OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 191

East. Exasperated, as he might speciously al- chap.lege, by injuries of a similar nature, he hastenedwith a few followers to join the standard, and tobetray the confidence, of his too credulous friend.

After a reign of only twenty-eight days, Sylva-nus was assassinated : the soldiers who, with-out any criminal intention, had blindly followedthe example of their leader, immediately return-ed to their allegiance; and the flatterers of Con-stantius celebrated the wisdom and felicity ofthe monarch who had extinguished a civil warwithout the hazard of a battle / 1 5

The protection of the Rhaetian frontier, and Constan-the persecution of the Catholic church, detain- Rome ', 811 'ed Constantius in Italy above eighteen months £ j 5 /’

after the departure of Julian. Before the em-peror returned into the East, he indulged hispride and curiosity in a visit to the ancient ca-pital/ He proceeded from Milan to Rome along the iEmilian and Flaminian ways; andas soon as he approached within forty miles ofthe city, the march of a prince who had nevervanquished a foreign enemy assumed the ap-pearance of a triumphal procession. His splen-did train was composed of all the ministers of.luxury; but in a time of profound peace, hewas encompassed by the glittering arms of thenumerous squadrons of his guards and cuiras-

q Ammianus (xv, 5) was perfectly well informed of the conduct anafate of Sylvanus. He himself was one of the few follower* who at-tended Ursicinus in his dangerous enterprise.

r For the particulars of the visit of Constantins to Rome , see Aut-mianus, 1. xvi, c. 10. We have only to add, that ThemiMius was ap-pointed deputy from Constantinople , and that he composed his fourthoration for this ceremony.