OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

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impulse, asserted the superiority of their valour chap

and discipline. The rebel ranks were broken ;_.^

when the mother and grandmother of the Syrian prince, who, according to their eastern custom,had attended the army, threw themselves fromtheir covered chariots, and, by exciting the com-passion of the soldiers, endeavoured to animatetheir drooping courage. Antoninus himself,who, in the rest of his life, never acted like aman, in this important crisis of his fate appro-ved himself a hero, mounted his horse, and, atthe head of his rallied troops, charged swordin hand among the thickest of the enemy; whilstthe eunuch Gannys, whose occupations hadbeen confined to female cares and the soft lux-ury of Asia , displayed the talents of an ableand experienced general. The battle still ra-ged with doubtful violence, and Macrinus mighthave obtained the victory, had he not betrayedhis own cause by a shameful and precipitateflight. His cowardice served only to protracthis life a few days, and to stamp deserved ig-nominy on his misfortunes. It is scarcely ne-cessary to add, that his son Diadumenianus was involved in the same fate. As soon as thestubborn praetorians could be convinced thatthey fought for a prince who had basely de-serted them, they surrendered to the conquer-or ; the contending parties of the Roman army,mingling tears of joy and tenderness, unitedunder the banners of the imagined son of Cara-calia,and the East acknowdedged with pleasurethe first emperor of Asiatic extraction.