THE DECLINE AND FALL
210
CHAP.
XIX.
garrison or colony of veterans, amply suppliedwith every means of defence, and animated byhigh sentiments of honour and fidelity. To-wards the close of the campaign, the arms ofSapor incurred some disgrace by an unsuccess-ful enterprize against Yirtha, orTecrit, a strong,or, as it was universally esteemed till the age ofTamerlane , an impregnable fortress of the inde-pendent Arabs ."
The defence of the East against the arms ofSapor, required, and would have exercised, theabilities of the most consummate general ; andit seemed fortunate for the state, that it was theactual province of the brave Ursicinus, whoalone deserved the confidence of the soldiersand people. In the hour of danger, Ursicinus 0was removed from his station by the intriguesof the eunuchs; and the military command ofthe East was bestowed, by the same influence,on Sabinian, a wealthy and subtle veteran , whohad attained the infirmities, without acquiringthe experience, of age. By a second order,which issued from the same jealous and incon-stant counsels, Ursicinus was again dispatchedto the frontier of Mesopotamia , and condemnedto sustain the labours of a war, the honours ofwhich had been transferred to his unworthy ri-
“ For the identity of Virtha and Tecrit, see d’Anville, GeographicAncienne, tom. ii, p. 201. For the siege of that castle by Timur Bee,or Tamerlane , see Cherefeddin, 1. iii, c. 33. The Persian biographerexaggerates the merit and difficnlty of this exploit, which delivered thecaravans of Bagdad from a formidable gang of robbers.
° Ammianus (xviii, 5, 6; xlx, 3 ; xx, 2) represents the merit and dis-grace of Ursicinus with that faithful attention which a soldier owed tohis general. Some partiality may be suspected, yet the whole accountis consistent and probable.