gy. As the Christians became more powerful the
several cities of the empire had one by one discontinued these
popular spectacles, and horse-races usually took their place. But the
Alexandrians were the last people to give up a favourite amusement;
and by the end of this reign Alexandria was the only city in the empire
where tragic and comic actors and Eastern dancers were to be seen in the
theatre.

The tower or lighthouse on the island of Pharos, the work of days more
prosperous than these, had latterly been sadly neglected with the other
buildings of the country. For more than seven hundred years, the
pilot on approaching this flat shore after dark had pointed out to his
shipmate what seemed a star on the horizon, and comforted him with the
promise of a safe entrance into the haven, and told him of Alexander's
tower. But the waves breaking against its foot had long since carried
away the outworks, and laid bare the foundations; the wall was
undermined and its fall seemed close at hand. The care of Anastasius,
however, surrounded it again with piles and buttresses; and this
monument of wisdom and science, which deserved to last for ever, was
for a little while longer saved from ruin. An epigram in the Anthology
informs us that Ammonius was the name of the builder who performed this
good work, and to him and to Neptune the grateful sailors then raised
their hands in prayer and praise.

In 518 Justin I. succeeded Anastasius on the throne of Constantinople,
and in the task of defending the empire against the Persians. And this
task became every year more difficult, as the Greek population of his
Egyptian and Asiatic provinces fell off in numbers. For some years after
the division of the empire under the sons of Constantine, Antioch in
Syria had been the capital from which Alexandria received the emperor's
commands. The two cities became very closely united; and now that the
Greeks were deserting Antioch, a part of the Syrian church began to
adopt the more superstitious creed of Egypt. Severus, Bishop of Antioch,
was successful in persuading a large party in the Syrian church to deny
the humanity of Christ, and to style Mary the mother of God. But the
chief power in Antioch rested with the opposite party. They answered
his arguments by threats of violence, and he had to leave the city for
safety. He fled to Alexandria, and with him began the friendship between
the two churches which lasted for several centuries. In Alexan