tant expedition, Carus conferred on his
two sons, Carinus and Numerian, the title of Caesar, and investing the
former with almost an equal share of the Imperial power, directed the
young prince, first to suppress some troubles which had arisen in Gaul,
and afterwards to fix the seat of his residence at Rome, and to assume
the government of the Western provinces. The safety of Illyricum was
confirmed by a memorable defeat of the Sarmatians; sixteen thousand
of those barbarians remained on the field of battle, and the number of
captives amounted to twenty thousand. The old emperor, animated with the
fame and prospect of victory, pursued his march, in the midst of winter,
through the countries of Thrace and Asia Minor, and at length, with his
younger son, Numerian, arrived on the confines of the Persian monarchy.
There, encamping on the summit of a lofty mountain, he pointed out to
his troops the opulence and luxury of the enemy whom they were about to
invade.

The successor of Artaxerxes, * Varanes, or Bahram, though he had subdued
the Segestans, one of the most warlike nations of Upper Asia, was
alarmed at the approach of the Romans, and endeavored to retard their
progress by a negotiation of peace. His ambassadors entered the camp
about sunset, at the time when the troops were satisfying their hunger
with a frugal repast. The Persians expressed their desire of being
introduced to the presence of the Roman emperor. They were at length
conducted to a soldier, who was seated on the grass. A piece of stale
bacon and a few hard peas composed his supper. A coarse woollen garment
of purple was the only circumstance that announced his dignity. The
conference was conducted with the same disregard of courtly elegance.
Carus, taking off a cap which he wore to conceal his baldness, assured
the ambassadors, that, unless their master acknowledged the superiority
of Rome, he would speedily render Persia as naked of trees as his own
head was destitute of hair. Notwithstanding some traces of art and
preparation, we may discover in this scene the manners of Carus, and the
severe simplicity which the martial princes, who succeeded Gallienus,
had already restored in the Roman camps. The ministers of the Great King
trembled and retired.

The threats of Carus were not without effect. He ravaged Mesopotamia,
cut in pieces whatever opposed his passage, made himself master of
the great cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, (which seemed to have
s