by wild Beasts than Men. A little after began the Egyptian Dynasties which were in number four the Theban Thinitican Memphitican and Tanitican Dynasties whose respective Metropolitan Cities were Thebes This and Memphis in the Higher Egypt and Tanis seated in that part of the Country called the Lower Egypt but the first that seems to have possest all Egypt was Menes the first King in each Dynasty He seems to have been the same with Cham Noah's Son Sir John Marsham has a Catalogue of his Successors Sec. 1. and onwards who is to be consulted with concerning the Antiquities of Egypt About these times Fohi seems to have flourished as first Emperor of China though their Calculation exceeds that of the Hebrews which we follow and doth better accord with the Greek of the Septuagint but wherein the error lies who can tell See Is Vossius de Aetate Mundi The Kingdom of Scicyone in the Peloponnesus is thought to have had its beginning not long after whereof Aegialeus was the first King who is placed by Chronologers about these times See Petavius Arts seemed to have flourished about the end of this Period and Architecture was now first known because certain Pyramids of a Stupendious bigness and height are thought to have been built at this time in Egypt but seeing the beginning of all Ancient History commences here we have commonly no more than the Names of Kings and Patriarchs and Fables beyond At this very time Idolatry seems to have sprung up in the World seeing before now all Mankind worshipped one only God And this was the Original thereof Men knew that there were certain separate Essences which were called Angels besides the Supream God whom the Almighty sent as his Legates or Embassadors and if I may say so as it were lesser Gods unto Men. These Mankind at first worshipped as Gods Embassadors as we see the Hebrews themselves held them in great Reverence But when they once fell into that Notion that the Supream God committed Empires Cities and Families to the care of these lesser ones they grew by degrees almost forgetful of the Supream Deity and shewed that Reverence to those lesser Gods that was due to him alone Then they fell into an opinion that the Souls of Excellent Men after their decease were admitted into the Order of those lesser Deities and hence it came to pass that Deceased Kings were worshipped as if they had been taken into the number of the Gods All which however did not hinder but that that Ancient and True Opinion still Survived amongst most Nations that there was a Supream God and that it was upon him alone that the rest of the Inferior Deities had their dependance Moreover because Angels sometimes delivered Oracles in Statues as John Spencer concerning Urim and Thummin prettily conjectures the Heathens erected Statues to their Gods And it should seem afterwards to have come to pass that when both the Worship and Manners of the Gentiles displeased the Angels of Light because they saw many put them up in the place of the Creator they forsook them and the Angels of Darkness succeeded in their places whence the Scripture says the Heathens worshipped Devils not that the Heathens did believe they adored Evil Spirits which we call Devils but because their Temples and Statues were only inhabited by Devils But the discussion of these things require a larger Volume The Calling of Abraham The Third EPOCH From Abraham's Calling to the Law given by Moses are 431 years which makes up The Third PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ 2022. 1962. IDolatry being now grown prevalent in the World God was pleased to make choice of some Family from among the rest of Mankind wherein the Knowledge and Worship of one only Supream God might be kept up and therefore he called Abraham one of the Posterity of Sem out of Ur of the Chaldees and commanded him to go into the Land of Canaan where he made himself oftner and more clearly known unto him by the Ministry of Angels and especially gave him that Signal promise that it should some time come to pass that one of his Posterity should bring the Blessings of Heaven unto all Nations A little after the coming of Abraham into the Land of Canaan as there were several petty Kings both on this and the other side of the Euphrates there hapned to be a War between them as you have it in Gen. 14. where mention is made of Amraphael King of Sinaar or Babylon not as King of all Asia as is commonly thought the Kings of Babylon then were but as the Companion of Kedorlaomer King of Elam who was much more Potent as having certain Kings in the Land of Palaestine that were his Subjects And here is an Invincible Argument for the overthrow of that opinion concerning the Kingdom of Babylon that it extended over all Asia before Abraham's time under Ninus and Semiramis and Ninyas Semiramis Son seeing Amraphael was King of Babylon at this time and not Arius as they would have it who follow Ctesia or Ninyas the Son of Ninus as Vopiscus after Africanus is of opinion neither was the King of Babylon equal in power to the King of Elam There were several Kings in these times in the Land of Palaestine among whom Abimelec and Melchisedec are mentioned and who yet retained the knowledge of the True God The Scriptures also contain the History and Birth of Ismael Isaac Esau and Jacob which may be consulted for that end 2046. 1938. Abraham was 99 years Old when God gave him his Commandment about Circumcision and the same year were Sodom Gomorra Adma and Tseboim overthrown with Lightning setting fire to the Sulphurous Earth which thereupon sunk whereunto the River Jordan and other Rivulets flowing and mixing their Waters with the Sulphurous matter formed the Lake Asphaltites concerning which I have made a particular Dissertation elsewhere This Conflagration which Lot with his Wife and Daughters was flying from reach'd his Wife who out of Curiosity stopped or turned her face back and made her give up the Ghost with the fright of such a dreadful Spectacle for so are those words in Scripture to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and she was a Statue for ever that is she grew stiff and remained like a Statue in the same place which we have also shewed in another Dissertation 2122. 1857. In Isaac's Days Inachus founded the Kingdom of the Argives in the Peloponnesus and had Successors of which see Petavius Tanaquillus Faber a very Learned Man after he had observed in his Notes upon the Bibliotheca of Apollodorus That there was nothing in Greece older than the time of Inachus says that Inachus was of Eternal Original which the Name of it self sufficiently discovered for that Inachus was no other than Anach or Enach from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in old Greek which word as is manifest from the Writings of the Poets signified a God or Gods So far he We
least Hesiod was cotemporary with him or at least but a little later but if you will believe the Authority of Arundel's Marble a little older See Marsham ad Saec. 15. 3009. 975. Solomon was Succeeded by his Son Rehoboam who for want of Management lost the Soveraignty over the Ten Tribes and continued only to Reign over Judah and Benjamin Jeroboam the Son of Nebat possest himself of the other ten Tribes and made them Golden Calves to Worship as you have it in the first Book of Kings Hence the Posterity of Jacob came to be divided into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel which for some Ages after without interruption had different Kings whose names and years you may take out of Petavius his Tables In Rehoboam's time lived Sesac or Sesostris the most Potent King of Egypt who took Jerusalem and having united the four Dynasties of Egypt into one Kingdom made a Conquest of a great part of Asia See Marsham ad Saec. 14 15. 3026. 958. Abijah Rehoboam's Son Succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of Judah and set upon Jeroboam with four Hundred thousand Men who had double the number and overcame him Neither should this be looked upon as a wonder that so many Soldiers should be found in so small a Country for in those days there were no standing Troops but all the Men except such as were Aged Children and the Sick went upon the Expedition 3098. 886. In the Seventeenth year of Pygmaleon King of Tyre when two Kings of the same Name for both were called Joram Reigned in Judah and Israel Dido left Tyre and built Carthage whence t is manifest that Virgil in making Aeneas and Dido to be cotemporaries has been guilty of a great Anachronism See Sam. Bochart in his Canaan L. I. c. 24. who says that Carthage was called Carthada in the Phoenician Tongue that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cartha-hadath or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cartha-hadthah a new City and that the Tower was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Botsrah from which word being pronounced by the Greeks Byrsa arose the Fable of the Ox-hide being cut into small thongs for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Ox-hide whereas the Hebrew word signifies a Fortress 3100. 884. When Ahaziah King of Judah was dead and that his Mother Athaliah having destroyed all the Seed Royal obtained the Kingdom by Tyranny Lycurgus the Famous Lacedaemonian Lawgiver flourished in Greece whose Laws are extant in his Life writ by Plutarch This was the greatest fault in his Polity that it was altogether Military as if a Common-wealth was less founded upon the Arts of Peace than upon Military Vertues and the next to it was that all the Infants who were born with any imperfections and the Hilotae or Husbandmen least they should grow too numerous were put to death 3108. 