The nation, once excited to discontents and tumults,
could not be entirely appeased by the alleviation of
their burdens and by wise decrees.
could not be entirely appeased by the alleviation of
their burdens and by wise decrees.
Charles - 1867 - Classical Dictionary
141.
-- Compare Theon.
, Progymn.
,
c 6. --SynccU. , Chron. , p. 152. --Interpret: ad Diod. ,
1,88. ) Herodotus contradicts the common tradition,
and seeks to free the Egyptians from the reproach of
having offered up human victims. He may be right as
regards the times immediately preceding the period
when he himself flourished, since it is well known that
King Amasis abolished human sacrifices at Hcliopolis,
and great changes took place also after the Persian
conquest. Still, however, numerous scenes and ima-
ges delineated in the temples and sepulchres of Egypt,
speak but too plainly for the existence of this frightful
custom in earlier times. (Costaz, Descript. dc VEg ,
voL 1 c. 9, p. 401. -- Guigniaut, planchc xliv. --
Compare Maneino, ap. Porphyr. dc Abstin. , 2, 55 --
Plut. de Is. el Os. , p. 556, ed. Wyttenb. -- Pint. , de
Malum Herod. , p. 857. ) According to Eratosthenes,
? ? as cited by Strabo (802). Egypt never had a king
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? BYZ
BYZANTIUM.
Botus, a city of Egypt, at the Scbennytic mouth
of the Nile, or, rather, on the southern shore of the
Butus Lacus, the outlet from which into the sea is
formed by the Ostium Scbennyticum. It was famed
for its templet of Apollo, Diana, and Latona, that is,
of Egyptian deities supposed to coincide with these
The temple of I^atona had a celebrated oracle con-
nected with it, and the goddess had also an annual fes-
tival here, which was one of the most numerously at-
tended in Egypt. The shrine of the goddess, accord-
ing to Herodotus, was of one solid stone, having equal
sides, each side forty cubits long. It was brought
from a quarry in the isle of Phils, near the cataracts,
on rafts, for the distance of 200 leagues, to its destined
station, and seems to have been the heaviest weight
ever moved by human power. It employed many
thousand men for three years in its transportation.
The modern Kom-Kasir is thought to correspond to
the ancient city. Schlichthorst, however, gives the
modern name of the ancient site as El-Buctb. (He-
rod. , 2, 59, et 63-- Plin. , 5, 10. )
Byblus, a town of Phoenicia, nearly midway be-
tween Tripolis and Berytus. Stephanus of By-
cantium calls it a very ancient city, but this expres-
sion suits better an earlier place, called Palsobyblus.
The name Byblus itself shows very plainly that the
founders of the place were Greeks, and merely took
the inhabitants of Palsobyblus to reside with them.
The influence of Grecian customs here is also shown
by the worship of Adonis, to whom a temple was con-
secrated in this city, and the river called after whom
was in the neighbourhood of this place. Byblus did
not lie directly on the coast, but on a height at some
distance from it. The modem name is Eshilc, or, ac-
cording to the Frank pronunciation, Dschhilc. The
appellation Zebckt occurs already in Phocas. (Joh.
Phoc. , c. b. --Manncrt, Geogr. , vol. 6, pt. 1, p. 383. )
Bvrsa, the citadel of Carthage. The story com-
monly told about the origin of its name is as follows:
When Dido came to Africa, she bought of the inhabi-
tants as much land as could be encompassedjjy a
bull's hide. After the agreement, she cut the hide in
? mall thongs, and enclosed a large piece of territory,
on which she built a citadel, which she called Byrsa
(fivpaa, a hide). This, however, is a mere fable of
the Greeks. The name is derived from the Punic
term Basra, " a fortification," " a citadel," the sibilant
being transposed. (Gesen. , Phan. Mon. , p. 420. --
Compare Hcyne, ad Virg. , JEn. , 1, 367. -- Valck. ,
Opusc. , vol. 1, p. 103. )
BvzAcTirM, a district of Africa Propria, lying above
the Syrtis Minor. The Carthaginians were the pos-
sessors of it, and for a long time allowed no Roman
vessels to navigate the coast below the Hcrmcan
promontory, fearful lest their enemies might be tempt-
ed to seize what formed the granary of Carthage.
This district was originally distinct from what was
termed Emporia;, which lay below it. Afterward,
however, they became united into one, and the terri-
tory of Byzacium was extended upward as far as the
river Bagradas, thus forming the Byzaccna Provincia.
(Pita. , 5, 4-- Ln. , 29, 25. --Polyb. , 1, 82. --Id. , 3,
23. --Id. , Excerpt. Leg. , 110. )--Gesenius deduces the
name Byzacium (Bizacium, BvoookItic, Polyb. ) from
the Punic Byt saki, '? an irrigated region. " (Phan.
