calamities which arife from luxury, fuperftition, fanaticism and cruelty. The imperial dignity was neither hereditary nor elective. It was ufually procured by guilt, and often led to an untimely death. The emperors, immersed in pleasure, and taken up about theological controversies, or the difputes of the circus, paid little attention to the affairs of go

vernment.

ZENO, who fent Theodoric into Italy, against Odoacer, is faid to have been buried alive, in a fit of intoxication, by the orders of the emprefs Ariadne, A. D. 491. by whose influence ANASTASIUS, one of the loweft officers about court, fucceeded, and reigned twenty-feven years.

JUSTIN, his fucceffor, was the fon of a Thracian shepherd, and could neither read nor write. He reigned nine years.

JUSTINIAN, 527, the nephew and fucceffor of Justin, recovered Africa from the Vandals, and moft of Italy from the Goths, by means of his general Belifarius, whofe great abilities might have reftored the empire; but he was treated with bafe ingratitude by Juftinian. Still however his allegiance continued inviolable *. Narfes, who completed the conqueft of Italy, met with the fame return from the son of Juftinian; but he, in revenge, when recalled from his government, is faid to have invited the Lombards to take poffeffion of that country.

Juftinian reduced the Roman laws into a regular form, by the affiftance of Tribonian, and fome other lawyers. This code of laws, called the Corpus Juris, is divided into three parts, which were published at different times, the Inflitutions, Digefta or Pandects, and Novella.

Under this emperor the manufacture of filk was first introduced into Europe from Perfia by two monks.

The circumftance of Belifarius being deprived of his fight, and forced to beg by the high way, (DATE OBOLUM BELISARIO), is thought to be fabricated. See Gibbon's Decline of the Roman Empire.

JUSTIN II. 565, unable to oppose the Perfians under Chofroes, chofe l'IBERIUS, a man of merit, and at first only a foldier of fortune, as his affociate in the empire, who named MAURITIUS as his fucceffor. He was dethroned, and cruelly murdered, with his wife and five fons, by PHOCAS, who was originally a common foldier, and raised to the empire by an army of rebels, A. D. 602. This odious tyrant acknowledged the fupremacy of the Roman pontiff, as univerfal bishop, and gave up to Pope Boniface III. the famous temple called Pantheon, to be converted into a church, which was confecrated to the Virgin Mary and all faints. Phocas was ignominiously flain ́ by his fucceffor Heraclius, formerly præfect of Africa, A.D.610.

HERACLIUS, having terminated the Perfian war with fuccefs, and recovered the cross of our Saviour, funk into indolence; and, regardless of the ftate, devoted his chief attention to the controverfies of the church.

In the reign of Heraclius, MAHOMET began to publish his new religion, at Mecca in Arabia, his native city. The book which contains it is called the Koran or Alcoran, which Mahomet pretended he received, chapter by chapter, from the angel Gabriel. It was at first written on the plate-bones of camels by his amanuenfis; for he himself could neither write nor read. He is faid to have composed it by the aflistance of a Jew, and of one Sergius a monk. The magiftrates of Mecca, convinced of his impofture, and fufpecting he had a design on the government, propofed apprehending him; but he having got notice of their intention, fled to Medina, A. D. 622. This forms the famous era of the Mahometans, called the Hegira, or flight, from which they compute their time by lunar years. At Medina Mahomet, met with a more favourable reception, being joined by a number of proselytes, whom he called Muffulmans, or faithful, and made all of them foldiers. He foon acquired fufficient force to reduce the city of Mecca; and in a fhort time after became matter of all Arabia, chiefly by the aftonishing valour of his general Kaled. Mahomet died A. D. 632. His fucceffors, who were called Caliphs, extended their conquefts with incredible rapidity. In a few years, they overran Palestine, Syria, Mefopotamia, and Perfia: they conquered Egypt, and all Africa, to the ftraits of Hercules.

