essantly ravaged the provinces adjacent to the ocean. [24]
To repel their desultory incursions, it was found necessary to create a
naval power; and the judicious measure was prosecuted with prudence and
vigor. Gessoriacum, or Boulogne, in the straits of the British Channel,
was chosen by the emperor for the station of the Roman fleet; and the
command of it was intrusted to Carausius, a Menapian of the meanest
origin, [25] but who had long signalized his skill as a pilot, and his
valor as a soldier. The integrity of the new admiral corresponded
not with his abilities. When the German pirates sailed from their own
harbors, he connived at their passage, but he diligently intercepted
their return, and appropriated to his own use an ample share of the
spoil which they had acquired. The wealth of Carausius was, on this
occasion, very justly considered as an evidence of his guilt; and
Maximian had already given orders for his death. But the crafty Menapian
foresaw and prevented the severity of the emperor. By his liberality he
had attached to his fortunes the fleet which he commanded, and secured
the barbarians in his interest. From the port of Boulogne he sailed over
to Britain, persuaded the legion, and the auxiliaries which guarded that
island, to embrace his party, and boldly assuming, with the Imperial
purple, the title of Augustus defied the justice and the arms of his
injured sovereign. [26]

[Footnote 24: Aurelius Victor calls them Germans. Eutropius (ix. 21)
gives them the name of Saxons. But Eutropius lived in the ensuing
century, and seems to use the language of his own times.]

[Footnote 25: The three expressions of Eutropius, Aurelius Victor, and
Eumenius, "vilissime natus," "Bataviae alumnus," and "Menapiae civis,"
give us a very doubtful account of the birth of Carausius. Dr. Stukely,
however, (Hist. of Carausius, p. 62,) chooses to make him a native of
St. David's and a prince of the blood royal of Britain. The former idea
he had found in Richard of Cirencester, p. 44. * Note: The Menapians
were settled between the Scheldt and the Meuse, is the northern part of
Brabant. D'Anville, Geogr. Anc. i. 93.--G.]

[Footnote 26: Panegyr. v. 12. Britain at this time was secure, and
slightly guarded.]

When Britain was thus dismembered from the empire, its importance was
sensibly felt, and its loss sincerely lamented. The Romans celebrated,
and perhaps magnified, the extent of that noble island, provided on
every side