Mon. ,j>. 420. ) Hamakcr, less correctly, from Beth saki,
"the abode of irrigation. " (Miscell. Phan. , p. 234. )
? ? Byzantium, a celebrated city of Thrace, on the shore
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? BYZANTIUM.
nortant additions from them, that Ammianus Marcel-
linus, in a later age, calls it on Attic colony (22, 8).
The city, however, was a Doric one, in language,
customs, and laws, and remained so even after the
Athenians had the control of it. The maintenance of
this military post became of great importance to the
Greeks during their -warfare with the Persians in sub-
sequent years, and this circumstance, together with
the advantages of a lucrative and now continually in-
creasing commerce, gave Byzantium a high rank
among Grecian cities. After Athens and Sparta had
weakened the power of each other by national rivalry,
and neither could lay claim to the empire of the sea,
Byzantium became an independent city, and turned its
whole attention to commerce. Its strong situation
enabled it. at a subsequent period, to resist successfully
the arms of Philip of Maccdon; nor did Alexander, in
his eagerness to inarch into Asia, make any attempt
upon the place. It preserved also a neutral character
under his successors. The great evil to which the
city of Byzantium was exposed came from the inland
country, the Thracian tribes continually making incur-
<<ions into the fertile territory around the place, and
carrying off more or less of the products of the fields.
The city suffered severely also from the Gauls; being
compelled to pay a yearly tribute, amounting at least
t) eighty talents. After the departure of the Gauls it
again became a flourishing place, but its most prosper-
ous period was daring the Roman sway. It had
thrown itself into the arms of the Romans as early as
the war against the younger Philip of Macedon, and
enjoyed from this people not only complete protection,
bat iiso many valuable commercial privileges. It was
allowed, moreover, to lay a toll on all vessels passing
through the straits, a thing which had been attempted
before without success, and this toll it shared with the
Romans. (Strabo, 320. --Hcrodian, 3, 1. ) But the
day of misfortune at length came. In the contest for
the empire between Severus and Niger, Byzantium
declared for the latter, and stdbd a siege in conse-
quence, which continued long after Niger's overthrow
and death. After three years of almost incredible ex-
ertions, the place surrendered to Severus. The few
remaining inhabitants whom famine had spared were
? old as slaves, the city was razed to the ground, its
territory given to Perinthus, and a small village took
the place of the great commercial emporium. Re-
penting soon after of what he had done, Severus re-
built Byzantium, and adorned it with numerous and
splendid buildings, which in a later age still bore his
name, bat it never recovered its former rank until the
days of Constantino. (Herodian, 3, 6. --Dio Cass. ,
74, \Q. --Spu-tun. , Caraca. ll. , c. 1. --Zosimus, 2, 30.
-- Suidaj, <<. t>. 2e67/pof. -- Trcb. Pollio, Gallicn. , c.
6. --ClaaA. ,c. 9. )--Constantine had no great affection
for Rome as a city, nor had the inhabitants any great
regard for him. He felt the necessity, moreover, of
having the capital of the empire in some more central
quarter, from which the movements of the German
tribes on the one hand, and those of the Persians on
the other, might be observed. Ho long sought for
each a locality, and believed at one time that he had
found it in the neighbourhood of the Sigffian promonto-
ry, on the coast of Troas. He had even commenced
building here, when the superior advantages of Byzan-
tium as a centre of empire attracted his attention,
and he finally resolved to make this the capital of the
Roman world. For a monarchy possessing the west-
? ? ern portion of Asia, and the largest part of Europe,
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? BYZANTINUM
IMPERIUM.
the same time by the Romans and the Persians, be-
came now an apple of contention between the two
nations (A. D 440). Attila laid waste the dominions
of Theodosius, and obliged him to pay tribute. After
the death of her brother, Pulcheriawas acknowledged
empress (A. D. 450) She was the first female who at-
tained this dignity. She gave her hand to the senator
Marcian, and raised him to the throne. His wisdom
and valour averted the attacks of the Huns from the
frontiers, but he did not support the Western Empire
in its wars against the Huns and Vandals with suffi-
cient energy He afforded shelter to a part of the
Germans and Sarmatians, who were driven to the Ro-
man frontiers by the incursions of the Huns. Pulchc-
ria died before him in 453. Leo I. (A. D. 457), a
prince praised by contemporary authors, was chosen
successor of Marcian. His expeditions against the
Vandals (A. D. 467) were unsuccessful. His grand-
son Leo would have succeeded him, but died a minor
shortly after him, having named his father Zeno his
colleague (A. D. 474). The government of this weak
emperor, who was hated by his subjects, was disturbed
by rebellions and internal disorders of the empire.
