44, 145, 188, 189, 206, 207, who is full of strange blunders,) Pocock,
(Specimen Hist. Arab. p. 62, 65,) D'Herbelot, (Bibliot. Orientale, p.
12, 477,) and Sale's Preliminary Discourse and Koran, (c. 105.) The
revolt of Abrahah is mentioned by Procopius; and his fall, though
clouded with miracles, is an historical fact. Note: To the authors
who have illustrated the obscure history of the Jewish and Abyssinian
kingdoms in Homeritis may be added Schultens, Hist. Joctanidarum; Walch,
Historia rerum in Homerite gestarum, in the 4th vol. of the Gottingen
Transactions; Salt's Travels, vol. ii. p. 446, &c.: Sylvestre de Sacy,
vol. i. Acad. des Inscrip. Jost, Geschichte der Israeliter; Johannsen,
Hist. Yemanae; St. Martin's notes to Le Beau, t. vii p. 42.--M.]

[Footnote 1001: A period of sixty-seven years is assigned by most of the
Arabian authorities to the Abyssinian kingdoms in Homeritis.--M.]

Chapter XLIII: Last Victory And Death Of Belisarius, Death Of Justinian.--Part I.

Rebellions Of Africa.--Restoration Of The Gothic Kingdom By
Totila.--Loss And Recovery Of Rome.--Final Conquest Of Italy
By Narses.--Extinction Of The Ostrogoths.--Defeat Of The
Franks And Alemanni.--Last Victory, Disgrace, And Death Of
Belisarius.--Death And Character Of Justinian.--Comet,
Earthquakes, And Plague.

The review of the nations from the Danube to the Nile has exposed, on
every side, the weakness of the Romans; and our wonder is reasonably
excited that they should presume to enlarge an empire whose ancient
limits they were incapable of defending. But the wars, the conquests,
and the triumphs of Justinian, are the feeble and pernicious efforts of
old age, which exhaust the remains of strength, and accelerate the
decay of the powers of life. He exulted in the glorious act of restoring
Africa and Italy to the republic; but the calamities which followed the
departure of Belisarius betrayed the impotence of the conqueror, and
accomplished the ruin of those unfortunate countries.

From his new acquisitions, Justinian expected that his avarice, as
well as pride, should be richly gratified. A rapacious minister of the
finances closely pursued the footsteps of Belisarius; and as the old
registers of tribute had been burnt by the Vandals, he indulged his
fancy in a liberal calculation and arbitrary assessment of the wealth
of Africa. [1] The increase of taxes, which were drawn away by a distant
sovereign, and