876. Petavius and others confine to this year the end of the Babylonian Empire Sardanapalus being Slain by Arbaces Governor of the Medes whom they reckon to have been the last King as if no body had been advanced to his place and that the Empire of the Medes had Succeeded that of Babylon which we have confuted in our Com. Philolog ad cap. 10. Gen. Arbaces the Mede having shaken off the Babylonish yoke set his Country-men at liberty which they retained for about fifty years until they chose Dejoces for their King as Herodotus says Lib. 1. 3142. 842. In the Reign of Joash King of Judah and of Jehoahaz King of Israel Hazael who slew his Master Benhadad King of Syria and invaded his Throne was very troublesom to Judah and Israel both neither did his Son Benhadad carry it any otherwise towards the Hebrews but he was overcome by the King of Israel 2 Kings 13.25 3160. 824. In these times lived Elisha the Prophet Elijah's Successor and not long after the Prophet Jonah who foretold Jeroboam King of Israel he should be victorious over the Syrians 2 Kings 14.25 What year it was he went to the Ninivites is not known but there is no doubt but it was before the Destructiof that City which was Prophesied by the Prophet Nabum and which seems to have happed in the Reign of Nebuchodonosor King of Babylon and of Cyaxanis over the Medes See Petavius his Book de Doct. Temp. lib. 10. c. 3. 3170. 814. The Kingdom of Macedon was founded this year Jeroboam II. being King of Israel as Joash was of Judah Caranus the Argive of the Heraclidan Race as being the Eleventh in course of Descent from Hercules taking a band of Men along with him out of the Peloponnesus began to Reign in Macedon You may be supply'd with his Successors to the time of Philip out of Petavius The First Olympiad The Seventh EPOCH From the first Olympiad to the return of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity were 239 years which makes up The Seventh PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ The Olympiads 3208. 776. Olym. 1. Year 1. IN the time of Azariah King of Judah the Olympick Games instituted of old by Hercules were restored by Iphitus They were celebrated every fourth year and lasted for five days The usual time for them was in the Month of July and the City Olympia in Elis was the place where they were held which as it stood in the Neighbourhood of Pisa was sometimes confounded with it These Games were chiefly made up of five sorts of exercises viz. of Leaping Running Quoiting Darting and Wrestling and he that was conqueror at all these was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latins Quinquertio But after the Greeks had begun to breed Horses Horse-races were also admitted among rest either with a single Horse or with Chariots drawn with two Horses or with four The Arts of Musick Poetry Eloquence c. were afterward introduced into the number As these Games returned every fourth year the space of four years was called an Olympiad and from thence it was the Greeks began to reckon their years by Olympiads and hence whatever has any truth or certainty therein in respect to their Chronology dates its original There was nothing that could be relyed on before as to their years Whence M. Varro who divided the Age of the World into three Periods that is to an uncertain fabulous and historical one did begin this last from hence hereof you may consult Sir John Marsham De Chronologia Graecorum ad Saecul 16. 3213. 771. II. 2. At this time Phul King of Assyria was troublesom to the Children of Israel and it was now that Ninive seems to have been rebuilt which is said to have been destroyed before by Arbaces the Mede About these very times the Greeks lead Colonies into Sicily the most considerable of which was that conducted by Archias of Corinth who built the City of Syracuse Hosea Prophesied also then who sometime after was followed by Esaias or rather was cotemporary with him in respect to Age and Prophesying In this Age to wit
another of the Medes and Persians For he thinks that Cyaxares the first King of the Medes whom he supposes to have been Assuerus delivered the Persians whom his Father Phraortes had Conquered to his Son Darius to be governed by him as their King Whom Daniel c. 9.1 calls as he conjectures Darius the Son of Assuerus of the Seed of the Medes And Cyaxares I. had Astyages for his Successor in the Kingdom of the Medes Dispossest by Cyrus but Darius who was also called Astyages the Grandfather of Cyrus had Cyaxares for his Successor See Marsham ad Saec. 18. But there are many things that do occasion me to dissent from him though otherwise it must be confessed that there can be nothing almost besides conjectures in this business 3426. 558. LV. iii. 196. Craesus last King of Lydia Reigned sixteen years his Father being still alive as Petavius supposes The Poets Ibycus Simonides and Stesichorus as also the Philosopher Anaximenes flourished at this time 3429. 555. LVI ii 199. After the Death of Neriglissor Baltassar his Son Reigned alone nine Months at the end whereof he was Slain by Nabonides's faction or as Petavius thinks by that of Darius the Mede and Nabonides or Darius the Mede succeeded him In this Age lived Xenophanes of Colophon the Philosopher and Theognis the Poet Sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now flourished Phalaris the Tyrant of Agrigentum flourished then also one Perillus is said to have made him a brazen bull hollow within wherein he shut up Men alive and putting fire under it made their crying to seem like the bellowing of a Bull. But the first on whom the experiment was tryed was Perillus himself of whom Ovid in his first Book de Arte Amandi after he had said that Busiris slew the Man who first taught him to pacifie the Gods with the blood of his Guests speaks thus Et Phalaris tauro violenti membra Perilli Torruit infelix imbuit auctor opus Justus uterque fuit neque enim Lex aequior ulla est Quà m necis artifices arte perire suá 3440. 544. LIX i. 210. Croesus King of Lydia marched against the Persians or the Army of the Medes and Persians commanded by Cyrus the Persian and while he hoped to return home Conqueror he was deluded by the Ambiguous answer of the Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For having past over the River Haly he was overcome by Cyrus and upon the taking of Sardis was made a Prisoner and carryed into Captivity leaving all Asia unto Cyrus A little after flourished Anaximander the Milesian who foundout the obliquity of the Zodiack and Pherecydes of Scyros not the Syrian for he was not of Syria but of the Isle of Scyros who was Pythagoras his Master who not long after were followed by Hipponax and Hippicus the Poets In these times lived Consucius in the furthermost parts of Asia among the Chineses who was an excellent Philosopher Of whom see Mart. Martinius in his History of China lib. 4. and Philip Coupletius in his Proem to Confucius Not long after Croesus his overthrow when Harpagus in Cyrus's Name governed the lesser Asia the Phocaeans being weary of his Rule left Asia and Sailed into Gaul where they fixed their Seats about a place where now Marseilles stands and built that City 3446. 538. LX. v. 216. This year Cyrus having subdued the King of Babylon's Confederates marched to Babylon it self which he took and for his Reward his Uncle Cyaxares who dyed soon after bestowed his only Daughter Mandanes upon him whom when he had marryed he was made Heir to all Cyaxares his Kingdom and gave a beginning to the Persian Monarchy which had not any equal to it before Daniel the Prophet lived to this time who was carried captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezer to whom under Nabonidus or Darius the Mede the last King of Babylon the Prophecy of the Seventy weeks was Revealed upon the elapsing of which the Messias was to come as we shall see hereafter The Return of the Jews The Eighth EPOCH From the Return of the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity to the Subduing of Carthage are 336 years which makes up the Eighth PERIOD Year of the W. Year before Christ Olymp. of the Building of Rome 3446. 538. LX. v. 216. THE same year wherein Cyrus began his Reign upon the taking of Babylon he put forth a Decree wherein the Jews who were held in Captivity by the Kings of Babylon were ordered to Rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem in obedience to which they returned in great numbers into their own Country under the Conduct of Zorobabel together with Josua the Son of Josedec the High Priest Two years after they laid the Foundations of the Temple and erected an Altar But the Samaritans their Neighbours who also worshipped the God of Israel while they pretended a readiness of themselves to assist the Jews in the work and were refused by the Jews they endeavoured by their Calumnies to induce the King of Persia to put a stop to the further carrying on of the building Esd 4. In these times Simenides of Ceos Anacreon of Samos Lyrick Poets and Xenophanes the natural Philosopher and Poet flourished amongst the Greeks 3451. 