The Goths depopulated their provinces till their king,
Theodoric, turned his arms against Italy (A. D. 489).
Ariadne, widow of Zeno, raised the minister Anasta-
sius, whom she married, to the throne (A. D. 491).
The nation, once excited to discontents and tumults,
could not be entirely appeased by the alleviation of
their burdens and by wise decrees. The forces of the
empire, being thus weakened, could not offer an ef-
fectual resistance to the Persians and the barbarians
along the Danube. To prevent their incursions into
the peninsula of Constantinople, Anastasius built the
long mill, as it is called. After the death of Anasta-
sius, the soldiers proclaimed Justin emperor (A. D.
518). Nothwithstanding his low birth, he maintained
possession of the throne. Religious persecutions,
which he undertook at the instigation of the clergy,
and various crimes into which he was seduced by his
nephew Justinian, disgrace his reign. After his early
death, in 521, he was succeeded by the same Justin-
ian, to whom, though he deserves not the name of
the Great, many virtues of a ruler cannot be dented.
He was renowned as a legislator, and his reign was
distinguished by the victories of his general Belisa-
rius; but how unable he was to revive the strength
of his empire was proved by its rapid decay after his
death. Justin II. , his successor (A. D. 565), was an
avaricious, cruel, weak prince, gpverned by his wife.
The Lombards tore from him part of Italy (A D.
568). His war with Persia, for the possession of Ar-
menia, was unsuccessful; the Avari plundered the
provinces on the Danube, and the violence of his grief
at these misfortunes deprived him of reason Tibe-
rius, his minister, a man of merit, was declared Cie-
sar, and the general Justinian conducted the war
against Persia with success. The Greeks now al-
lied themselves, for the first time, with the Turks.
Against his successor, Tiberius II. (A. D. 578), the
Empress Sophia and the general Justinian conspired in
vain. From the Avari the emperor purchased peace;
from the Persians it was extorted by his general Mau-
ritius or Maurice (A. D. 582). This commander Ti-
berius declared Cesar in the same year. Mauritius,
under other circumstances, would have made an ex-
cellent monarch, but for the times he wanted prudence
? ? and resolution. He was indebted for the tranquillity
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? BYZANTINUM
Bulgarians, against whom he had been long unsuc-
cessful. He died (A D. 775), and was succeeded by
his son Leo III. , who fought successfully against the
Arabians; and this latter, by his son Constantine VI. ,
whose imperious mother Irene, his guardian and as-
sociate in the government, raised a powerful party by
the restoration of the worship of images He en-
deavoured in vain to free himself from dependance on
her and her favourite Stauratius, and died in 796, after
having had his eyes put out The war against the Ara-
bians and Bulgarians was long continued; against the
former it was unsuccessful The design of the em-
press to marry Charlemagno excited the discontent of
the patricians, who placed one of their own order, Ni-
cephoms, upon the throne (AD 802) Irene died in
a monastery. Nicephorus became tributary to the
Arabians, and fell in the war against the Bulgarians
(A. D. 811). Stauratius, his son, was deprived of tho
crown by Michael I. , and he in turn by Leo IV (A. D.
813). Leo was dethroned and put to death by Michael
II (A. D 826) During the reign of the latter, the
Arabians conquered Sicily, Lower Italy, Crete, and
other countries. Michael prohibited the worship of
images; as did also his son Thcophilus. Theodora,
guardian of his son Michael III. , put a stop to the dis-
pute about images (A. D. 841). During a cruel per-
secution of the Manichsans, the Arabians devastated
the Asiatic provinces. The dissolute and extravagant
Michael confined his mother in a monastery. The
government was administered in his name by Bardas,
his uncle, and after the death of Bardas by Basil, who
was put to death by Michael (A. D. 867). Basil I. ,
who came to the throne in 867, was not altogether a
contemptible monarch. He died A. D. 886. The
reign of his learned son. Leo V. , was not very happy.
He died A. D. 911. His son, Constantino VIII. , Por-
phyrogenitus, a minor when he succeeded his father,
was placed under the guardianship of his colleague
Alexander, and after Alexander's death in 912, under
that of his mother Zoe. Komanus LahopenuB, his
general, obliged him, in 919, to share the throne with
him and his children. Constantine subsequently took
sole possession of it again, and reigned mildly but
weakly. His son Komanus II. succeeded him in 959,
and fought successfully against the Arabians. To
him succeeded, in 963, his general Nicephorus. who
was put to death by his own general, John Zimisccs
(A. D. 970), who carried, on a successful war against
the Russians. Basil II. , son of Komanus. succeeded
this good prince. He vanquished the Bulgarians and
the Arabians. His brother, Constantine IX. (A. D.
