Parthia was languishing and drooping
as an anti-Roman state, when the last of the Arsacidae expired. A perfect
_Palingenesis_ was wrought by the restorer of the Persian empire, which
pretty nearly re-occupied (and gloried in re-occupying) the very area that
had once composed the empire of Cyrus. Even this _Palingenesis_ might have
terminated in a divided empire: vigor might have been restored, but in the
shape of a polyarchy, (such as the Saxons established in England,) rather
than a monarchy; and in reality, at one moment that appeared to be a
probable event. Now, had this been the course of the revolution, an
alliance with one of these kingdoms would have tended to balance the
hostility of another (as was in fact the case when Alexander Severus saved
himself from the Persian power by a momentary alliance with Armenia.) But
all the elements of disorder had in that quarter re-combined themselves
into severe unity: and thus was Rome, upon her eastern frontier, laid open
to a new power of juvenile activity and vigor, just at the period when the
languor of the decaying Parthian had allowed the Roman discipline to fall
into a corresponding declension.
Pages:
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299