533. LXI iv 221. This year Tarquinius Superbus the last King of the Romans having Slain his Father in Law began his Reign which continued for four and twenty years Five years after Cyrus wageth War with the Scythians if you believe Justin and Herodotus and was slain by Thomyris Queen of Scythia But Ctesias says that he was wounded in a Battle he fought against the Derbices and dyed three days after having first given many good Precepts to his Sons Cambyses and Tanyoxares But Zenophon clearly describes him dying pleasantly in a good old Age after he had Reigned thirty years He was Succeeded by Cambyses II. King of Persia who Reigned seven years and five Months Cambyses upon the Death of Amasis King of Egypt and his being Succeeded by Psammenitus in that Kingdom invaded it where after he had done many cruel Acts and in the mean time commanded his Brother in Persia to be put to Death he at last ran mad and not long after was wounded and dyed After his Death a certain Magician called Smerdis very much resembling Tanyoxares both in body and face took upon him to be the same Person and Reigned seven Months Petavius thinks this Man to have been Artaxerxes whom Esdras makes to Succeed Ahasuerus c. 9.7 See his Book de Doct. temp lib. 12.27 About these times Polycrates the Tyrant of Samos was crucified by Oron Governor of Sardis who took him by a stratagem after he held the Tyrannick power for eleven years with great Success 3436. 521. LXIV iii. 233. After the counterfeit Tanyoxares had hid himself seven Months he was at last taken and destroy'd by the Seven Peers of Persia who conspired against him and one of their number viz. Darius the Son of Hystaspis was made choice of in his room
from Ireland to the Picts and to have converted them also to the Faith From henceforward the Christian Religion flourish'd in that Island which before seemed to have lain hid therein seeing the same if we believe Gildas a British Writer of those times had been brought thither in Tiberius's days 565. Justin II. Steward of the Houshold and his Sister's Son succeeded Justinian in the Empire who because he did not go out of his Palace by reason of a Meagrim wherewith he was afflicted he could not give a Hearing to the Complaints of the People against the Nobles which yet were very great but they had Satisfaction given them through the prudent Management and Severity of the Captain of the Guard Narses in the beginning of his Reign was called out of Italy and Longinas put into his room who was the first Exarch of Ravenna At that time Alboinus King of the Lombards leaving their Habitations in Germany invaded part of Italy where they erected the Kingdom of the Lombards 578. Justin died without doing any thing memorable and left Tiberius Anicius Constantine for his Successor Leovigildus King of the Goths in Spain is said at this time to have forbidden that any of those who went from the Homoousian or Consubstantial Party over to the Arians should be rebaptized by them as had been practised before but that they should only be admitted by the Imposition of Hands with this set form of Words If he gives Glory to the Father through the Son in the holy Spirit which Evagrius also says was in use among the Arians in the East 582. Tiberius did in the mean time overthrow the Persians in several Battles by his General Mauritius whom for that reason he created Caesar because he had overcome the Enemy with a small Army and falling Sick not long after he appointed him to be Emperor and gave him his Daughter Constantina to Wife The Avarians made War upon him but without Success while the French fought with the Lombards and the Saxons with the Suevians who had taken Possession of their Seats in Germany while the Saxons were with the Lombards in Italy These last People after the Death of Alboinus were without a King for Ten Years but at last they advanced Atharitus to the Regal Dignity who prevailed mightily over the Romans in Italy Recaredus at the same time quits Arianism and espouses the Consubstantialists Opinion in Spain and for that reason had the Appellation of Catholick given him Mauritius by his Generals Philippicus and Commentiolus worsted the Persians in divers Battles at what time Gregory sirnam'd the Great was chosen Bishop of Rome in a Season when a great Plague raged there Gregory soon after wrote his Dialogues and Evagrius bears Testimony that he wrote his History in the same Age. The Avares and Sclavi having possess'd themselves of Pannonia and the neighbouring Countries Mauritius was almost continually at War with them therefore as he was resolved to keep an Army upon the Frontiers of the Empire to defend the remote Provinces he chose rather that they should take up their Winter Quarters in the Enemies Countries than there which so disgusted the Soldiery that they rebelled against him and chose Phocas a Centurion to be Emperor who presently laying hold of the opportunity marched with a Body of his Troops directly for Constantinople and soon after when he had first slain Mauritius's Sons before his Face put him to Death also who shewed wonderful Constancy in this Tragedy 602. This Phocas is said to have given the Title of Vniversal Patriarch to the Bishops of Rome and a right of Precedency before the Bishop of Constantinople which hapned during the Incumbency of Boniface who next to Sabinianus succeeded Gregory and was the Third of that Name 606. Phocas as he had begun went on to reign cruelly and condemned all to Death whom he suspected to be in the least guilty of any Innovation without excepting his own Sons in Law Hence it was that several conspired together against him and Heraclius and Gregoras made an Agreement between themselves that he should be Emperor that Killed him wherein Heraclius prevail'd who immediately together with his Wife Eudoxia took upon him the Imperial Dignity This Prince observing Phocas's neglect of Military Affairs made it his first Care to levy an Army to oppose the Persians who ravaged all the Frontiers of the Empire Soon after died his Wife after she had brought him forth a Son whom he named Heraclius and dignify'd with the Title of Augustus then with the Permission of Sergius the Patriarch he Married Martina his own Niece 5. 〈◊〉 that time a most wicked Woman in France whose Name was Brunechildis sowed Discord between her Nephews Theodobertus and Theodoricus disturbed the Royal Family and at length after he had been twice overthrown procured Theodobert to be slain by his Brother She her self afterwards took care to have his Children put to Death and then removed Theodoricus also by Poison out of the way who was Succeeded by Clotair his Cousin-German and who obtained the Monarchy of all France which was before divided between the Brethren Now the first Attempts of Heraclius to raise an Army proving slow and faint because he was naturally averse to War the Persians and Avares rejecting the terms of Peace he offer'd them pressed him hard on both Sides so that he went seriously to work about forming an Army wherewith having now made Peace with the Avares he might at least repress the Insolence of the Persians for which end he was forc'd to borrow Silver and Gold Plate and other the Sacred Treasure of the Church Wherefore the War commenced in the Twelfth Year of his Reign at the beginning whereof the Persian General Saes having contrary to the Law of Nations made his 70 Ambassadors Prisoners sent them to King Cosroes who being Angry that he had not taken Heraclius himself commanded Saes his Skin to be flea'd off alive and put Sarbarus into his Command 622. Mahomet this year being accused of Sedition in Mecha a City of Arabia fled to Medina which for that reason by the Arabs is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medinath ol Nabi the Jurisdiction of the Prophet from this year it is that the Mahometans begin their Aera which they called by the name of Hegira i. e. flight It 's said Mahomet was at first a Keeper of Camels but that afterwards by conferring with a certain Monk whose name was Sergius who was a follower of Manetes's Phantastical Opinion he became well instructed in the Notion of Predestination for which the Mahometans are great Sticklers and for those who thought Christ himself had not Suffer'd but that a Phantasm was substituted in his room which is believed by Mahomet's Followers to this day From hence it was that the Crafty Man had an itching desire to erect a new Sect in the World whereof himself was Head wherefore having Married his Mistress whom he had served in looking after her Camels he