1025), was not equal to him. komanus III. became
emperor (A. D. 1028) by a marriage with Zoe, daugh-
ter of Constantine. This dissolute but able princess
caused her husband to be executed, and successively
raised to the throne Michael IV. (A. D. 1034), Mi-
chael V. (A. D. 1041), and Constantine X. (A. D.
1042). Russians and Arabians meanwhile devastated
the empire. Her sister Theodora succeeded her on
the throne (A. D. 1053). Her successor, Michael VI.
(A. D. 1056), was dethroned by Isaac Comnenus in
1057, who became a monk (A. D. 1059). His suc-
cessor, Constantine XI. , Ducas, fought successfully
against the Uzes Eudocia, his wife, guardian of his
sons Michael, Andronicus, and Constantine, was in-
trusted with the administration (A. D. 1067), married
Romanus IV. , and brought him the crown. He car-
ried on an unsuccessful war against the Turks, who
? ? kept him for some time prisoner. Michael VII. , son of
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? CAB
CAB
territories except Constantinople, and extorted from
him a tribute (A D 1444) To the emperor John
succeeded his brother Constantino With the assist-
ance of his general, the Genoese Justinian, he with-
stood the superior forces of the enemy with fruitless
courage, and fell in the defence of Constantinople, by
the conquest of which, May 29, A. D. 1453, Moham-
med II. put an end to the Greek or Byzantine empire.
(Encyclop Amenc , vol 2, p 359, scqq )--The events
which have just been detailed are recorded by a series
of Greek authors, known by the general name of By-
zantine historians. Their works relate to the history
of the lower empire, from the fourth century to the
conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, and to the
Turkish history for some period later. They display
in their writings the faults of a degenerate age, but are
valuable for the information which they furnish, being
the principal source from which we obtain the history
of the decay of the Eastern empire. The most valua-
ble of the number are Zonaras, Ntcctas, Ntcephorus,
and Chalcondylas. These four form a continued his-
tory of the Byzantine empire to the year 1470. Of
die remaining authors, who give us histories of de-
tached portions of this same period, the following de-
serve particular mention, and are given in chronologi-
cal order: 1. Procojnus; 2. Agathias; 3 Thcophy-
lactus; 4. Ntcephorus, patriarch of Constantinople;
5. Johannes Scylitzcs; G. Anna Comncna; 7. Gcor-
gius Acropohta; 8. Georgia* Pachymcrcs; 9. Jo-
hannes Cantacuzcnus; 10. Gcorgius Codmus; 11.
Constanlinus Porphyrogcnitus; 12. Ducas; 13. An-
sclmus Bandunus; 14. Pctrus Gylltus; 15. Zos-
imus; 16. Gcorgius Phranza. --Besides editions of
individual works or of entire authors, we have the
united works of these writers in what is called the
Corpus Byzantmum, in 27 (counted sometimes as 23)
volumes folio. A much more correct edition, how-
ever, is that which was published at Paris, under the
title of Corpus Scriptorum Hisloria Byzanlina (from
the royal press, 23 vols. fol. ). This was reprinted at
Venice, with a different arrangement of the works, in
1729-1733. These collections, however, arc rarely to
be found complete. The best edition will undoubt-
edly be that, now in a course of publication, from the
press of Weber, at Bonn in Germany. It was com-
menced under the editorial care of the celebrated Nie-
buhr, aided by other eminent scholars, in the year
1828, and has been continued since his death. It is
of tho octavo form. (Picrcr, Lex. Unit. , vol. 4, p.
582. )
Byzas, a Thracian prince. (Consult remarks at the
commencement of the article Byzantium. )
Bvzia. Vtd. Bizya.
Cabalaca, a town of Albania, on the southeastern
declivity of Caucasus, near the Caspian Sea (Plin. , 4,
10). Ptolemy calls it Chabala (Xu6a*a). It is
thought to correspond to the modem Cablasvar, in
Georgia. (Bischoff und Miller, Wortcrb. dcr Gcogr. ,
p. 217. )
CabaixTnum, a town of the . Edui, in Gallia Lugdu-
nensis, southeast of Bibracte, now Chdlons-sur-Saonc.
Ptolemy gives Caballinum (KaGuMivov), as here writ-
ten. Cassar (B. G. , 7, 42, et 90) has Cabillonum;
the Itin. Ant. , Cabillio; and Ammianus Marcellinus,
Cabillo (14, 31).
