The Works of Edward Gibbon (Volume 3 ) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1906. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... communicated to the citizens the privileges of Italy," and bestowed on the rising city the title of Colony, the first and most favoured daughter of ancient Rome. The venerable parent still maintained the legal and acknowledged supremacy which was due to her age, to her dignity, and to the remembrance of her former greatness." As Constantine urged the progress of the work with the impatience of a lover, the walls, the porticoes, and the principal edifices, were completed in a few years, or, according to another account, in a few months;85 but this extraordinary Julian, it should seem that the place of senator was considered as a burthen rather than as an honour; but the Abbe ' de la Ble'terie (Vie de Jovien, t. ii. p. 371) has shewn that this epistle could not relate to Constantinople. Might we not read, instead of the celebrated name of Bvfawfoif, the obscure but more probable word Bwoi DEGREESi)-ii? Bisanthe or Rhcedestus, now Rhodosto, was a small maritime city of Thrace. See Stephan. Byz. de Urbibus, p. 225, and Cellar Geograph. torn. i. p. 849. Certain gold medallions with Emperor standing and the legend Senatus, on the reverse, have been shown to refer to the foundation of the new senate (Kenner, Wiener numism. Zeit., 3, 117). Hertlein, p. 491, keeps Hv{arrlots but notices Gibbon's conjecture.] "Cod. Theodos. l . xiv. 13. The Commentary of Godefroy (t. v. p. 220) is long, but perplexed; nor indeed is it easy to ascertain in what the Jus Italicum could consist, after the freedom of the city had been communicated to the whole empire. Jus Italicum gave exemption from tributum or landtax, -- an exemption which Italy herself had recently lost.] "Julian (Orat. i. p. 8) celebrates Constantinople as not less superior to all other cities than she was inferior to Rom...