of Abraham out of Mesopotamia to the time of the Law given by Moses which we referr to the year of the World 2453 before Christ 1531 and comprehends 431 years The Fourth commences from the time of the Law given by Moses from whence to the taking of Troy we reckon 347 years in the year of the World 2800 before Christ 1184. The Fifth is the Destruction of Troy from whence to the building of the Temple of Jerusalem which was effected An. M. 2992 before Christ 992 are comprehended 192 years The sixth is the Building of the Temple at Jerusalem by Solomon which was 216 years before the first Olympiad which is computed to fall in the year of the World 3208 before Christ 776. The Seventh is taken from the first Olympiad from whence are reckoned 238 years to the return of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity that hapned An. M. 3446 before Christ 538. The Eighth is the Freeing of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity by Cyrus which fell out 336 years before Carthage was overcome by Scipio An. M. 3782 before Christ 202. The Ninth is taken from the Subduing of Carthage which hapned 202 years before our Saviours Birth and fell out in the year of the World 3984. The Tenth is the Birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ from which to the Conversion of Constantine the Great to the Christian Faith are reckoned 312 years which fell out An. M. 4296. The Eleventh is taken from the Conversion of Constantine which hapned 488 years before the Reign of Charles the Great which begun in the year of our Lord 800 An. M. 4784. The Twelfth we fetch from the Reign of Charles the Great with which we close up this our Compendium of Ancient History Now as for those Intervals of time that flow between the several Epochs them we call Periods The Creation The First EPOCH From the beginning of the World to the Deluge are computed 1656 years which space contains The First PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ 1. 3984. THE most accurate Chronologers do reckon that the World was Created in Autumn in the Month of October concerning which you may consult Dionys Petavius his Ration Lib. 2. p. 2. as also his book De Doc. temp p. 2. l. 9. c. 7. We are informed by no other History besides the Scripture what was done in this Interval of time which yet at the same time speaks of things with that obscureness and brevity that but little knowledge of those times can be got from thence Recourse may be had to the first six Chapters of Genesis where after the Creation of the World these are the principal Events to be met with The Creation of Adam and Eve their sinning and begetting Cain and Abel 129. 3855. Cain Slew his Brother Abel when Adam and Eve had no other Sons besides them but afterwards begat Seth the Scripture says nothing of any Children they had of the Female Sex save that before Adam dyed he begat Sons and Daughters Gen. 5.4 987. 2997. Enoch was Translated to Heaven without tasting of Death 1536. 2448. God forewarns the corrupted World of the Deluge by Noah an hundred and Twenty years before it came to pass Here two things are observable the long life of the Antediluvian Patriarchs and their food They lived then many Ages which when some Men have not been able to digest they have said they were Monthly years so that 1200 years before the Deluge made up no more than 100 Solar years but how ridiculous this is will immediately appear by observing of the Computation for according to their Calculation Seth who is said to have begot Children when he was 105 years old must have begot his first born at nine years of Age and others as Enoch Cainan and Mahalaleel must have done so much sooner See Lanct Div. Inst lib. 2. c. 12. As to their Food most of the Ancient and many of the Modern Writers have been of Opinion that they lived only upon Fruit and that eating of Flesh did not begin till after the Flood which is very likely from Gen. 9.3 The Deluge The Second EPOCH From the Deluge to the calling of Abraham are 366 years which Interval makes up The Second PERIOD The year of the World The year before Christ 1656. 2328. GOD sent the Deluge to destroy the Corrupted Race of Mankind from off the face of the Earth and Noah with his Family alone escaped whereof there remain clear Footsteps in the Ancient Monuments of the Heathens concerning which among others Hugo Grotius may be consulted in his Annotations on the first Book of V. R. C. as also Sam. Bochartus in his Phaleg lib. 1. The Memory of Noah and his Sons Sem Cham and Japheth remained among the Heathens though obscured with divers Fables as they have shewed 1809. 2175. Then Mankind began to Build the Tower of Babel to preserve them a Name among Posterity and about which they might fix their Habitations least they should be scattered over the face of the Earth But through Discord they were dissipated into different Regions and it came to pass in process of time that the Original Language underwent various changes among a People that were so remote from one another Of this you may see what we have writ in our Philological Comment upon Gen. 11. The Posterity of Sem fixed their Seats in the upper Asia of Cham partly in Asia and partly in Africa and of Japheth in the lesser Asia and Europe See Gen. c. 10. as also the forecited Bochartus Soon after the first Discipation of Mankind Nimrod the Son of Chus who in the Chaldee is called Bar-Chus whence the name of Bacchus amongst the Greeks began to settle his Empire in Mesopotamia the beginning of whose Kingdom were Babylon Ezech Chalne and Acchad in the Land of Sinaar that is Babylon from whence he went out into Assyria and built Nineve Rechoboth Chalach and Rosen as Moses relates Gen. 10.10 11. by which words is only meant that he laid the Foundation of those Cities which were afterwards so called for Nineve was so named some ages after by Ninus See Bochartus his Phaleg Lib. 4. c. 12. But whether the Kingdom descended from this first King to his Posterity is uncertain Africanus doth indeed recite the Names of seven Chaldean Kings and six Arabian that Reigned in Babylon but these are clearly different from those which some have produced out of Ctesia The first that Africanus has is called Evechous but that in Ctesia is Belus and therefore all these are to be reckoned amongst the obscure number See Is Vossius and Dion Petavius Kingdoms were in those times very small and what has been usually said of that great Empire of Babylon whose bounds were extended by Ninus the Son of Belus who is thought to have been Nimrod through all the greater Asia is a meer Fable The Earth in those days was in a manner incumbred every where with Trees and inhabited rather
that such a vast number of People could be contained in the lower Egypt but the wonder will be lessen'd to him that considers how populous and fertil Egypt was of Old Concerning which consult J. Vossius observ var. c. 10. Neither could there be any danger in the Opinion though we were to grant that the Copyers or Transcribers might through neglect mistake in the number so as that they are sometimes found in our Books to be more than really they were But of this we shall speak elsewhere After they had passed dry-shod through the Red-Sea they lived forty years in the Desarts of Arabia where what befell them is contained in Exodas Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy There it was more especially that they received the Law which comprehended three sorts of Precepts The first related to good Manners and were common to all Mankind alike others related to Sacred Rites and the third were established for the Government of Civil Society The Moral Precepts were approved of by all Civilized Nations and every Wife Man as to the Ceremonials there are several of them taken from those of the Egyptians which God established by a Law because the Israelites were already used to them those being rectified which might be faulty concerning which you may consult the Famous J. Marsham and J. Spencera There were also many things in their Polity alike from whence it came to pass that the Athenian Laws agreed in many things with those of the Hebrews as Learned Men and especially Sam. Petyte have observed which last has made a Collection of them because that as Cecrops the first King of Athens being an Egyptian born brought his own Country Laws into the Country of the Athenians so also Moses by God's Command the Children of Israel having been used to the Laws of Egypt commanded many Precepts out of them though he added many particular ones But above all others this was peculiar to the Common-wealth of Israel that God was the chief Magistrate therein and that there was no name of any other Polity could agree with it so that a new one was to be invented which they called a Theocracy 2493. 1421. Moses dyed before he got into the Land of Canaan leaving to the Jews that Law which he had given them in the Name of God 2498. 1486. Joshua having Subdued the Land of Canaan divided it among the twelve Tribes and dyed eight years after 2570. 1425. The Argives having turned out Gelanor the last King of Inachus's Race gave the Government to Danaus who came from Egypt into Greece 2525. 1459. When the Children of Israel after the Death of Joshua fell into Idolatry they were Conquered by Cuschan King of Mesopotamia and paid him Tribute for eight years but at length they were delivered by Othoniel the first Judge after Joshua in Israel 2583. 1401. The Israelites returning again to their former sins were subdued by Eglon King of Moab who was Slain by Ehud their second Judge Some think that Minos Reigned about this time others will have him to have Reigned King of Crete much later some again contend there were two of them one more Ancient and a famous Law-giver and the other co-temporary with Theseus who also lived about the end of this our Period The Kingdom of Troy was Erected and Enlarged in the lesser Asia by Dardanus Erichthonius Tros Assaracus Laomedon and some other Princes Pelops the Phrygian the Son of Tantalus Reigned in Peloponnesus and left his Name to all that Country At this time the Isthmian Games were institutedh which were Celebrated in Honour of Archemorus every third year at the Isthmus of Corinth But some will have them to have been Consecrated to the Memory of Archemorus by Adrastus and those Captains that went to Thebes which hapned later perhaps these only restored them in Honour of Archemorus Belus in the same Age Reigned in Assyria and after his Death was reputed to have been taken into the number of the Gods 2663. 