CabTka, I. a wife of Vulcan. She was one of the
Oceanides. Her offspring, according to the Ionian
? ? school, were the deities called Cabiri. (Vid. Cabiri. )--
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?
c 6. --SynccU. , Chron. , p. 152. --Interpret: ad Diod. ,
1,88. ) Herodotus contradicts the common tradition,
and seeks to free the Egyptians from the reproach of
having offered up human victims. He may be right as
regards the times immediately preceding the period
when he himself flourished, since it is well known that
King Amasis abolished human sacrifices at Hcliopolis,
and great changes took place also after the Persian
conquest. Still, however, numerous scenes and ima-
ges delineated in the temples and sepulchres of Egypt,
speak but too plainly for the existence of this frightful
custom in earlier times. (Costaz, Descript. dc VEg ,
voL 1 c. 9, p. 401. -- Guigniaut, planchc xliv. --
Compare Maneino, ap. Porphyr. dc Abstin. , 2, 55 --
Plut. de Is. el Os. , p. 556, ed. Wyttenb. -- Pint. , de
Malum Herod. , p. 857. ) According to Eratosthenes,
? ? as cited by Strabo (802). Egypt never had a king
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? BYZ
BYZANTIUM.
Botus, a city of Egypt, at the Scbennytic mouth
of the Nile, or, rather, on the southern shore of the
Butus Lacus, the outlet from which into the sea is
formed by the Ostium Scbennyticum. It was famed
for its templet of Apollo, Diana, and Latona, that is,
of Egyptian deities supposed to coincide with these
The temple of I^atona had a celebrated oracle con-
nected with it, and the goddess had also an annual fes-
tival here, which was one of the most numerously at-
tended in Egypt. The shrine of the goddess, accord-
ing to Herodotus, was of one solid stone, having equal
sides, each side forty cubits long. It was brought
from a quarry in the isle of Phils, near the cataracts,
on rafts, for the distance of 200 leagues, to its destined
station, and seems to have been the heaviest weight
ever moved by human power. It employed many
thousand men for three years in its transportation.
The modern Kom-Kasir is thought to correspond to
the ancient city. Schlichthorst, however, gives the
modern name of the ancient site as El-Buctb. (He-
rod. , 2, 59, et 63-- Plin. , 5, 10. )
Byblus, a town of Phoenicia, nearly midway be-
tween Tripolis and Berytus. Stephanus of By-
cantium calls it a very ancient city, but this expres-
sion suits better an earlier place, called Palsobyblus.
The name Byblus itself shows very plainly that the
founders of the place were Greeks, and merely took
the inhabitants of Palsobyblus to reside with them.
The influence of Grecian customs here is also shown
by the worship of Adonis, to whom a temple was con-
secrated in this city, and the river called after whom
was in the neighbourhood of this place. Byblus did
not lie directly on the coast, but on a height at some
distance from it. The modem name is Eshilc, or, ac-
cording to the Frank pronunciation, Dschhilc. The
appellation Zebckt occurs already in Phocas. (Joh.
Phoc. , c. b. --Manncrt, Geogr. , vol. 6, pt. 1, p. 383. )
Bvrsa, the citadel of Carthage. The story com-
monly told about the origin of its name is as follows:
When Dido came to Africa, she bought of the inhabi-
tants as much land as could be encompassedjjy a
bull's hide. After the agreement, she cut the hide in
? mall thongs, and enclosed a large piece of territory,
on which she built a citadel, which she called Byrsa
(fivpaa, a hide). This, however, is a mere fable of
the Greeks. The name is derived from the Punic
term Basra, " a fortification," " a citadel," the sibilant
being transposed. (Gesen. , Phan. Mon. , p. 420. --
Compare Hcyne, ad Virg. , JEn. , 1, 367. -- Valck. ,
Opusc. , vol. 1, p. 103. )
BvzAcTirM, a district of Africa Propria, lying above
the Syrtis Minor. The Carthaginians were the pos-
sessors of it, and for a long time allowed no Roman
vessels to navigate the coast below the Hcrmcan
promontory, fearful lest their enemies might be tempt-
ed to seize what formed the granary of Carthage.
This district was originally distinct from what was
termed Emporia;, which lay below it. Afterward,
however, they became united into one, and the terri-
tory of Byzacium was extended upward as far as the
river Bagradas, thus forming the Byzaccna Provincia.
(Pita. , 5, 4-- Ln. , 29, 25. --Polyb. , 1, 82. --Id. , 3,
23. --Id. , Excerpt. Leg. , 110. )--Gesenius deduces the
name Byzacium (Bizacium, BvoookItic, Polyb. ) from
the Punic Byt saki, '? an irrigated region. " (Phan.
