File:Nineveh and Persepolis- an historical sketch of ancient Assyria and Persia, with an account of the recent researches in those countries (1850) (14742495406).jpg

Identifier: ninevehpersepoli00vaux (find matches)
Title: Nineveh and Persepolis: an historical sketch of ancient Assyria and Persia, with an account of the recent researches in those countries
Year: 1850 (1850s)
Authors: Vaux, W. S. W. (William Sandys Wright), 1818-1885
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Publisher: London : A. Hall, Virtue & co.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ture commemoratesthat event. The details of Valerians fate are darkly andimperfectly represented in histoiy, but, it would seem, thatthe misfortune of the Roman emperor was deserved by longcontinued impmdence and error. He had reposed an implicitconfidence in Macriauus, his Praetorian prefect, a worthless minis-ter, who rendered his master formidable only to his oppressedsubjects, while he was contemptible to the enemies of Rome. Byhis weak or wicked counsels, the imperial army was betrayedinto a situation, where valour and military skill were equallyunavailing. The vigorous attempt of the Piomans to cut theirway through the Persian host, was repulsed with great slaughter,the licentious legions accused Valerian as the author of alltheir misfortunes, and an immense sum of gold was oftered topurchase the permission of a disgraceful retreat. But the Persianking, conscious of his superiority, refused the money with dis-dain, and, detaining the deputies, advanced, in order of battle, to \y
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CHAP. IX.) NAKSH-I-RUSTAM. 339 the foot of the Roman rampart, ami insisted on a personal con-ference with the emperor. The emperor was at once madeprisoner, and his astonished troops laid down their arms. Theconqueror put a double disgrace upon his conquered foe, byinvesting a person of no note, of bad character and an usurper ofthe imperial throne during the reign of Gallienus, namedC3riades, with the title of emperor, and the Roman army inchains could not but ratify the election. Sir R. K. Porter thinks that the kneeling figure on the slabrepresents Valerian, and that the other one to which he is givinghis hand must be Cyriades. The overthrow of Valerian happenedin A.D. 200, and, soon after, the unhappy monarch was led captive,with hundreds of bis people, who were brought from the Romansettlements in the East to assist in building the city of Shahpiir,a superb monument, intended by the victor to commemoratehis conquest over an emperor of Rome. The voice ofhistory, says Gibbon, which

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