Julius Cefar fpent vaft Sums in mending and lengthening the Via Appia. Auguftus was very careful to' get the Ways of Italy repaired, and undertook for his Share to mend the Via Flaminia. That Prince took alfo a particular Care of the Highways in the Provinces of the Empire. The beft Emperors were more careful than others to keep the Roads in Repair, and to encrease their Number.

Among the Works of this Nature, that were performed by Vefpafian, none are fo remarkable as the Way, which he cut through a Mountain of the Apennine to fhorten the Via Flaminia. Aurelius Victor mentions it. Those who have feen that Mountain in these latter Times, fay it makes Part of the Apennine, near a Place called Furlo; and that because of its Steepness Vefpafian caufed it to be cut out in the nature of a Vault for the Space of Two hundred Geometrical Paces. The Infcription, that is ftill extant over one of the Entrances, may be feen among the Infcriptions collected by Gruterus. Domitian paved all the Way from Sinueffa to Puteoli: That Way was a Branch of the Via Appia. The Emperor Trajan exceeded all his Predeceffors in his Care of the Highways There is a remarkable Paffage about it in Galen *. Dion Caffius fays, that Trajan made a paved Way over the Pomptine Paludes. Our Author thinks that Way began at the Forum Appii, and ended at the Temple of the Goddess Feronia, three Miles from Terracina. Before this Way was made, Travellers used to imbark at the Forum Appii, where they left the Via Appia, being willing to take the fhortest. Way to Terracina, and landing at the Temple of Feronia, they came again to the Via Appia at Terracina †. I thall obferve, that Fabrettus mentions an Infcription importing, that Trajan caufed a Way to be

made

De Meth. medendi, Lib. IX. cap. 8.

† See the Account which Horace gives of his Journey to Brundifium. Sat. V. Lib. I.

+ De Columna Trajana, cap. IX. pag. 291.

made over the Pomptine Paludes; which confirms what we find about it in Dion Caffius.

The Author proceeds to give an Account of the Works of that Nature performed by Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, as it appears by feveral Infcriptions.

He mentions, in the next Place, fome other Infcriptions, whereby we may know what Highways were made or repaired by Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Heliogabalus, and the following Emperors, till the Decay of the Western Empire.

The Highways were made or repaired, not only out of the publick Revenues, or by the Liberality of the Emperors, but alfo out of the Money arifing from the Spoils of the Enemies, which was called Pecunia manubialis. Befides, feveral private Perfons undertook to make or to repair the publick Roads at their own Charges: Others gave confiderable Sums, or left great Legacies towards it. The Contributions for the Highways were looked upon as very glorious and honourable. The Clergy were not exempted from them under the Chriftian Emperors. The Senate and the People ftrove to exprefs their Love and Gratirude for thofe, who took Care to make new Roads, or to repair the old ones; which they did by erecting Statues and triumphal Arches to their Honour, and by ftamping Medals to perpetuate their Memory.

Our Author takes Notice of fome Roman Highways, to be feen ftill in the County of Hainault: They are commonly called les Chauffées de Brunehault (Brunebault's Causeways,) and paved with fmall blackish Stones. The Inhabitants of that Country tell many ridiculous Stories about them, and fancy they were made by the Devil. The Author confutes thofe Fables in two Chapters.

He obferves in the two next, That Auguftus caufed two Ways to be made through the Alps, each of which reached as far as Lyons. Agrippa, his Son-inlaw, undertook to make four Ways, which began at that City. The first went through the Cevennes into Aquitain;

I 3

Aquatin; the fecond to the lower Rhine; the third to Boulogne in Picardy; and the fourth to Marseilles.

The laft Chapter of this firft Book concerns the fabulous and the true Hiftory of the Highways in England,

See the remaining Part of this Extract in the
Seventh Volume, Art. VII.

3

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ARTICLE XXV..

