Select Observations of Roman Emperors, Life 32 – Life 34
Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius, and his Son Etruscus Decius.
DECIVS was elect…d Emperor by the Persian Legions, proclaimed in Verona by the Roman Soldiers, and had the voices of the Senate to confirm him.
He was noble by birth, an experienced, wise and valiant Prince; and might have been reckoned among the best; had he not with an heathenish rage *Ad persequendos interficiendosque Christianos, VII. post Neronem feralia dispersit Edicta, plurimosque sanctorum ad coronas Christi de suis crucibus misit. Orosius, l. 7. c. 21.persecuted the Christians, being Author of the 7. persecution.
Persecutio non ab aliquo principali edicto coepit;In Decius his time Lucius Priscus Viceroy of Macedonia usurped the Empire, and Marcus Aufidius Perpenna Licinianus. sed integro anno antecessit. Vates enim sive poeta, quisquis tandem ille fuit, vulgus adversus nos compulit & concitavit, superstitione propria & gentili adactum atque inflammatum. Hi autem ab eo excitati totam pietatem & daemonum culturam in eo sitam existimarunt, ut caedibus contra nos grassarentur. Heraldus in Apologet. Tertul. p. 142, ex Eusebio.
He put more Christians to death in a year and an half, than Trajan (whose name he had,See Besoldus his major synopsis of Hist. and whom he would have been thought to resemble) in 20. Tristan.
It was the Devils policy to employ especially men noted for moral honesty and abilities to massacre God's Saints, that the world might believe those could not chuse but be most abominable, whom such wise and pious men were so earnest to extinguish. Prideaux's Introduction to History.
The Novatians would not communicate with them, who had denyed the Faith in the persecution of Decius, and afterwards repenting turned to the same Faith again. Nicephorus Callistus, l. 12. c. 38.
Ille, qui omnes a baptismo vel semel relapsos crudeli errore damnabat, non existimans iterum in Ecclesiam recipiendos, quid aliud quam Ecclesiarum concordiam dissipabat: hos ad desperationem, illos ad privata agens concilia & coetus? Giselinus in Prudentium, p. 446.
Eusebius Eccles. hist. l. 6. saith, Novatus taught there was no hope of salvation for them that fell in time of persecution; though they performed all things that appertain to true conversion, and a right profession of the Faith. Yet Socrates affirmeth Eccles. hist. l. 1. that the Novatians did not simply deny salvation to such, but the peace of the Church only, and the participation of holy mysteries. There is no heed to be given to Socrates in this relation (though otherwise a faithful Historian) because he was a Novatian, and would therefore speak as favourably as he could of his own opinion, which was hateful to most of the Churches in those times. Hoard his Soul's misery and recovery, p. 472, 474.
The fear of Decius his persecution gave the original to a Monkish life.
He was victorious against the Gothes, and joining a fresh battel with them, was overthrown by the treason of his General, Gallus, saith Pomponius Laetus.
His Son was mortally wounded by an arrow, himself leaping into a *Iusta Dei vindicta, ut qui sanguinem Christianorum sitierat, coenum biberet, & in terram uliginosam vivus descenderet.whirl-pool was never seen after.
Tristan thinketh this misfortune befel Decius for a punishment of his persecutions.
Vopiscus in the life of Aurelian, and Pomponius Laetus compare Decius and his Son with the Decii Mures, Hemelarius.who devoted themselves to destruction in a dangerous fight, for the safety of their Country, which depended thereupon. But the comparison doth not agree, saith Tristan. For the 2 ancient Decii rendred the Romans victorious by their death, whereas these by theirs made them slaves to the Barbarians, and lost many of their Provinces. Besides that Decius the Father was drowned and swallowed up in his flight, which hath no resemblance with the end of the Decii of the ancient Common-wealth.
He dyed at the age of 50, having reigned 2 years.
Non tacendum Imperatores aliquot Romano imperio genuisse Pannoniam, inter quos Decius, Aurelianus, Valer. Probus, Flav. Valentinianus praecipui fuerunt. Vadiani Epitome trium terrae partium.
Pro patria Decii dum proelia fortia miscent,
Filius occubuis Marte, palude pater.
Velius.
Caius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus, and his Son Volusian
GALLVS appearing much grieved for Decius his death, was not suspected; which facilitated his attaining of the Empire.
He descended from an honourable Family in Rome, but was stain'd (besides Treason) with a cruel and evil Government.
He made a dishonourable peace with the Gothes, whereby the Romans became tributaries yearly to them; who violated the agreement, spoiling Dardania, Thrace, Thessaly, Macedonia, Greece & Asia: by their example the Persians entred Syria, and ruiyned Armenia. P. Laetus.
He caused Virtus Augustorum to be stamped upon his, and his Sons Medals, as if he had got the Empire by valour and not by deceit. Pomponius Laetus.
