Indicate a trade then existing with India and the sian Gulf, and the course of this trade must have m along the Euphrates, and across the desert ough Palmyra. The Persian Gulf was anciently centre of the commerce of the Eastern world.

The first mention of this famous city is in the Hew Scriptures, where we are told that King Solomon ailt Tadmor in the Desert." It is doubtful, how r, whether Solomon was the original founder of city. Josephus says, "he built strong walls there ecure himself in the possession, and named it Tad-, which signifies a 'place of palm-trees." From statement we may reasonably conclude that it was ady a place of known importance in the time of Omon. The palm-trees which he found there are the trees of uninhabited countries. The acquisition Cadmor by Solomon throws a considerable light on history of the adjoining countries. The king of salem would never have turned his attention, and -ied his arms, to so distant and detached a spot withsome powerful motive of interest, and this could e been no other than the interest of an extensive merce, of which Palmyra was already the empo

n.

This commerce was, perhaps, the main cause of e various wars in Southern Asia, for which the en chronicles of the early times assign no motives. en, after the reign of Solomon, the Assyrians of eveh turned their ambitious views toward Chaldea the lower part of the Euphrates, it was with the inion to approach that great source of opulence Persian Gulf. When the kings of Babylon waged Detual wars with Jerusalem and Tyre, their object not merely to despoil these cities of their riches, to prevent them from encroaching on the Babyan trade in the Red Sea. We are informed that buchadnezzar, before he laid siege to Jerusalem, = possession of Palmyra. This clearly indicates that latter city acted in concert with the neighboring tals, Jerusalem and Tyre. There is, however, continuous and authentic history of Palmyra till capture of the Roman emperor Valerian by the sians-a period of more than twelve hundred years n the foundation of the city.

The gradual decline of Jerusalem and Tyre under Persian dominion, and that of Alexander's succes, became the efficient cause of the sudden greats of Palmyra in the time of the Parthians and This city then enjoyed a long peace for ay centuries, which allowed her inhabitants to erect e magnificent structures, the remains of which we admire. The Roman writers first mention Pala as a place which Mark Antony, in his campaign inst the Parthians, attempted to plunder, on the Lence that the city had not observed a just neutrality ne war. Pliny the Elder mentions it as being situ■ in a rich soil, - meaning, probably, in comparison the desert, among pleasant streams, and totally arated from the rest of the world by a vast expanse and, which had preserved the independence of the ee, between the contending empires of Parthia and me. It continued to enjoy its independence till the

as the caravans, in going to or returning East, frequented it - thus making it a great of trade. When the defeat and capture of ror Valerian (A. D. 259) had so far wea empire that the Persians seemed to be on th becoming masters of all the eastern pr Rome, the people of Palmyra began to th covering their liberty. Odenathus, prince o sent a very respectful letter to Sapor, king who had just defeated the Romans and take prisoner; but the haughty conqueror treat letter and embassy with the most provoking The presents of Odenathus were thrown in phrates, and Sapor replied to his letter, sayi insolence in writing to his lord was inexcu he could atone for it only by presenting him the throne bound hand and foot, in token sciousness of his crime, and the punishmen deserved. This insult so inflamed the rese Odenathus, that he swore an oath either to the pride of the haughty conqueror or per attempt.

Accordingly, having assembled his forc tacked the Persians on their march home routed them with great slaughter, capturin gage of the army and a number of the wor king. This war was carried on for a co time, with much success on the part of Oden caused the Persians many defeats, and fu lished the independence of Palmyra. Ye was never released from captivity, though earnestly wished to have the honor of res from his enemies. This prince enjoyed his s but a very short time, being murdered by h who was soon after put to death by Zenobia of Odenathus, (A. D. 272.)

Zenobia, the queen of Palmyra, occupied after the death of her husband. She posses ordinary endowments both of body and m pronounced, by the historian Gibbon, as almo Asiatic female known to us as having surm obstacles arising from the confined situation in that part of the world. Having punishe derer of her husband, and secured her posit throne, she carried her arms into the neigh ritories, and added greatly to the extent of renian empire. Before the death of Oder dominion extended from the Euphrates o portion of Asia Minor to the frontiers of Zenobia added to this the fertile and popu dom of Egypt. In her demeanor, she blend ular manners of the Roman princes with conduct of the courts of Asia, and exacter subjects the same adoration that was paid cessors of Cyrus. The title which she ass that of Queen of the East-a splendid but ambiguous designation, and which appear been not incompatible with a certain degre to the Roman empire. The emperor Cla knowledged her merit, and evinced no dis disturb her in the real or nominal possessio authority.