Mon. ,j>. 420. ) Hamakcr, less correctly, from Beth saki,
"the abode of irrigation. " (Miscell. Phan. , p. 234. )
? ? Byzantium, a celebrated city of Thrace, on the shore
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? BYZANTIUM.
nortant additions from them, that Ammianus Marcel-
linus, in a later age, calls it on Attic colony (22, 8).
The city, however, was a Doric one, in language,
customs, and laws, and remained so even after the
Athenians had the control of it. The maintenance of
this military post became of great importance to the
Greeks during their -warfare with the Persians in sub-
sequent years, and this circumstance, together with
the advantages of a lucrative and now continually in-
creasing commerce, gave Byzantium a high rank
among Grecian cities. After Athens and Sparta had
weakened the power of each other by national rivalry,
and neither could lay claim to the empire of the sea,
Byzantium became an independent city, and turned its
whole attention to commerce. Its strong situation
enabled it. at a subsequent period, to resist successfully
the arms of Philip of Maccdon; nor did Alexander, in
his eagerness to inarch into Asia, make any attempt
upon the place. It preserved also a neutral character
under his successors. The great evil to which the
city of Byzantium was exposed came from the inland
country, the Thracian tribes continually making incur-
<<ions into the fertile territory around the place, and
carrying off more or less of the products of the fields.
The city suffered severely also from the Gauls; being
compelled to pay a yearly tribute, amounting at least
t) eighty talents. After the departure of the Gauls it
again became a flourishing place, but its most prosper-
ous period was daring the Roman sway. It had
thrown itself into the arms of the Romans as early as
the war against the younger Philip of Macedon, and
enjoyed from this people not only complete protection,
bat iiso many valuable commercial privileges. It was
allowed, moreover, to lay a toll on all vessels passing
through the straits, a thing which had been attempted
before without success, and this toll it shared with the
Romans. (Strabo, 320. --Hcrodian, 3, 1. ) But the
day of misfortune at length came. In the contest for
the empire between Severus and Niger, Byzantium
declared for the latter, and stdbd a siege in conse-
quence, which continued long after Niger's overthrow
and death. After three years of almost incredible ex-
ertions, the place surrendered to Severus. The few
remaining inhabitants whom famine had spared were
? old as slaves, the city was razed to the ground, its
territory given to Perinthus, and a small village took
the place of the great commercial emporium. Re-
penting soon after of what he had done, Severus re-
built Byzantium, and adorned it with numerous and
splendid buildings, which in a later age still bore his
name, bat it never recovered its former rank until the
days of Constantino. (Herodian, 3, 6. --Dio Cass. ,
74, \Q. --Spu-tun. , Caraca. ll. , c. 1. --Zosimus, 2, 30.
-- Suidaj, <<. t>. 2e67/pof. -- Trcb. Pollio, Gallicn. , c.
6. --ClaaA. ,c. 9. )--Constantine had no great affection
for Rome as a city, nor had the inhabitants any great
regard for him. He felt the necessity, moreover, of
having the capital of the empire in some more central
quarter, from which the movements of the German
tribes on the one hand, and those of the Persians on
the other, might be observed. Ho long sought for
each a locality, and believed at one time that he had
found it in the neighbourhood of the Sigffian promonto-
ry, on the coast of Troas. He had even commenced
building here, when the superior advantages of Byzan-
tium as a centre of empire attracted his attention,
and he finally resolved to make this the capital of the
Roman world. For a monarchy possessing the west-
? ? ern portion of Asia, and the largest part of Europe,
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? BYZANTINUM
IMPERIUM.
the same time by the Romans and the Persians, be-
came now an apple of contention between the two
nations (A. D 440). Attila laid waste the dominions
of Theodosius, and obliged him to pay tribute. After
the death of her brother, Pulcheriawas acknowledged
empress (A. D. 450) She was the first female who at-
tained this dignity. She gave her hand to the senator
Marcian, and raised him to the throne. His wisdom
and valour averted the attacks of the Huns from the
frontiers, but he did not support the Western Empire
in its wars against the Huns and Vandals with suffi-
cient energy He afforded shelter to a part of the
Germans and Sarmatians, who were driven to the Ro-
man frontiers by the incursions of the Huns. Pulchc-
ria died before him in 453. Leo I. (A. D. 457), a
prince praised by contemporary authors, was chosen
successor of Marcian. His expeditions against the
Vandals (A. D. 467) were unsuccessful. His grand-
son Leo would have succeeded him, but died a minor
shortly after him, having named his father Zeno his
colleague (A. D. 474). The government of this weak
emperor, who was hated by his subjects, was disturbed
by rebellions and internal disorders of the empire.
