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| The Different Nations took up Arms against the Romans, of whom some were, through the Providence of God defeated, and others brought to Terms of Amity.
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Chapter V.—The
Different Nations took up Arms against the Romans, of whom some were,
through the Providence of God defeated, and others brought to Terms of
Amity.
It happened about the same time
that the Huns, who were encamped in Thrace, retreated disgracefully and
cast off many of their number although they had neither been attacked
nor pursued.1628
| 1628Independent chapter; cf. Zos. v. 22.
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Uldis, the leader of the barbarous tribes who dwell near the Ister,
crossed that river at the head of a large army, and encamped on the
frontiers of Thrace. He took possession by treachery of a city of
Mœsia, called Castra Martis, and thence made incursions into the
rest of Thrace, and insolently refused to enter into terms of alliance
with the Romans. The prefect of the Thracian soldiers made propositions
of peace to him, but he replied by pointing to the sun, and declaring
that it would be easy to him, if he desired to do so, to subjugate
every region of the earth that is enlightened by that luminary. But
while Uldis was uttering menaces of this description, and was ordering
as large a tribute as he pleased, and that on this condition peace
could be established with the Romans or the war would
continue,—when affairs were so helpless, God gave manifest proofs
of special favor towards the present reign; for, shortly afterwards,
the immediate attendants and the leaders of the tribes of Uldis were
discussing the Roman form of government, the philanthropy of the
emperor, and his promptitude and liberality in rewarding the best and
good men. It was not without God that they turned to the love of the
points so discussed and seceded to the Romans, to whose camp they
joined themselves, together with the troops ranged under themselves.
Finding himself thus abandoned, Uldis escaped with difficulty to the
opposite bank of the river. Many of his troops were slain; and among
others the whole of the barbarous tribe called the Sciri. This tribe
had been very strong in point of numbers before falling into this
misfortune. Some of them were killed; and others were taken prisoners,
and conveyed in chains to Constantinople. The governors were of opinion
that, if allowed to remain together, they would probably make a
revolution. Some of them were, therefore, sold at a low price; while
others were given away as slaves for presents, upon condition that they
should never be permitted to return to Constantinople, or to Europe,
but be separated by the sea from the places familiar to them. Of these,
a number was left unsold; and they were ordered to settle in different
places. I have seen many in Bithynia, near Mount Olympus, living apart
from one another, and cultivating the hills and valleys of that
region.
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