1321. Jabin King of Canaan Subdued the Israelites but they were delivered Twenty years after by Deborah and Barak 2730. 1254. He was Succeeded by Gideon who overthrew the Midianites without fighting this Man was otherwise called Jerubbaal and Sanchoniathon of Berytis consulted him when he writ his History which he composed in the Phoenician Tongue and which Philo-byblius translated into Greek of which version there are some fragments still remaining See Sam. Bochaâ—tus in his Canaan lib. 2. Cap. ult You may also consult Henry Dodwell's Dissertation concerning it who would have Sanchoniathon to be a Supposititious Author 2770. 1214. Abimelech the Son of Gideon after he had Slain his Seventy Brethren Invaded the Office of Judge He was Succeeded by Thola Jair and Jephtha whose Deeds are recorded in the Book of Judges We shall only observe out of the History of Jephtha who vowed his Daughter in Sacrifice that some Learned Men have thought the Fable of Iphigenia to have sprung from thence whom the Greeks are said to have Slain in Aulis Certainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not much differ about which you may consult Capellus in his Diatriba de voto Jephthae But these belong to the following Period Many things during the time of these Judges in Israel worthy of Remembrance have hapned both in the East and West which cannot be reduced to any certain year Ninus the Son of Belus Reigned in the Greater Asia in the time of Deborah the same that built Niniveh and extended the Empire of Assyria far and near through Asia It was then this Empire seems to have begun to Flourish so as that Ninus may be esteemed as it were the founder of it The Computation of Herodotus is herein more exact from which it appears that the Empire of the Ancient Assyrians lasted only 500. years especially in the upper Asia After Ninus his Death his Widow Semiramis Ruled the Empire concerning whom as well as Ninus you may read Justin lib. 1. Palaetyrus or old Tyre was built in the Reign of Ninus as some would have it but others have thought it to be much older As for Greece there were several Kings who Reigned one after another as well in Athens as in Peloponnesus In Erichthonius his Reign who was the fourth King of the Athenians from Cecrops were the Panathenaea or Minerva's Festival instituted and under Erichtheus the Sixth King were appointed the Eleusinian Sacrifices in Eleusis a City in the Province of Athens which were attended with very Great and Sacred Rites and Phoemonoe was the first Priest at Delphos that delivered Oracles in Hexameter Verse Amphion Reigned in these times at Thebes and Perseus at Mycene A little after the time of Baruck the Theban Hercules the Son of Amphitryon and Alcmene Flourished He was believed to have been Jupiter's Son because in Old Times all that were Valiant were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Jupiter's Sons even as the Hebrews called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Sons of the Strong or of the Gods Bene Elim There were other Hercules's older than this of whom as also of their whole History we have Treated in a particular Dissertation already The expedition of the Argonauts is to be referred to that Age which seems to be mingled with Fables that arose from want of a right understanding of the words of the Phoenicians that related to them For example a Ship is called Argo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Archo in the Phoenician Tongue signifies a Long Ship It 's said that Ship spoke because the Phoenician word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doberah signifies one speaking or the Helm See Sam. Bochart in his Canaan and my Dissertation de Statua Salina Atreus and Thyestes lived a little after in the Peloponnesus who were Notorious for their mutual enmities and wickedness Theseus brought twelve Towns built by Gecrops in the Land of Athens in the time of Gideon into one City Seven Captains wage War against Polynice King of Thebes to wit Adrastus Eteocles Amphiaraeus Tydeus Hippomedon Capaneus and Parthenopeus Most of these having perished in that War their Children called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Posterity by way of Peculiarity were revenged upon the Thebans ten years after whom they overthrew in a great Battel under the Conduct of Alcmeon Amphiaraus his Son 2655. 1329. 2768. 1216. Janus Reigned in Italy an Hundred and fifty years before the Arrival of Aeneas and Latinus about 35 years The Destruction of Troy The Fifth EPOCH There are 192 years from the Destruction of Troy to the Building of the first Temple of Jerusalem which makes up The Fifth PERIOD The Year of the World The Year before Christ 2800. 1184. A War arose between the Trojans and Graecians about Paris the Son of Priamus King of Troy his stealing away Helen the Wife of Menelaus King of Sparta which after Ten years continuance ended in the Destruction of Troy We shall hereafter mingle this Epoch taken out of prophane History with those Epochs taken from the Scripture because there is nothing generally so Celebrated in the History of the Heathens as this is Jair the Gileadite was Judge in Israel at this time Ibsan Elon Abdon Sampson Eli and Samuel Succeeded him in this Period in order whose years may be taken out of Petavius his Tables and teir History from the Scripture 2832. 1182. Aeneas that same year when Troy was taken in the Autumn Sailed into Thrace where he wintered and two years after while he tarryed in Sicily whither he went from Thrace having weathered the Tyrrhene Sea he arrived in the Summer at Laurentum and soon after having Marryed Lavinia King Latinus's Daughter he Built the City Lavinium on that Coast 2803. 1181. The Rutilians under the Conduct of Turnus wage War against Latinus and Aeneas wherein Latinus and Turnus were killed Aeneas Reigned three years in Italy Petavius will supply you with the order of his Successors 2817. 1167. A few years after the Kingdom of Sicyon which according to the computation of some had lasted about a Thousand years entirely ended To wit the year before Jeptha took upon him to be Judge in Israel 2832. 1152. Ascanius the Son of Aeneas Built Alba Longa Thirty years after the Building of Lavinium 2881. 1103. The Heraclidae under the Conduct of Temenus Cresphon and Aristodemus fixed their Habitations in Peloponnesus in the time of Sampson's Judging Israel Next year began the Kingdom of Corinth as also of the Lacedaemonians which was continued by the two Families of Erysthenides and Proclides descendants from Hercules Here the Epoch is fixt of the Return of the Heraclidae which is much celebrated among the Greek Writers They were said to have returned at that time into Peloponnesus because they had endeavoured though in vain an Hundred years before to invade that Country 2189. 1095. That return of theirs hapned to be when Eli was Judge in Israel who being Succeeded by Samuel the Children of Israel in his time despising the Authority of the Judges would have a King set over them and so Saul of the Tribe of Benjamin was Elected In his time Codrus the last King of Athens Sacrificed his Life for the safety of his People whose Sons Medon and Nileus contending for the Kingdom the Athenians took the opportunity to abolish the Royal power and made choice of Archons whose Office was to be perpetual but they were to give an account to the People of the Administration and Medon Codrus's Son was the first that bore that Office 2913. 1071. In these times the Greeks that were the Posterity of the * Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which may be read Ion or Javan Javans or Ionians sent Colonies into Asia from whence they came wherefore the Javanian Athenians and their Posterity the †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bene Eol the Sons of a Storm or such as in a Storm came from Asia into Greece Aeolians contended that Asia Minor was first planted with their Colonies whereas they ought to have acknowledged that they themselves were descended from thence but that afterwards they stocked the Country with new Colonies that was till then but ill Peopled They were the People that Built Cuma and Smyrna 2929. 1055. David Reigned after Saul being descended of the Tribe of Judah and was at first a Shepherd afterwards both King and Prophet 2969. 1015. Solomon succeeded David as famous in the Art of Peace as his Father excelled for his Knowledge in Military Affairs and he built a Temple unto God The Building of the Temple of Jerusalem The Sixth EPOCH From the Building of the Temple of Jerusalem to the first Olympiad are computed 216 years which makes The Sixth PERIOD 2992. 992. SOlomon built a Temple unto God which his Father David who was desirous to set upon that work was forbid to do and finished the same in the 23d year of his Reign Herein was the Ark of the Covenant laid up which before was wont to be kept in Moses his Tabernacle The Scripture informs us that this King was adorned with all accomplishments both of Body and Mind but that towards the end of his Life he had not been able to withstand the Temptations of Women so that he fell unto base Idolatry for the love of his Wives and Concubines whereof he had very many In his time the Kings of Tyre were very potent and Hiram then Reigning made a League with Solomon See Marsham ad Saec. 14. Hadarezer or his Son Reigned in Syria as appears from 2 Sam. 10. and from that time forward the Kings of Syria seem to have been very powerful to the time of Nabopolassar who brought Syria as well as Judaea under the Subjection of the Assyrian Empire See 1 Kings 20.2 and 2 Kings 8 9 12. Petavius thinks Homer lived at this time which was not two Hundred years after the Destruction of Troy See his Book De Doct. Temp. 9. c. 30. Some make him an Hundred years later at