The Goths depopulated their provinces till their king,
Theodoric, turned his arms against Italy (A. D. 489).
Ariadne, widow of Zeno, raised the minister Anasta-
sius, whom she married, to the throne (A. D. 491).
The nation, once excited to discontents and tumults,
could not be entirely appeased by the alleviation of
their burdens and by wise decrees. The forces of the
empire, being thus weakened, could not offer an ef-
fectual resistance to the Persians and the barbarians
along the Danube. To prevent their incursions into
the peninsula of Constantinople, Anastasius built the
long mill, as it is called. After the death of Anasta-
sius, the soldiers proclaimed Justin emperor (A. D.
518). Nothwithstanding his low birth, he maintained
possession of the throne. Religious persecutions,
which he undertook at the instigation of the clergy,
and various crimes into which he was seduced by his
nephew Justinian, disgrace his reign. After his early
death, in 521, he was succeeded by the same Justin-
ian, to whom, though he deserves not the name of
the Great, many virtues of a ruler cannot be dented.
He was renowned as a legislator, and his reign was
distinguished by the victories of his general Belisa-
rius; but how unable he was to revive the strength
of his empire was proved by its rapid decay after his
death. Justin II. , his successor (A. D. 565), was an
avaricious, cruel, weak prince, gpverned by his wife.
The Lombards tore from him part of Italy (A D.
568). His war with Persia, for the possession of Ar-
menia, was unsuccessful; the Avari plundered the
provinces on the Danube, and the violence of his grief
at these misfortunes deprived him of reason Tibe-
rius, his minister, a man of merit, was declared Cie-
sar, and the general Justinian conducted the war
against Persia with success. The Greeks now al-
lied themselves, for the first time, with the Turks.
Against his successor, Tiberius II. (A. D. 578), the
Empress Sophia and the general Justinian conspired in
vain. From the Avari the emperor purchased peace;
from the Persians it was extorted by his general Mau-
ritius or Maurice (A. D. 582). This commander Ti-
berius declared Cesar in the same year. Mauritius,
under other circumstances, would have made an ex-
cellent monarch, but for the times he wanted prudence
? ? and resolution. He was indebted for the tranquillity
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? BYZANTINUM
Bulgarians, against whom he had been long unsuc-
cessful. He died (A D. 775), and was succeeded by
his son Leo III. , who fought successfully against the
Arabians; and this latter, by his son Constantine VI. ,
whose imperious mother Irene, his guardian and as-
sociate in the government, raised a powerful party by
the restoration of the worship of images He en-
deavoured in vain to free himself from dependance on
her and her favourite Stauratius, and died in 796, after
having had his eyes put out The war against the Ara-
bians and Bulgarians was long continued; against the
former it was unsuccessful The design of the em-
press to marry Charlemagno excited the discontent of
the patricians, who placed one of their own order, Ni-
cephoms, upon the throne (AD 802) Irene died in
a monastery. Nicephorus became tributary to the
Arabians, and fell in the war against the Bulgarians
(A. D. 811). Stauratius, his son, was deprived of tho
crown by Michael I. , and he in turn by Leo IV (A. D.
813). Leo was dethroned and put to death by Michael
II (A. D 826) During the reign of the latter, the
Arabians conquered Sicily, Lower Italy, Crete, and
other countries. Michael prohibited the worship of
images; as did also his son Thcophilus. Theodora,
guardian of his son Michael III. , put a stop to the dis-
pute about images (A. D. 841). During a cruel per-
secution of the Manichsans, the Arabians devastated
the Asiatic provinces. The dissolute and extravagant
Michael confined his mother in a monastery. The
government was administered in his name by Bardas,
his uncle, and after the death of Bardas by Basil, who
was put to death by Michael (A. D. 867). Basil I. ,
who came to the throne in 867, was not altogether a
contemptible monarch. He died A. D. 886. The
reign of his learned son. Leo V. , was not very happy.
He died A. D. 911. His son, Constantino VIII. , Por-
phyrogenitus, a minor when he succeeded his father,
was placed under the guardianship of his colleague
Alexander, and after Alexander's death in 912, under
that of his mother Zoe. Komanus LahopenuB, his
general, obliged him, in 919, to share the throne with
him and his children. Constantine subsequently took
sole possession of it again, and reigned mildly but
weakly. His son Komanus II. succeeded him in 959,
and fought successfully against the Arabians. To
him succeeded, in 963, his general Nicephorus. who
was put to death by his own general, John Zimisccs
(A. D. 970), who carried, on a successful war against
the Russians. Basil II. , son of Komanus. succeeded
this good prince. He vanquished the Bulgarians and
the Arabians. His brother, Constantine IX. (A. D.
