ls, and who was about to subdue all Scotland,
Domitian recalled, being jealous of his military fame; and that brave
leader passed the last eight years of his life in retirement at Rome, in
order to avoid the suspicions of the tyrant. Meanwhile, the Dacians, led
by their king Decebalus, having crossed the Danube, Domitian took the
field against them, and, in A.D. 90, was defeated, and forced to
conclude a humiliating peace. Yet, on his return to Rome, he celebrated
a triumph, assuming the name of Dacicus. The next year an insurrection
broke out among the German legions, which was, however, suppressed.

Domitian now ordered himself to be styled the "Lord and God," and was
worshiped with divine honors. A ferocious jealousy of all excellence in
others seemed to possess him with rage against the wise and good. The
most eminent of the nobility were put to death. All philosophers, and
among them the virtuous Epictetus, were banished from Rome. The
Christians, which name now included many persons of high station, were
murdered in great numbers. At last the tyrant resolved to put to death
his wife Domitia, but she discovered his design, and had him
assassinated, 18th September, A.D. 96. The Senate passed a decree that
his name should be erased from all public monuments, and refused to
yield to the wishes of the soldiers, who would have proclaimed him a
god.

[Illustration: Copper Coin of Antoninus Pius, about A.D. 138, showing
figure of Britannia.]

CHAPTER XLI.

PROSPERITY OF THE EMPIRE, A.D. 96.--COMMODUS, A.D. 180.--REIGN OF M.
COCCEIUS NERVA, A.D. 96-98.

This venerable man was sixty-four years old when he was proclaimed
emperor upon the death of Domitian. He was a native of the town of
Narnia, in Umbria, and his virtues had won him a general esteem. The
Praetorians, who had not been consulted in his election, never looked
upon him with favor, and Nerva was obliged to act with great caution. He
stopped trials for high treason, pardoned political offenders,
diminished taxes, recalled exiles, and strove by every honest art to
attain popularity. But the Praetorians, becoming mutinous, not only put
the murderers of Domitian to death, but forced the emperor to approve of
their act publicly. This insult was deeply felt by Nerva, who now
resolved to adopt a colleague, in order to increase his own authority.
He therefore selected M. Ulpius Trajan, a distinguished general, who was
in command of the army of Lower Germany