under the leading of Leonidas durst with wonderfull boldness oppose his Land-forces at the Streights of Thermopylae where valiantly fighting they were every man of them Slain But that vast Army was next year utterly overthrown at Plataea a City of Boeotia Mardonius being General of the Persians as Pausanias and Aristides were of the Graecians In these times flourish'd Pindar the Poet and Anaxagoras the Philosopher 3057. 477. LXXV iv 277. Caeso Fabius who with the single Family of the Fabij to the number of three hundred and six of ripe years and four thousand Vassals made War against the Vejentians was overthrown by them at the River Cremera and the whole Army destroyed of which Ovid in his Fastorum says Una dies Fabios ad bellum miserat omnes Ad Bellum missos perdidit una dies One day the Fabij all One day the Fabian Race made all extinct But that many things are false herein as that amongst such a number of Men grown there was one under Age is shewn by Dionys Halicarnasseus and the matter is handled at large by Jac. Perizonius in his Observ c. 5. At this time Sicily was imbroil'd several ways what with Gelon and Hieron Tyrants of Syracuse and Theron of Agrigentum within and the Carthaginians from without who endeavoured to possess themselves of it 3510. 474. LXXVI iii. 280. Artaxerxes was made partner with his Father in the Kingdom About the same time Sophocles began to teach the way of Tragedies and a few years after was the most excellent Tragedian Euripides born In the same Age also flourished Herodotus of Hallicarnassus who is the most Ancient of all the Greek Historians we have 3514. 470. LXXVII iii. 284. Cimon the Son of Miltiades Admiral of the Athenians Fleet took away several Cities of Asia from the Persians and overcame them at Sea with two hundred and fifty Ships only when they had no less than three hundred and forty and a little after gained another Victory over their Land Forces at Eurymedon a City of Pamphylia The Athenians at that time waged War with good success against their Neighbours in Greece and gave divers overthrows to the Thassians Thracians and Aeginetans The Lacedaemonians also brought the Hilotes and Messenians who Rebelled against them under Subjection again having sent home the Auxiliary Troops of Athens because of the suspicion they had of them 3516. 468. LXXVIII i. 286. T. Quinctius General of the Romans obtained a Victory over the Voscians and after the taking of Antium Triumphed Next year upon the Death of Hieron in the Isle of Sicily succeeded his Brother Thrasibulus in his Tyranny over Syracuse but being expelled by the Syracusians he went into Banishment to Locris and from that time forward the Syracusians enjoyed a free State for 40 years together till Dionysius his days 3519. 465. LXXVIII iv 289. Artabanus the Hyrcanian slew Xerxes and Accused his Brother Darius of the Parricide before Artaxerxes whom as we have said Xerxes had made his Copartner in the Empire Darius being condemn'd to die Artaxerxes was wounded by Artabanus but afterwards slain by him whence he obtain'd the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Long Hands and began this year to Reign alone and Reigned XL years To him Themistocles fled in his Banishment who was very kindly received and rewarded by him The same Artaxerxes was a great favourer of the Jews and in the twentieth year of his Reign gave Nehemiah leave to Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem when Cyrus had only allowed them the favour of Rebuilding the Temple Nehemiah finish'd that work in a very short time notwithstanding all the opposition made to the contrary by the neighbouring Samaritans Ammonites and Arabians 3522. 462. LXXIX iii. 292. In the mean while there was a Law made at Rome after several Tumults raised by the People which was called the Terentian Law concerning the Quinqueviri that were to be created with consular power as well from among the Commonalty as Nobility The year after Ap. Herdonius the Sabine with four thousand Exiles and Servants seized on the Capitol but soon after by the assistance above all others of the Tusculans they were driven out Thenceforward the Romans gave many overthrows to the Sabines and Aequi and when it hapned so that Minucius the Consul through ill management was Besieged by the Aequi in his Camp Quinctius Cincinnatus being called from his Plow to take upon him the Office of Dictator he conquered the Aequi and made them Slaves The Athenians this very time under the Conduct of Leocrates often beat the Corinthians and Epidaurians and forced Garrisons upon the Aeginetae and Megarensians after which under the leading of Myronides they Routed the Lacedaemonians and from this spark was afterwards that flame of the Peloponnesian War kindled 3530. 454. LXXXI iii. 300. Petavius thinks that Daniel s Seventy weeks ought to take their beginning from this year See Lib. 12. de Doc. temp This same year upon the Abrogating of the Terentian Law concerning the Quinqueviri there were three Embassadors sent into Greece to make an inspection into the Laws of that Country and especially into those of Athens that they might amend the Roman Laws by them Upon the return of the Embassadors which was three years after the Tribunes of the People and Consuls were laid aside and the Decemviri constituted to set down the Laws of the Common-wealth who were the first that reduced the same into ten Tables which by the addition of two more to them afterwards made up those Famous twelve Tables which were the foundation of the whole Body of the Roman Laws After the Republick had for the space of two years or a little more been Governed by this sort of Magistracy it reverted to its Ancient form upon this occasion As the Decemviri demeaned themselves but indifferently in their charge and that Appius Claudius had made Virginia a free Maiden of Rome a Slave out of the hopes he had to enjoy her her Father Virginius Slew him made the People Mutiny and brought things so to bear that the Office of the Decemviri was Abrogated and Tributes of the People and Consuls were chosen again While these things were doing in Rome Nehemiah returning from Chaldaea together with Ezra the Scribe Rectified the corrupt manners of the Jews and pressed upon them the observation of the Law of Moses From this time it was that the Jews began to gather the Books of Scripture together into one Volume which is the same we have at this day But seeing that the Jews during the Babylonish Captivity had almost forgot the Hebrew Tongue and way of Writing the Ancient Books were written in Assyrian Characters and what was read in the Hebrew Tongue in the Scriptures was expounded to the People in the Chaldee See Lud. Capellus concerning the Hebrew letters But the Samaritans when they received Moses his Law before the Phoenician or Ancient Character was grown quite obsolete preserved them from whence it comes
the Samnites a great overthrow Marius in the mean time by the assistance of C. Sulpicius Tribune of the People endeavoured to deprive him of his Command But Sulla returning out of Campania to Rome slew Sulpicius and put Marius to flight Italy was again much afflicted the following year with the Armies commanded by Marius Cinna Carbo and Sertorius while Sulla won many Battels from Mithridates and wasted his Army Marius dying of Sickness Cinna being then Consul L. Flaccus succeeded Sulla in the Command but his own Lieutenant Fimbria killed Flaccus who being afterwards forsaken by the Army that went over to Sulla slew himself Nay Cinna was also slain by the very Army he got ready to march against Sulla leaving the Consulship to Carbo alone who refused to accept of the Terms of Peace offered him by Sulla This Man therefore marched out of Greece at the Head of Thirty thousand Men and with them overthrew a much more numerous Army of Cn. Norbanus Flaccus the Consul in Battel At the same time Q. Sertorius who had an Army in Italy despairing of any good Success went into the farther Province of Spain which fell unto his lot to govern But Cneus Pompeius who afterwards conquered him joined Sulla with three Volonian Legions being then but Three and twenty Years old Sulla next year overthrew C. Marius the other 's Son in battel at Praeneste and then possessing himself of the City confiscated the Estates of his Enemies He also fought with and overcame the Praetor Damasippus Marius Carrinates and the Samnite Troops before the Gate called Collina He was afterwards made Dictator which Office after three years space he laid down of himself 3906. 