1025), was not equal to him. komanus III. became
emperor (A. D. 1028) by a marriage with Zoe, daugh-
ter of Constantine. This dissolute but able princess
caused her husband to be executed, and successively
raised to the throne Michael IV. (A. D. 1034), Mi-
chael V. (A. D. 1041), and Constantine X. (A. D.
1042). Russians and Arabians meanwhile devastated
the empire. Her sister Theodora succeeded her on
the throne (A. D. 1053). Her successor, Michael VI.
(A. D. 1056), was dethroned by Isaac Comnenus in
1057, who became a monk (A. D. 1059). His suc-
cessor, Constantine XI. , Ducas, fought successfully
against the Uzes Eudocia, his wife, guardian of his
sons Michael, Andronicus, and Constantine, was in-
trusted with the administration (A. D. 1067), married
Romanus IV. , and brought him the crown. He car-
ried on an unsuccessful war against the Turks, who
? ? kept him for some time prisoner. Michael VII. , son of
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? CAB
CAB
territories except Constantinople, and extorted from
him a tribute (A D 1444) To the emperor John
succeeded his brother Constantino With the assist-
ance of his general, the Genoese Justinian, he with-
stood the superior forces of the enemy with fruitless
courage, and fell in the defence of Constantinople, by
the conquest of which, May 29, A. D. 1453, Moham-
med II. put an end to the Greek or Byzantine empire.
(Encyclop Amenc , vol 2, p 359, scqq )--The events
which have just been detailed are recorded by a series
of Greek authors, known by the general name of By-
zantine historians. Their works relate to the history
of the lower empire, from the fourth century to the
conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, and to the
Turkish history for some period later. They display
in their writings the faults of a degenerate age, but are
valuable for the information which they furnish, being
the principal source from which we obtain the history
of the decay of the Eastern empire. The most valua-
ble of the number are Zonaras, Ntcctas, Ntcephorus,
and Chalcondylas. These four form a continued his-
tory of the Byzantine empire to the year 1470. Of
die remaining authors, who give us histories of de-
tached portions of this same period, the following de-
serve particular mention, and are given in chronologi-
cal order: 1. Procojnus; 2. Agathias; 3 Thcophy-
lactus; 4. Ntcephorus, patriarch of Constantinople;
5. Johannes Scylitzcs; G. Anna Comncna; 7. Gcor-
gius Acropohta; 8. Georgia* Pachymcrcs; 9. Jo-
hannes Cantacuzcnus; 10. Gcorgius Codmus; 11.
Constanlinus Porphyrogcnitus; 12. Ducas; 13. An-
sclmus Bandunus; 14. Pctrus Gylltus; 15. Zos-
imus; 16. Gcorgius Phranza. --Besides editions of
individual works or of entire authors, we have the
united works of these writers in what is called the
Corpus Byzantmum, in 27 (counted sometimes as 23)
volumes folio. A much more correct edition, how-
ever, is that which was published at Paris, under the
title of Corpus Scriptorum Hisloria Byzanlina (from
the royal press, 23 vols. fol. ). This was reprinted at
Venice, with a different arrangement of the works, in
1729-1733. These collections, however, arc rarely to
be found complete. The best edition will undoubt-
edly be that, now in a course of publication, from the
press of Weber, at Bonn in Germany. It was com-
menced under the editorial care of the celebrated Nie-
buhr, aided by other eminent scholars, in the year
1828, and has been continued since his death. It is
of tho octavo form. (Picrcr, Lex. Unit. , vol. 4, p.
582. )
Byzas, a Thracian prince. (Consult remarks at the
commencement of the article Byzantium. )
Bvzia. Vtd. Bizya.
Cabalaca, a town of Albania, on the southeastern
declivity of Caucasus, near the Caspian Sea (Plin. , 4,
10). Ptolemy calls it Chabala (Xu6a*a). It is
thought to correspond to the modem Cablasvar, in
Georgia. (Bischoff und Miller, Wortcrb. dcr Gcogr. ,
p. 217. )
CabaixTnum, a town of the . Edui, in Gallia Lugdu-
nensis, southeast of Bibracte, now Chdlons-sur-Saonc.
Ptolemy gives Caballinum (KaGuMivov), as here writ-
ten. Cassar (B. G. , 7, 42, et 90) has Cabillonum;
the Itin. Ant. , Cabillio; and Ammianus Marcellinus,
Cabillo (14, 31).
CabTka, I. a wife of Vulcan. She was one of the
Oceanides. Her offspring, according to the Ionian
? ? school, were the deities called Cabiri. (Vid. Cabiri. )--
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?