were her hopes of being mistress of the whole Roman empire, that she caused to be constructed a magnificent triumphal car, in which she designed to enter the city of Rome after her conquest of Italy. Her authority was still extending in Asia Minor, and she had acquired the kingdoms of Cappadocia and Bithynia, when the emperor Aurelian acceded to power at Rome. The designs of Zenobia were now too maniFest to be mistaken, and that martial emperor, as soon as he had established tranquillity in the west, resolved o wipe away the disgrace of suffering the richest proinces in the eastern part of his empire to be usurped y a female. He put himself at the head of his legions, nd crossed the Hellespont into Asia, (A. D. 272.) All Bithynia immediately submitted at his approach. Ancyra, the capital of Galatia, opened its gates with ut resistance. Tyana, the birthplace of the philoso- phi

her Apollonius, after a long and obstinate siege, was etrayed by one of its inhabitants. Aurelian abanoned the perfidious traitor to the rage of the inhabants; but a superstitious reverence induced him to are the city for the sake of the extraordinary man whom it had given birth, and who was worshipped many places as a deity.

Antioch was deserted on the approach of the Roman my; but the emperor, by a conciliatory proclamation, called the fugitives, and granted a general pardon to who, from necessity rather than choice, had engaged the service of the Palmyrenian queen. The unexcted mildness of such a conduct quieted the Syris, and Zenobia saw the necessity of fighting a battle Tore the enemy approached nearer to her capital. e advanced with her army toward Antioch, and enIntered the legions of Rome near that city. In the Ele she animated the troops by her presence, but usted the execution of her orders to Zabdas, her tenant, who had already signalized his military nts by the conquest of Egypt. The Palmyrenian es consisted for the most part of light archers and heavy cavalry, clad in complete steel. The Moorand Illyrian horse of Aurelian were unable to ain the ponderous charge of their antagonists. y fled in real or affected disorder, drawing the Iry of Zenobia in a laborious pursuit; they then ssed them by a desultory combat, and at length reed and dispersed them. This decided the fortune of day. Zenobia retreated toward the desert, and ralner scattered forces at Emesa. A second battle was at at this place, so similar in almost every circume to the first, that we can scarcely distinguish

from each other.

brought ruin and desolation upon one of opulent and magnificent cities of the ancier

In their march across the desert, the Ro perpetually harassed by the Arabs; nor c always defend themselves or their baggage flying squadrons of active and daring rob watched the opportunities for surprising th line of march, and derided the slow purs legions. On arriving before the walls of Aurelian found the siege of the city an u far more difficult and doubtful than he had and, while with incessant vigor and ente pressed the attack in person, he was himsel with a dart. One of his bulletins or despate senate of Rome has been preserved. people," says he, "speak with contempt o which I am waging against a woman. ignorant both of the character and of the po nobia. It is impossible to enumerate her wa arations of stones, of arrows, and of every missile weapons. Every part of the walls with two or three balistæ, and artificial fires from her military engines. The fear of F has armed her with a desperate courage. still to the protecting deities of Rome, who erto been favorable to all my undertakings.

CHAPTER CXXVIII.

A. D. 272 to 1400.

Capture of Palmyra - Destructio City - Discoveries - Description o ins - Longinus.

AURELIAN, however, doubtful of the pro the Roman gods, and of the event of the sie it prudent to negotiate with the queen. E terms of capitulation, which, for a Roma habituated to conquest, were exceedingly lil Zenobia he promised a splendid retreat for t der of her life; to the citizens, the enjoyme ancient privileges. His proposals were rejected, and the refusal was accompanied The proud queen entertained the confident e that the monarchs of the East, and partic king of Persia, would march to the defend natural ally. But fortune was averse to and the perseverance of Aurelian overca obstacle which the unfriendly climate and th of the Palmyrenians threw in his way. Th Sapor, which happened about this time, dis councils of Persia, and the inconsiderabl which attempted to relieve Palmyra, were i by the Romans. From every part of Syria succession of convoys, laden with suppli safely in the camp of the besiegers, and

proceeded accordingly to that place, and met with a cordial welcome, which is usually given by chiefs occupying those remote situations; and though the object of their journey appeared wholly incomprehensible to him, he furnished them readily with an escort of horse in order to effect it.

The travellers passed through several poor villages, in which were often seen fragments of finely sculptured marble rudely put together in the erection of cottages. From the last of these to Palmyra was a plain about eighty miles long and ten broad, in which they found neither a blade of grass nor a drop of water, yet disclosing here and there fragments of ancient architecture. At the end of that space, the hills enclosing the valley opened, and they beheld suddenly bursting on the view the most extensive and magnificent mass of ruins they had ever seen. Range behind range of Corinthian columns of white marble appeared standing entire, after the walls and solid piles to which they were attached had yielded to time. All around there seemed nothing but an immense level desert, extending to the distant Euphrates.

