day. 2. The election of Gordian by the senate is fixed with equal
certainty to the 27th of May; but we are at a loss to discover whether
it was in the same or the preceding year. Tillemont and Muratori, who
maintain the two opposite opinions, bring into the field a desultory
troop of authorities, conjectures and probabilities. The one seems
to draw out, the other to contract the series of events between those
periods, more than can be well reconciled to reason and history. Yet
it is necessary to choose between them. Note: Eckhel has more recently
treated these chronological questions with a perspicuity which gives
great probability to his conclusions. Setting aside all the historians,
whose contradictions are irreconcilable, he has only consulted the
medals, and has arranged the events before us in the following order:--
Maximin, A. U. 990, after having conquered the Germans, reenters
Pannonia, establishes his winter quarters at Sirmium, and prepares
himself to make war against the people of the North.
In the year 991, in the cal ends of January, commences his fourth
tribunate. The Gordians are chosen emperors in Africa, probably at the
beginning of the month of March. The senate confirms this election with
joy, and declares Maximin the enemy of Rome. Five days after he had
heard of this revolt, Maximin sets out from Sirmium on his march to
Italy. These events took place about the beginning of April; a little
after, the Gordians are slain in Africa by Capellianus, procurator
of Mauritania. The senate, in its alarm, names as emperors Balbus and
Maximus Pupianus, and intrusts the latter with the war against Maximin.
Maximin is stopped on his road near Aquileia, by the want of provisions,
and by the melting of the snows: he begins the siege of Aquileia at the
end of April. Pupianus assembles his army at Ravenna. Maximin and
his son are assassinated by the soldiers enraged at the resistance of
Aquileia: and this was probably in the middle of May. Pupianus returns
to Rome, and assumes the government with Balbinus; they are assassinated
towards the end of July Gordian the younger ascends the throne. Eckhel
de Doct. Vol vii 295.--G.]

[Footnote 33: Velleius Paterculus, l. ii. c. 24. The president de
Montesquieu (in his dialogue between Sylla and Eucrates) expresses the
sentiments of the dictator in a spirited, and even a sublime manner.]

When the troops of Maximin, advancing in excellent order, arrived at
the foot of the Jul