Res Gestae

Firmus, weakened by the losses of two battles and chafing in his inmost heart, in order not to neglect even one last measure, sent priests of the Christian sect with hostages to beg for peace. These were received courteously and, on their promise to furnish the necessities of life for the soldiers, as was ordered, they brought back a favourable reply and peace; whereupon the Moor himself, after sending presents, went with some confidence to the Roman general, mounted upon a horse that would prove useful in times of danger; and when he had come near, dazzled by the gleaming standards and the fear-inspiring expression of Theodosius, he sprang from his mount, and with bowed neck almost prostrate on the ground blamed with tears his rashness, and begged for pardon and

Being received with a kiss, since the interests of the state so demanded, he was now filled with joyful hope, furnished a sufficient amount of provisions, left some of his relatives by way of hostages, and went away, after agreeing to fulfil his promise and return the captives which he had taken at the very beginning of the rebellion. Two days later, without hesitation, he restored, as had been ordered, the town of Icosium, of whose founders I spoke before,[*](The book in which he spoke of this is lost. He perhaps drew his material from Solinus, Polyhist. 25, 17, who ascribes its founding to twenty companions of Hercules, qui a comitatu eius desciverant . . . ac ne quis imposito a se nomine privatim gloriaretur, de condentium numero urbi nomen datum (i.e. from εἴκοσι, twenty).) the military standards, and the priestly crown,[*](The high priest of a province wore a golden crown (according to Tertullian). The reference is to xxviii. 6, 10, where the death of the high priest, Rusticianus, is mentioned.) as well as the rest of the booty which he had taken.

When after this our general had hurried through long marches and was now entering Tipasa, to envoys from the Mazices, who had joined with Firmus, and humbly begged for pardon, he replied with lofty spirit that he would at once take the field against them as traitors.

And when they, paralysed with fear of the imminent danger, had been ordered to return to their homes, he went on to Caesarea,[*](Orosius, vii. 33, 5, says that it was taken and destroyed by Firmus. It was formerly called Iol, but Juba changed the name to Caesarea in honour of Augustus Caesar; cf. Eutr. vii. 10, 3.) formerly a powerful and famous city, the origin of which I have also fully discussed in my description of the topography[*](I.e., descriptione situs. For this meaning of situ, cf. xxiii. 6, 10, and Ernesti, Index, s.v.) of Africa.[*](In a lost book.) On entering the city, and finding it almost wholly burned down from widespread fires, and the pavingstones white with mould, he decided to station the first and second legions there for a time, with

When these events had been spread abroad by frequent and trustworthy rumours, the officials of the province and the tribune Vincentius[*](See 5, 6, above.) came out of the hiding-places in which they had taken refuge, and at last, free from fear, quickly appeared before the general. He, after having seen and received them gladly, being then still at Caesarea, inquired carefully about the true state of affairs; he learned that Firmus, under pretence of fear and submission, was secretly forming the plan of throwing our army into confusion, as if by a sudden tempest, while it feared no hostile demonstration.

Therefore he turned from there and came to the municipal town of Sugabarritanum, on the slope of the Transcellian mountain, where he found the horsemen of the fourth cohort of archers, which had gone over to the rebel; and to show that he was content with a somewhat mild punishment, he degraded them all to the lowest class of the service; then he ordered them and a part of the Constantian[*](Cf. xxi. 11, 2.) infantry, with their tribunes, one of whom had placed his neckchain, in place of a diadem, on Firmus’ head, to come to Tigaviae.

While this was going on, Gildo and Maximus returned, bringing Belles, one of the chiefs of the Mazices, and Fericius, prefect[*](A Roman title adopted by the Mazices.) of the tribe, who had aided the party of the disturber of the public peace[*](A lacuna of four lines follows, after which are the words producerent vinctos, to bring them in chains, or something similar.) . . .