A Manual of Ancient History, Volume 3

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Van Antwerp, Bragg & Company, 1872 - 132 pages

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Page 269 - Athens in the harbor of Syracuse. Had that great expedition proved victorious, the energies of Greece during the next eventful century would have found their field in the West no less than in the East; Greece, and not Rome, might have conquered Carthage; Greek instead of Latin might have been at this day the principal element of the language of Spain, of France, and of Italy; and the laws of Athens, rather than of Rome, might be the foundation of the law of the civilized world.
Page 255 - Superbus, 534-510. RELIGION OF ROME. 23. Before passing to the history of the Republic, we glance at the religion of Rome. For the first 170 years from the foundation of the city, the Romans had no images of their gods. Idolatry has probably been, in every nation, a later corruption of an earlier and more spiritual worship. Roman religion was far less beautiful and varied in its conceptions than that of the Greeks.* It afforded but little inspiration to poetry or art, but it kept alive the homely...
Page 309 - But the same jealousies which had scattered the forces of Greeks and Romans, doomed the barbarians, also, to destruction. Thirty thousand Gauls separated themselves from Spartacus and his Thracians, and were totally destroyed near Crotona. The final encounter took place on the head-waters of the Silarus. Spartacus fell desperately fighting, and his army was destroyed. Only 5,000 of his men made their way to the north of Italy, where they were met by Pompey on his return from Spain, and all put to...
Page 267 - ... bonds to appear the next day before the judgmentseat of Appius Claudius, where it would be shown that she was the daughter of Virginius. Virginius, who was with the Roman army before Tusculum, was hastily summoned, and, after riding all night, reached the city early the next morning. In the character of a suppliant he appeared in the Forum with his daughter and a host of matrons and friends. But his plea was not heard. To his utter amazement and indignation, Appius Claudius decided that the maiden...
Page 253 - Every man who held property was bound to serve in the armies, %nd his military position was accurately graded by the amount of his possessions. Highest of all were the Eq'uites, or horsemen. These were divided into eighteen centuries, of which the first six — two for each original tribe — were wholly patrician, while the remaining twelve were wealthy and powerful plebeians. The mass of the people enrolled for service on foot was divided into five classes. Those who were able to equip themselves...
Page 257 - Latium, but in none of them were audible responses given, by the mouth of inspired persons, as at Delphi. At Albu'nea, near Tibur, Faunus was consulted by the sacrifice of a sheep. The skin of the animal was spread upon the ground ; the person seeking direction slept upon it, and believed that he learned the will of the god by visions and dreams. The Romans frequently resorted to the Greek oracles in southern Italy ; and the most acceptable gift which the inhabitants of Magna Graecia...
Page 320 - Zie'la, and finished the campaign in five days. It was on this occasion that he sent to the Senate his memorable dispatch, "Veni, vidi, vici." * The presence of the chief made a similar transformation of the war in Africa. The Pompeian party had re-established its senate at Utica, and during Caesar's long delay in Egypt had raised an army fully equal to that which had been conquered at Pharsalia. In attempting to carry the war into Africa, Caesar met an unexpected obstacle in a mutiny of his veterans...
Page 258 - Rome, who thus became the exclusive patrons of the privileged class. When, by a change in the constitution, plebeians were at length elected to high offices, the augurs in several cases declared the election null, on the pretext that the auspices had been irregular; and as no one could appeal from their decision, their veto was absolute.
Page 320 - ... succeeded in making his escape from the city. After the struggle had been prolonged for some time, Caesar received reinforcements from Syria, which enabled him to overthrow the army of Ptolemy XIII., who, after the battle, was drowned in the Nile (BC 48). In a naval battle in this war, Caesar was obliged to save his life by swimming from ship to ship, holding his sword in his teeth, and the manuscript of his Commentaries upon the Gallic Wars in one hand over his head. After thus establishing...
Page 260 - They were preceded in public by their guard of twelve lictors, bearing the fasces, or bundles of rods. Out of the city, when the consul was engaged in military command, an ax was bound up with the rods, in token of his absolute power over life and death.

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