78. CLXXV iii. 676. Hyrcanus upon the death of King Alexander his Father succeeded him in the Kingdom of Judaea and reigned eleven years In the mean time Sertorius in Spain being one while beaten another while Victor worsted the Roman Armies commanded by Metellus and Pompey in divers Battels till that after five years both himself and Perpenna his Lieutenant were slain by the Treachery of their own Men whereby Pompey had the opportunity of recovering Spain At that time Servilius conquered the Isaurians and took their Cities in Cilicia from whence having got the Sirname of Isauricus conquered the Pirates and reduced Cilicia and Crete into the form of a Province he triumphed L. Lucullus engaged in the Mithridatick War and won many Victories over that King That War called the Servile one breaking forth under the Conduct of Spartacus it was with difficulty put an end to in three years space by M. Crassus the Praetor and Cn. Pompeius Cicero was then Quaestor in Sicily and began to be famous for his Eloquence Varro also with Lucretius Catullus and other learned Men lived in those days 3917. 67. CLXXVIII ii 687. Servilius having not perfectly destroyed the Cilician Pirates and others who having repaired their Shipping infested the Seas every where Pompey was entrusted with an extraordinary Commission to clear the Seas from those Robbers which he perform'd with that celerity that he either took them all or having burnt their Ships rendred them incapable of more mischief in the space of forty days The same Pompey being next year sent against Mithridates did at length put a final period to that War and so had the honour of Triumphing He performed also many famous Exploits almost throughout all Asia Then Hyrcanus King and High-Priest of the Jews was put out of the Pontificate by his Brother Aristobulus who exercised that Charge for the space of three years but being taken Prisoner by Pompey when he conquered Jerusalem he was together with his Children sent to Rome and Hyrcanus restored again to his former Office The same year Cicero being Consul delivered the Commonwealth of Rome from a most dangerous Conspiracy Cataline who was the Chief of it being overcome and slain by Petreius Lieutenant to Anthony the other Consul 3924. 60. CLXXX i. 694. Pompey Crassus and Caesar having contracted a strict Friendship one with another formed a Design of oppressing the Commonwealth now distracted with divers Factions Caesar obtained Gaul for his Province and held the same for ten years Syria fell to Crassus his lot from whence marching against the Parthians he was together with his Son P. Crassus and the whole Army hemmed in by their Horse and slain The two Provinces of Spain came to Pompey's share In the mean time Cicero was sent to and recalled from Banishment Hyrcanus in Judaea being driven out of Jerusalem by Alexander the Son of Aristobulus was restored by Gabinius This same Gabinius that he might lessen the Authority of the Grand Synedrim or Council at Jerusalem erected four more like thereunto viz. at Gadaris Amathus Jericho and Saphoris While Caesar was getting several Victories over the Gauls and Germans Pompey dedicated his Theatre and gave Plays wherein ten Lions and eighteen Elephants were slain But Crassus as was said before warring rashly against the Parthians perished in the said Expedition 3933. 51. CLXXXII ii 703. Cicero this year got a Decree of the Senate to make him Proconsul in Cilicia and after having overcome some bands of Robbers in Mount Amanus and taken some Castles was saluted by the Army with the Title of Imperator Cassius also at the same time valiantly defended Syria against the Irruption of the Parthians so that they were forced to be gone re infectâ Next year after the Senate had in vain required Caesar to dismiss his Army broke out the Civil War between him and Pompey wherein first Caesar entring Italy with his Army drove the Senate and Pompey from thence Then Pompey's Troops in Spain submitted to him and after that returning victorions to Rome he entred upon the Consulship and having transported his Army over into Epirus he overcame Pompey himself who flying into Egypt was slain by Ptolemy Caesar pursuing Pompey thither was very like to have been cut off by the King of Egypt yet he overcame the Alexandrians and entred upon the Office of Perpetual Dictator He conquer'd Scipio Pompey's Son-in Law in Africa the following year and at last in the fifth year from the first breaking out of the Civil War beat Pompey's Sons in Spain by which last Victory he got the Sovereign Power entirely into his hands Then he bethought himself of regulating the Course of the Year and seeing the preceding one which was called the Year of Confusion by his Command consisted of 445 Days this which was the 45th before the Birth of our Saviour was the First Julian Year the same being made up of 365 Days and 6 Hours which being set together make One Day in every Fourth Year the same being called the Bissextile or Leap-Year See Pet. Rationar p. 2. l. i. c. 1. He was slain in the fourth year of his Dictatorship and the sixth after the commencement of the Civil War on the First of March in the Senate-House There was one Antipater an Edomite by Nation who
being advanced by the favour of Hyrcanus to the highest Employments at the Court of Jerusalem proved very serviceable to Caesar in the Expedition he made to Alexandria and therefore was made by him Governor of Judaea This Man was Herod the Great 's Father who for all that upon the death of Caesar assisted Cassius and when he was overcome joined in with the Interests of M. Antony as we shall see by and by and made way for himself to obtain the Throne by his marrying some time after Mariamne Hyrcanus's Grand-daughter We are to observe in the first place that Brutus and Cassius who were Heads of the Conspiracy for cutting off of Julius Caesar were in some time overcome by C. Octavius Caesar and M. Antony after they had caused great Disturbances in the Empire which would be too tedious for me to particularize what was most remarkable were the Proscriptions they made wherein perished a great many of the best and most accomplish'd Men of which number was Cicero M. Lepidus as Triumvir had a hand in these mischiefs with Antony and Caesar and then dying left the Supreme Power in their hands but they almost ever after were at perpetual enmity one with another until at last they brake out into a Civil War Sextus Pompeius who was the only surviving Son of Pompcy the Great was then in possession of Sicily and had a strong Naval Force but being at length conquered by Octavius Caesar he was by Antony's Command cut off as he was going to him for succour 3945. 39. CLXXXV ii 715. The Parthians while these things were in agitation brake into Syria and having seized on Jerusalem they at the Instigation of Antigonus the Son of Aristobulus cut off the Ears of Hyrcanus divested him of the Pontificate and made Antigonus High-Priest in his room Herod who took Hyrcanus's part fled to Antony and Caesar at Rome of whom he obtained the Kingdom of Judaea according to a Decree of the Senate beyond his own expectation From thence going into Judaea and being assisted by C. Sosius he took Jerusalem in the fourth year of his Reign Having made Antigonus a Prisoner he crucified him and thus having put an end to the Dominion of the Hasmonaean Family that had continued One hundred twenty six years he advanced one Ananelus who was fetch'd from Babylon and made him High-Priest but he discharged him afterwards and put in Aristobulus the Brother of Mariamne his Wife whom soon after because he found him Popular he caused to be strangled as he was swimming He also commanded his Wife Mariamne to be beheaded some years after because she continually upbraided him with that Murther 3953. 13. CLXXXVI ii 723. This year was the Actian War waged by Augustus Caesar against Antony and Cleopatra wherein the former prevailed and took Egypt while the other two laid violent hands upon themselves Caesar triumphed the third year after and it was not long before he obtained the Name of Augustus The Actions performed by him we shall pass over as having been set forth by divers Persons and only say That after such bloody Beginnings when once he got the Supreme Power into his own hands entirely he proved to be an excellent Prince and govern'd the Commonwealth with great Clemency the most notable Examples whereof you have in Seneca de Clementia He was also a favourer of Learning whereby it came to pass that many excellent Men flourish'd in all sorts of good Literature in his time the chief of whom whose Writings have reach'd our hands were Livy Strabo Vitruvius Virgil Horace Tibullus Propertius Ovid c. He had no Male Children but only one Daughter named Julia whom at first he married to Marcellus his Sister's Son that died young and afterwards to M. Vipsanius Agrippa who together with Mecaenas was his intimate Friend From this last Marriage came Caius and Lucius Caesaeres who being Adopted by their Grand-father died young Augustus also Adopted Tiberius and Drusus his Sons-in-Law the Children of Livia Tiberius died without leaving any Child for his Son Drusus by the treachery of his Wife Livia died before him But from Germanicus the Son of Drusus came a numerous Progeny of whom hereafter yet Germanicus himself as well as his Father Drusus lived not to an advanced Age. 3979. 