Res Gestae

Now in Isauria bands of brigands were over-[*](368 A.D.) running the neighbouring places,[*](Cf. xiv. 2, 1 ff.; xix. 13, 1.) harassing towns and rich villas with unrestrained pillage, and inflicting great losses on Pamphylia and the Cilicians.[*](Cf. Zos. iv. 20.) Musonius, the deputy-governor[*](The lieutenant-governor was a subordinate of the pretorian prefect. In so far as the latter could not himself administer all the parts (dioceses) of his province, the vicarius took his place.) of Asia at that time, who had formerly been a teacher of rhetoric in Attic Athens, perceived that, since no one resisted them, they were devastating everything with utter destruction; so at last, finding the situation deplorable and that the luxury of the soldiers made their aid

When the brigands, highly elated by this success, with greater confidence extended their raids in various directions, at last our troops were called out and after killing some of them drove the rest to the rocky retreats in the mountains where they live. Then, since no opportunity was revealed there for taking rest or finding anything fit for food, they called a truce and asked that peace be granted them, following the advice of the Germanicopolitani,[*](Germanicopolis was the principal city of the free Isaurians; Seleucia, of Roman Isauria.) whose opinions were always decisive with them, as if they were those of the standard-bearers in battle. Then they gave the hostages that were demanded, and remained quiet for a long time, without venturing on any hostile act.

Meanwhile Praetextatus, who with high distinction acted as prefect of the city of[*](367–8 A.D.) Rome,[*](In A.D. 367; he was formerly proconsular governor in Achaia; cf. xxii. 7, 6.) through repeated acts of honesty and uprightness, for which he was famous from early youth, attained what rarely falls to a man’s lot; for although he was feared by his fellow-citizens, he did not lose their love, which as a rule is apt to be less strong towards officials who are dreaded.

Through his authority and his decisions based upon justice and truth the outbreak which was stirred up by the quarrels of the Christians[*](Cf. 3, 11 f.) was quelled, and after the banishment of Ursinus profound quiet reigned, which

For he removed all the Maeniana,[*](Balconies on houses, or colonnades, at first constructed for viewing the games in the Forum by a certain Maenius, and named from him; cf. Pseud.-Asconius on Cic. in Caecilium, 16, 50.) the building of which in Rome was forbidden by early laws also, and he separated from the sacred buildings the walls of private houses, which had been irreverently built against them. He established standard weights in every quarter of the city, since otherwise the greed of many, who rigged up their balances after their own inclination, could not be dealt with. And in the examination of legal cases he deserved above all others the distinction which Cicero mentions in the commendation of Brutus,[*](Orat. 10, 34.) that although he did nothing to gain favour, yet everything that he did was looked upon with favour.

At about this same time, Valentinian had begun his campaign with wariness,[*](The narrative returns to the war with the Alamanni; see 2. The date is 368.) as he himself thought, when a prince of the Alamanni called Rando, after long preparation for his design, with a lightarmed band equipped for plundering, secretly made his way into Mogontiacus,[*](Mainz.) which had no garrison.

And since he chanced to find that a festival of the Christian religion[*](Perhaps Easter.) was being celebrated, he was not hindered in carrying off defenceless men

Then, after a brief interval, the hope of better fortune unexpectedly dawned upon the Roman state. For since King Vithicabius, son of Vadomarius, who was somewhat weak and sickly in appearance, but valiant and vigorous, again and again kindled the flames of war against us, no efforts were spared to dispose of him by any possible manner of death.

And because after several attempts he could in no way be overcome or treacherously surrendered, he was slain by the perfidy of an attendant on his private life[*](Cf. xiv. 1, 7; xxi. 16, 6.) through the earnest solicitation of our men; and after his death the enemy’s raids slackened somewhat. But the assassin, through fear of the punishment which he dreaded in case the affair should become known, hastened to take refuge on Roman soil.

After this, with especially diligent care and with troops of various kinds, a more serious campaign than common was prepared against the Alamanni, since the public safety imperiously demanded it; for from a race that so easily recovered its strength treacherous attacks were to be feared; and the soldiers were equally incensed against them, since the untrustworthy nature of an enemy who was at one time abject and suppliant and soon afterwards threatening the worst, allowed them no rest or cessation from warfare.