Res Gestae

When Theodosius had departed to Caesarean Mauritania, he sent Gildo,[*](He, after the death of the emperor Theodosius, being then commander in Africa, revolted from Honorius.) the brother of Firmus, and Maximus to arrest Vincentius, who as second in command to Romanus participated in his insolence and thefts.

Then, after being joined by his troops somewhat tardily, since they were delayed by the long sea-voyage, he hastened to Sitifis, and gave orders that Romanus should, with his attendants, be handed over to the guard, to be kept in custody. During his stay in that town Theodosius was torn with twofold anxiety and turned over many things in his mind, considering by what way and by what devices he might lead his soldiers, who were accustomed to a cold climate, through lands parched with heat, or might capture an enemy who was a runabout, making sudden moves and trusting rather to secret ambuscades than to stand-up fights.

When this became known to Firmus, at first through uncertain rumour and then through definite information, overcome by the arrival of so brilliant a general, he sent envoys with a letter to ask pardon and indulgence for what had happened, declaring that he had not of his own volition taken a hasty step which he knew to be criminal, but because of unjust and outrageous treatment by Romanus, as he promised to show.

When the general had read the letter, he accepted hostages and promised peace; he then proceeded to the station called Pancharia, in order to review the legions which were

But among many other excellent measures he made himself immensely more beloved by this—that he did not allow the provincials to furnish supplies for the army, declaring with splendid confidence that the harvests and stores of the enemy were the granaries of our valorous troops.[*](Cf. xxiv. 1, 15, virtutis suae horrea. )

After these arrangements had thus been made to the joy of the land-owners, he marched to Tubusuptum, a town near Mount Ferratus, but declined to receive a second deputation from Firmus, because, contrary to the previous agreement, it had brought no hostages with it. From there he carefully examined into everything, so far as present circumstances allowed, and then advanced rapidly against the peoples of the Tyndenses and the Masinissenses, who were provided only with light arms and were led by Mascizel[*](At the command of Honorius he later invaded Africa with an army and killed his brother Gildo (see xxix. 5, 6, note); cf. Claudian, Bell. Gild. i. 389 ff.; Orosius, vii. 36, 4. Stilicho had him thrown from a bridge; cf. Zos. v. 11, who calls him Masceledus.) and Dius, brothers of Firmus.

When the enemy, active in all their limbs, were in sight, a fierce battle began after volleys of missiles from both sides; amid the groans of the dying and the wounded the mournful howls of the barbarians were heard, as they were taken prisoner or killed; and when the contest was ended,

Among such disasters conspicuous were those to an estate called Petrensis, which its owner, Salmaces, a brother of Firmus had built up in the manner of a city,[*](An estate with the surrounding fields; cf. Macelli fundum, xv. 2, 7, note.) and which was utterly destroyed. The victor, elated by this success, with remarkable speed seized the town of Lamfoctum, situated among the aforesaid peoples, where he caused an abundance of provisions to be stored, so that if on penetrating farther into the country he met with a scarcity of food, he might order it to be brought from near at hand.

During the course of these events Mascizel, having recovered his strength by bringing in helpers from neighbouring tribes, engaged with our men; but when very many of his troops were routed, he himself barely escaped the danger of death through the swiftness of his horse.

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