Gallus and Volusian continued the 7th persecution, of which Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria, in a Letter of his recorded by Eusebius, wrote thus. As for Gallus, he neither remembred the calamities of Decius, nor did he so diligently as he ought, consider with himself beforehand, what it might be, that had been the chief occasion of his ruine: but unhappily, to his great misery, stumbled upon the same stone, though apparently set before his eies. Who in the full sail of prosperity, when he might have boasted of his hearts desire in all things, by cruel Edicts began to proscribe those religious men, who for the peace of his Kingdom, and for the health and safety of his own Person, were wont to make earnest prayers and intercessions unto God. Who therefore at the same time, when he drove them away, did drive with them those prayers also, which for him they were accustomed to pour unto God. And lest any man think it strange, that this holy Bishop should lay it to a professed Heathen Emperors charge, that he made no greater account of the solemn prayers and supplications of Christians; I would not have it unknown, that even Heathen Emperors (some of them) though otherwise very ill affected to Christianity, had nevertheless such an opinion of these prayers, as that they thought themselves and their Empire the more secure for them. The use of daily publick prayers, in 3 Positions, p. 24, 25.
Under these two Emperors arose a plague in Ethiopia, which spread it self by degrees in all the Provinces of the Roman Empire,Exoritur ultio violati nominis Christiani, & usque quo ad profligandas Ecclesias Edicta Decii cucurrerunt, eatenus incredibilium morborum pestis intenditur; nulla ferè provincia Romana, nulla civitas, nulla domus fuit, quae non illa generali pestilentia correpta atque vastata sit. Orosius, l. 7. c. 21. and lasted 15 years saith Ignatius; and so great was the mortality, that in Alexandria, as Dionysius above mentioned reports, there was not one house of the City free, and the remainder of the Inhabitants equalled not the number of old men in former times: By means whereof St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, (who lived in that age) took occasion to write that excellent Treatise De Mortalitate. And Lipsius his censure of this pestilence is, Non alia unquam major lues mihi lecta, spatio temporum sive terrarum.
Ex apertione cujusdam cistulae, tam saeva universo orbi incubuit pestis, ut Romae quotidie ad VM. hominum in Libitinae rationes venirent. Laet's history from Christs time.
Huc pertinet nummus Imp. Galli, APOLLINI SALVTARI. Nam quoties alicui Deo cognomen SALVTARIS apponitur, id argumento est hostiis illi Deo factumad pestilentem morbum expiandum. Scaliger in Eusebium.
Gallo Volusianoque favor quaesitus, eo quod anxie studiose que renuissimi cujusque exequias curarent. Sextus Aurelius Victor de Caesaribus. Vtrique Aurelius Victor HOSTILIANVM PERPENNAM adjungit. Micraelius in Syntag. hist. polit. C. A. Rupertus & Goltzius call him C. Valens Hostilianus Messius Quintus.Aemylianus, his General having overcome the Gothes, grew so proud thereupon, that he aspired to the Empire, which he purchased by the good will of the Soldiers, who slew Gallus and his Son in battel.
Dexippus who lived in those times saith, he governed but 18 months.
Gallus habet, nato cum Principe sceptra Biennis,
Desertum occidit miles utrumque suus.
Velius.
Aemylianus.
HE was an African of obscure parentage,Aemylianus obscurissime natus, obscurius imperavit, ac rertio mense extinctus est. Eutrop. l. 9. and arose to be a General from a common Soldier.
His election was at first contradicted by the Italian band, who sought to make Valerian Emperor, to which the Senate enclined because of Valerian's renown.
Aemilian's Army hearing of the election of Valerian, tumultuously *Quasi parcarum forceps Imperium esset, aut Purpura foret stola libitinae. Bussieres in Flosculis Historiarum.murdered their own creature. Zosimus, whom Besoldus followeth in his major & minor Synopsis of History; ut Casaubon concurs with Aurelius Victor, who saith he died of a disease.
He was 46 years old, saith S. Aurelius Victor in his Epitome, representing him to be valiant, without rashness or precipitation.
Some reckon him among Usurpers, but his title is allowed by Eutropius.
Of 30 Emperors who reigned since Octavius Augustus his time, until Valerian, 6 of them escaped not the hands of murtherers. Lloid's Consent of time.
Spanhem the Son in his Remarques upon Iulian's Caesars, p. 253. thinks Iulian mentioneth not those Emperors that reigned between Alexander Severus and Valerian; because the Roman Empire was invaded by Tyrants, who reigned but a few months, or years at most; which reason is alledged by Lampridius for his passing from Alexander Severus to Aurelian, and those that governed the Empire a longer time.
Maurus & imperii rapit Aemylianus honores,
Hic ad Spoleti moenia caesus obit.
Velius.