The fucceffors of Mahomet were Abubeker, who reigned two years, Omar twelve, Ofman ten, Hali three, Mahias, &c. The Emperor Heraclius died A. D. 641, and was fucceeded by his fon CONSTANTINE III. who reigned but four months, being poisoned by the Emprefs Martina, his mother-in-law, to

make

make room for her own fon HERACLEONAS; but fix months after, he was depofed, his nofe cut off, his mother's tongue cut out, and both banished. The fenate elected CONSTANS, the fon of Conftantine, to the empire. He having gone to Rome, plundered it of fome of its moft valuable ornaments. In the reign of his fon CONSTANTINE IV. firnamed Pogonatus from his early beard, the Saracens, under Mahias, laid fiege to Conftantinople; but feveral of their fhips being deftroyed by a fire-work, called Greek fire, from its being invented by Callinicus, a Greek of Heliopolis in Syria, which water could not extinguish, they were obliged to raise it with great loss, A. D. 673. In the reign of LEO the Ifaurian, they befieged it again under Zuliman for a whole year, but without fuccefs, and with ftill greater lofs, A. D. 708. This Leo was called Iconomăchus, because he ordered all the images in Chriftian churches to be pulled down as a relict of Paganifm, which gave rise to the most dangerous difturbances. He was oppofed in that matter by Germanus, patriarch of Conftantinople, and Gregory III. pope of Rome, the former of whom was banifhed; and the latter, dreading the emperor's refentment, called in the affistance of Charles Martel, king of France. Those who favoured the deftruction of images, were called Iconoclasts. The worship of images was restored by IRENE, who having poisoned her husband Leo IV. reigned for fome time as regent, and then in junction with her fon CONSTANTINE Porphyrogenitus, who withing to reign alone, fhe put out his eyes, a punishment common at that time, which occafioned his death. A. D. 797. Charles the Great is faid to have propofed afking Irene in marriage; but in the mean time she was depofed, and shut up in a monaftery, by NICEFORUS, a nobleman of Conftantinople, who fucceeded her, 802. He acknowledged Charles the Great as emperor of the weft. He was flain in a battle with the Bulgarians, who continued long to be dangerous enemies to the empire. They were at laft fubdued, together with the Abari and Ruffians, firft by JOHN ZIMISCES, A. D. 971, and afterwards by his fucceffor BASILIUS.

The death of this emperor, which happened A. D. 1025, in the 50th year of his reign, was followed by a complication of fuch horrid crimes, perpetrated by the influence of his niece Zoe, as can hardly be equalled in hiftory.

About the year 1054 was completed the famous fchifm or feparation of the Greeks from the Latin church, which had been begun by Photius patriarch of Conftantinople under LEO, called the Philofopher, 858.

HISTORY OF THE GREEK EMPIRE, AND OF THE TURKS.

WHILE the Greek empire exhibited fuck a fcene of anarchy and wretchednefs, the TURKS, or Turcomans, over-ran a great part of Afia. This people are thought to be of Scythian or Tartar extraction, their name fignifying Wanderers. In the year 844, they had fettled in Armenia, hence called Turcoma

nia.

About the year 1043, a body of them under Tangrolopix, being employed by the Sultan of Perfia against the Caliph of Bagdat, gained for him a signal victory; but pretending to be diflatisfied with their hire, they turned their arms against their ally; defeated and flew him in battle. Tangrolopix, embracing the Mahometan religion, became Sultan of Perfia. He next reduced Bagdat, and overturned the empire of the Caliphs; ftill however leaving them their spiritual authority, as fupreme pontiffs of the Mahometan religion, 1055. Another body of Turks made themselves mafters of Palestine; and laid the Chriftian pilgrims who visited the fepulchre of our Saviour under fuch heavy contributions, and treated them in other refpects fo harthly, as gave rife to the Crufades.

ALEXIUS COMNENUS was emperor of Conftantinople when the first crufade was undertaken. He died after a reign of thirty-eight years, A. D. 1118.

JOHN COMNENUS, his fon, was a virtuous prince, a rare appearance in the hiftory of the Greek empire, and therefore called Kalo-Joannes.

MANUEL, the fon of John, is said to have betrayed the Crufaders, under Conrad, emperor of Germany, which proved their destruction, A. D. 1148. His fon ALEXIUS was murdered by his coufin ANDRONICUS, who fucceeding to the empire, ordered a general maffacre of the Latins at Conftantinople. He himself was foon after torn to pieces in a popular tumult, 1190.

Conftantinople was distracted by cruel diffentions, till it was taken by the Crufaders and Venetians, 1204. The Venetians, for their fervices, got the Morea, Candia, and feveral other places.

BALDWIN Earl of Flanders was made emperor; but the year following he was defeated and flain by the Bulgarians. Four Latin emperors reigned fucceffively after Baldwin, who being mere foldiers, and defpifing commerce, did great hurt to

the