HISTOIRE DES EMPEREURS, & des autres Princes qui ont regné durant les fix premiers ficcles de l'Eglife, de leurs guerres contre les Juifs, des Ecrivains profanes, & des perfonnes les plus illuftres de leur temps. Juftifiée par les citations des Auteurs originaux. Avec des Notes pour éclaircir les principales difficultez de l'Hiftoire. Tome Cinquième, Premiere Partie, qui comprend VA LENTINIAN I. VALENS & GRATIEN. Seconde Partie, qui comprend THEO DOSE I. & ARCADE. 'Trofieme Partie, qui comprend HONORE. Par Mr. LENAIN DE TILLEMONT. A Bruxelles, chez Eugene Henry Fricx, Imprimeur du Roy, rue de la Madelaine. M DCC X.

That

That is,

THE HISTORY OF THE EMPERORS, and other Princes, who reigned in the Six First

withs of the Church, of their Wars

with the Jews, of Profane Writers, and the most Illuftrious Perfons of their Time. Taken from the Original Authors. With Notes to clear the principal Difficulties relating to Hiftory. The Fifth Tome. Part I. Containing the Hiftory of VALENTINIAN I. VALENS and GRATIAN. Part II. Containing the Hiftory of THEODOsius I. and ARCADIUS. Part III. Containing the Hiftory of HONORIUS. By Mr. LENAIN DE TILLEMONT. Bruffels. 1710. Three Volumes in 1294 Pagg. 1573. Sold by Paul Vaillant in the Strand..

TH

HIS Hiftory is fo well known, and fo generally approved, that it were needlefs to make any Obfervation upon the Merit of the Author, and the Ulefulness of his Work. We have now Thirteen Volumes in 12mo. (not to mention the Edition in 4to.) of Mr. de Tillemont's Hiftory of the Emperors. The three laft. Volumes, which make the Subject of this Article, difcover the fame Labour, the fame Exactness, and the fame Care of Quoting the Original Authors. Perhaps it might be faid, that this Hiftory is interfperfed with too many pious and devour Reflexions, not fo proper to be inferted in a Work of this Nature. The Author was a very Learned and Religious Man; and it appears from this Performance, and from his Memoirs relating to Ecclefiaftical History, that he had entirely confecrated his Pen to the Publick Good...

The

The Readers will not expect from me, that I fhould enlarge upon thefe Three Volumes; and therefore I fhall only take Notiee of fome few Paffages con tained in the First.

Mr. de Tillemont obferves, That the Emperor Valentinian I. loved and protected the Catholicks, without molefting the Arians, or any other Sect of Hereticks. In the very Beginning of his Reign, he made fome Laws, whereby the Heathens and Hereticks were at full Liberty to enjoy the Exercife of their Religion. No Body was perfecuted upon that Account. That Emperor never undertook to force his Subjects to follow the Religion which he had embraced: He ftood, as it were, neuter among fo many different Religions; for which he is very much commended by Ammianus Marcellinus. He fuffered the Altar of Victory to remain at Rome. That Altar had been removed by Conftantius's Order, and reftored by Julian the Apoftate. Zofimus affirms, That the Law whereby Valentinian forbad Nocturnal Sacrifices, was not put in Execution, because Pretextatus, Proconful of Greece, reprefented to him, that fuch a Law was intolerable to the Heathens, and deftroyed their most au guft Mysteries. There is a Law of that Emperor's extant, whereby he declares, That he does not forbid the Discipline of the Arufpices, nor any other Exercise of Religion used among the Ancients, provided it be free from Magick. Nay, he granted fome Privileges to the Pontiffs of the Provinces, by a Law dated June 28. 371. But it appears from the Teftimony of Libanius, that he forbad at laft the Sacrifices of Beafts, and only permitted to offer up Incense.

Our Author makes fome Reflexions upon the Conduct of Valentinian, in Relation to the Heathens and Hereticks of his Time. He declares, that he will not give his Judgment about it, nor enquire, Whether or no it be expedient that a Prince Thould concern himself with Ecclefiaftical Affairs. It is certain on the one Side, (fays he) that Princes ought to ufe their urmoft

* Made in the Year 371.