5. CXCIII iv 750. Herod after the perpetrating of various Murthers and even upon his own Children Alexander and Aristobulus Mariamne's Sons being near his end for the compleating of his Cruelty slew the Children of Bethlehem because there was a rumour spread abroad That the King of the Jews should be born there For Christ according to the Calculation of Petavius whom we follow herein was born about Fifteen Months before the death of Herod The Wise Men soon after came into Judaea and from their making an enquiry where the King of the Jews was born Herod took occasion to cut off the Infants as aforesaid He also a little after commanded his Son Antipater whom he kept in Prison and knew he had designed to poison him to be slain The which when Augustus heard Macrobius in his Saturn lib. ii c. 4. says he should express himself to this purpose That it were better to be Herod 's Hog than his Son Archelaus after Herod's death came to Rome that in pursuance to his Father's Will he might obtain the Kingdom of Judaea from Augustus who divided the same into Tetrarchies or four Governments two whereof he bestowed upon Archelans and gave Herod Antipas and Philip each of them one 3983. 1. CXCIV iv 753. Though all Chronologers do agree that our Saviour was born about these Times yet as to the Year they do not agree some are of opinion that blessed Nativity happened six years before the vulgar Computation Petavius thinks it to have been five and Baronius and Scaliger with some others will have it to be no more than two years In the mean time that they may not derogate from the ancient usage and lest a confusion should be introduced into the Account all reckon the Years according to the Vulgar Opinion which is That our Saviour was born when Cossus Cornelius Lentulus and L. Calphurnius Piso were Consuls on the Twenty fift Day of December Forty three Years after the first Consulship of Augustus when in conjunction with Antony and Lepidus he invaded the Rights of the Commonwealth of Rome Yet this is not accounted the First Year of Christ but the following one only in reference to the Calculation of the Julian Year Christ The Xth EPOCH From the Nativity of Christ to the Conversion of Constantine the Great are reckon'd Three Hundred and Twelve Years which makes up The Xth PERIOD Years from the Birth of Christ 3. TIBERIVS who was of a morose and jealous Nature being not able to agree with Caius and Lucius Caesars withdrew into the Isle of Rhodes and lived there for seven years but having this year obtained leave of Augustus he came back to Rome wherein Lucius being sent into
worthy in the opinion of the Nobles of the Royal Dignity Aistulphus who at that time was King over the Lombards drove Eutychius at length out of Italy and so an end was put to the Power of the Eastern Emperors in that Country The same Aistulphus began to be troublesom to the Pope and endeavoured to Possess himself of the City of Rome but Stephen Zachary's Successor withstood him stiffly and having sought to Constantine for Aid to no purpose he has recourse to Pippin to whom he privily wrote Letters wherein he begged his Assistance against the Lombards and Pippin at length prevail'd so far with Aistulphus as to make a Truce with the Pope but Aistulphus refusing to stand to his Promise Stephen in the year 754. went himself in Person to Pippin and wrought so far upon him as to raise an Army to pass over the Alps in his favour who accordingly entring Italy overthrew Aistulphus's Forces and at last granted him Conditions of Peace But so as that he should deliver up Ravenna to the Pope and make restitution of whatever he had taken from him From thence he returned into France and finding by the time a year came about that Aistulphus had violated his Faith he made a second Expedition into Italy and having beaten Aistulphus again imposed the same Conditions upon him Here was laid the principal foundation of the Pope's Power so that the Roman Pontiffs were beholding almost for all to Pippin and Charles the Great In the mean time Constantine having assembled 338 Bishops held the Seventh General Council wherein Images were put down and called Idols The Iconolatrae or Image-Worshippers do not allow this to have been a lawful Synod because the Western Bishops consent was wanting 759. Jusaph who reigned over the Saracens in Spain was dispossess'd in the Name of the King of the Asian-Saracens by reason of an overthrow given him by the remainders of the Christians in that Kingdom and Abderamen made King in his stead who reigned at Corduba Seven and twenty Years 763. All the Work which the Image-Worshippers found for Constantine could not hinder him from making War upon the Bulgarians whom he overcame and at his return to Constantinople triumphed tho' the Turks breaking into Armenia through the Streights of the Caspian Sea committed great Depredations there as they did afterwards and won great Victories over the Saracens themselves 766. He sent Ambassadors not long after to Pippin to perswade him to take away the Images about which there arose much Strife between the Greeks and Latins in the Synod of Gentiliacum but nothing seems to have been determined upon that Head The Greeks also accused the Latins because they added and from the Son to the Nicene Creed where it treats of the Procession of the Holy Ghost whereas it was only before who proceeds from the Father 768. This year wherein after much Contention Stephen III. was chosen Bishop of Rome died Pippin who left his Sons Charles and Carloman to succeed him Constantine about the same time finding by Experience that the Monks were a sort of People given to Sedition commanded them to leave their Monasteries and to Marry and so live among the Laiety unless they rather chose to be banished 771. Carloman after a Reign of Four Years died and left his Brother Charles sole Monarch of France who not long after sent Bertha Daughter to Desiderius King of the Lombards back to her Father This Prince divested Pope Stephen of the Exarchate of Ravenna and Charles's Ambassadors could by no means bring him to restore it which made Charles march with an Army into Italy and wrest that out of his hands which he could not effect by an Ambassy and so put an end to the Kingdom of the Lombards Paul the Deacon was Secretary to Desiderius and was the most Learned Man of those times and therefore highly esteemed by Charles who as the times went was a Learned Prince Alcuin an Englishman and Charles his Tutor was also a Person not inferior to the Deacon 773. The Saxons by their continual Rebellions cut out much Work for him now and afterwards while that Constantine the Emperor died in the mean time leaving Leo III. his Son to succeed him who also created his Son Constantine of that same Name with his Grandfather Emperor when he had first bound his Nobles by an Oath that they should suffer no other to Reign Leo had before this made his Wife Irene his Mother's Name-sake Augusta This same Princess was the King of Bulgaria's Daughter whereas the other Irene was Daughter to the King of the Chazari which I thought fit to take notice of in this place lest the sameness of the Name should work any Confusion in History 779. Whilst Charles the Great overcame the Saracen Prince of Navarr in Spain Leo also got a great Victory over that People in Syria This Prince was so set against the Idolaters or Image-Worshippers that upon his finding some Images with his Wife Irene he abstain'd from her Company tho' she denied that she knew any thing of them Irene soon after upon his Death in her Son's Name assumed the Imperial Power and held it for Ten Years Thereupon the Images were presently set up again and the Monks and Nuns sent into their Monasteries Nicephorus Leo's Brother whom Copronymus had formerly given the Dignity of Caesar to was still alive who when some of the Nobles had endeavoured to advance to the Throne was seized by Irene together with his Brothers shorn and shut up in a Monastery 786. Irene this year endeavoured to assemble a General Council at Constantinople in order to Condemn the Image-Breakers but was obstructed in her Design by a Sedition of the Common People yet next year there was one held at Nice wherein the Image-Breakers were condemned and this second Nicene Council was called the Seventh General one by those who approved of the Worship of Images Irene and Charles could not well agree because Rachisius Duke of Beneventum her Vassal was quelled by Charles when he would have made War upon the Bishop of Rome wherefore the Proud Woman sent an Army into Italy to restore the Kingdom of the Lombards but being overthrown by Charles's Forces they returned to Constantinople without effecting their Design 788. This year the Normans or Danes arriving at first with three Ships only in Britain ravaged the Sea-Coast of it In the mean time the Government of Irene grew daily more and more intolerable to the Nobility but when she observed that some of them favoured her Son's Interest she thrust them into Monasteries and forced the Inhabitants of Constantinople to Swear fealty to her without any mention of her Son But she could not the year following hinder Constantine by a Joint Consent of the Army to be advanced to his Father's Throne Tho' this Prince who before was invited by every body to take the Administration upon him being beaten often in the succeeding years became hated almost of all Men