As soon as the travellers had recovered from their first impressions of astonishment, they began to take a more minute survey. On the left appeared the most entire monument, consisting of a long range of wall, with twelve noble windows, belonging to a temple of the sun, the ruins of which rise above it. Beyond a few Turkish edifices, mixed with some beautiful detached columns, begins a magnificent colonnade, extending nearly a mile, through the intercolumniations of which are seen other superb structures. Farther to the right are the ornaments belonging to two other temples, and at some distance in front are four grand columns belonging to some edifice of which there remains now no other vestige. The whole plain, for three miles round, is covered with columns, some erect and others prostrate, some entire, and others with broken capitals-and others exhibiting the scattered fragments of which they were once composed.

Palmyra is still inhabited by a few Arabs, whose wretched huts fill the court of the great temple, while every spot of ground intervening between the walls and the columns is laid out in plantations of corn and olives, enclosed by mud walls. There are two streams,

253

the waters of which, judiciously distributed, doubtless conduced greatly to the subsistence and comfort of the ancient inhabitants, but they are now suffered to lose themselves in the sand.

The memory of Longinus, the critic and rhetorician, is intimately connected with that of Palmyra. This celebrated writer is said to have been a native of Syria, possibly of Palmyra, which, in ancient times, was regarded geographically as belonging to Syria. In his youth, he travelled for improvement to Athens, Rome, Alexandria, and other cities famous for learning and the arts, and attended upon the lectures of all the eminent masters in eloquence and philosophy. He was a great admirer of Plato, whose memory he honored by an annual festival. Such was the extent of his erudition, that he was called by his contemporaries the living library. He taught philosophy at Athens, where the celebrated Porphyry was one of his disciples. At length, he settled in Palmyra, and was highly favored by Zenobia, who took instructions in the Greek language from him, and made him her political counsellor. But this distinction was fatal to him. On the capture of Palmyra, by Aurelian, the vengeance of the conqueror fell on the head of Longinus, who was suspected of having written the spirited and defying answers which the queen returned to the summons of Aurelian. Longinus was instantly ordered to execution. His philosophy supported him in this hour of trial, and he calmly submitted to his fate. He was the author of many works, but the only one which has escaped the ravages of time is his Treatise on the Sublime, which is greatly admired for its lofty sentiments and noble language. His critical precepts, however, are somewhat obscure, and he is more entitled to praise for his lively sensibility to the beauties of poetry and rhetoric, than for the accuracy of his investigations and judgments as to their nature and causes. He is one of the very few ancient writers who appear to have been acquainted with the Jewish Scriptures. He mentions the books of Moses, and was much struck with the sublimity of this passage of Genesis" And God said, "Let there be light,' and there was light! "Moses," he observes, 66 was no ordinary man."

CHAPTER CXXIX.

700 to 70 В. С.

undation of the Armenian Monarchy Reign of Tigranes.

RMENIA is an interior country, sometimes regarded part of Asia Minor. It lies to the south-east of Euxine Sea, and, according to the description of bo, was bounded on the north by Iberia and

ania, on the east by Media, on the south by

vria, and on the west by Pontus. It is an eled and mountainous country, abounding in ranges heights covered with perpetual snow. Hence climate is cool, and the winters often very re. The Euphrates, Tigris, and Araxes Rivers their rise in this region. In ancient times, the , wine, and other natural productions of Armenia, › of an inferior quality, and the scanty crops red entirely from the unwearied industry and painabor of the inhabitants. The country, however, lerably fertile, and is now well cultivated.

ying contiguous to Assyria, Armenia fell under power at an early period. It was afterward subto the Medes, Persians, Greeks, Syrians, Paris, Romans, Saracens, and finally to the Turks. ne period, it was divided into Armenia Major and

enia Minor. Artaxata, Amida, (now Diarbekir,)

Tigranacerta, were the

rivals. While the Armenians, who remai live in a semibarbarous manner, those wł to other countries become exceedingly inte thoroughly skilled in every kind of knov accomplishment necessary to the success of mercial projects.

This country was peopled at a very ea the history of the world. Mount Ararat, loftiest peaks of Armenia, is regarded as t which the Ark first rested, after the delug

the first settlement of this region we have

account. The Armenians were always reg very ancient people. Herodotus deduces t from the Phrygians on account of some words which he found in the Armenian lang this is quite as good a reason for supposing gians to be descended from the Armenians rational opinion is, that the Armenians hac origin with the ancient Syrians. In proce their trading enterprises drew to this quarter from Persia and other countries of the sout with Greeks and Phrygians. The governm to have been monarchical from the earliest at what date the kingdom of Armenia wa we have no means of knowing.

Berosus the Chaldean states that the fi Armenia was Scytha, who was succeeded

Barzanes. Pliny and others relate that, or

of Barzanes, Armenia was divided into se kingdoms. Plutarch mentions one AraxeArmenia, who, in a war with the Persians, w of success by an oracle, provided he shoul

* Berosus was a priest of Belus, at Babylon about 330 to 246 B. C. He was a man of extensi and understood the Greek language. He wrote Babylon, and of the adjacent countries of Assyria, Armenia, in three books: these are lost, but frag been preserved in Eusebius, Josephus, and ot authors, who quote him.