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5 3 4 CHRO NO LO G ICAL A R R A N G EM E N T
questions by authority. A further innovation by Victor, was the first issuing of Christian writings
in the Latin language (according to Hieronymus).
“ tqS A. D .” (Spartian., and Clint.), arrival at Ctesiphon of Severus,’ warring against the
Parthians.
One hundred and thirty-fifth generation. Jan. ist, 201, onward mostly beyond youth : the Greek
poets, Oppianus of Apamea, and Peisander of Laranda; the philosopher Ammonius Saccas ; the
biographer Diogenes Laertius (Blair); the rhetors, Hippodromus, Antipater of Hierapolis, Hermocrates,
Philiscus, Heliodorus, Antiochus of Aegae, Aspasius of Ravenna, Apsines of Gadara, and
Damianus of Ephesus ; the commentator Alexander of Aphrodisias ; the Christian Greek writers,
Apion, Sextus, Arabianus, Rhodon, Judas, Musianus, Caius, and Carpocrates the Gnostic (Alst.
P -379)-
“ The same year” (Euseb., and Clint.), Victor succeeded by Zephyrinus, “ fourteenth” bishop
of Rome ; and (according to Alsted) a Montanist.
“ The same year” (Cassiodor., and Clint.), at Rome, building of the “ baths of Severus and the
Septizonium.”
“ 202 A. D .” (Spartian., and Clint.), from Syria by the way of Palestine, Severus and his son
Caracalla arriving in Egypt. Proceeding up the Nile, they “ carefully inspected the Pyramids,
Memphis, the Labyrinth, and Memnon,” maintaining throughout the worship of Serapis and prohibiting
conversions to Judaism and Christianity; and before the close of the year, returned to
Rome.
The Vocal Memnon, as already stated (see Strabo’s visit), was repaired by order of Severus ;
ancl ceased uttering sounds.
From about this reign also (according to Letronne, Leps. eg. and sin. p. 443), the porphyry
quarries at Gebel Dochan . . . . appear to have been neglected. — This porphyry is further described
by Lepsius p. 370 as “ bluish-red.”
“ Not before the Third century” (according to Zoega), Greek letters employed in writing the
Egyptian language; additional ones being invented for the additional sounds. — The inscriptions
and manuscripts in this so-called “ Coptic alphabet,” have with a single exception proved to be Christian
; and few are older than the “ Seventh ” century (Champ.-Fig. p. 22S) : the series continuing
thence downward to the extinction of the Literature and Language in the “ Sixteenth.”
Hyoscyamus mtiticus of the Egyptian and Arabian Desert. Called in Egypt “ datora ” or
“ tatourah” or “ sem el-far” or “ sekaran” inebriating, and possibly the seed NA*PI of the Coptic
translation of Matthew xiii. 31 : — H. muticus was observecl by Forskal p. 45, and Delile, growing
in the Desert from Cairo to Upper Egypt, the powder maliciously thrown rendering persons insane
for several days : is known to grow also in the Arabian Desert (Linn. mant. 45, Lam., and Persoon.
See Datura metel).
“ 203 A. D .” (Clint.), Serapion succeeded by Asclepiades, “ ninth” bishop of Antioch.
“ The same year ” (inscript, and Clint.), the “ arch of Severus,” commemorating his victories,
erected in Rome. The latest Phoenician insa'iption known, is on this arch (Gesen.).
“ 204 A. D .” (Censorin., and Chnt.), at Rome, the games of Severus. 'Witnessed by the historian
Herodian.
“ 207 A. D .” (Clint), the Treatise “ adv. M arcion” by Tertullianus of Carthage, “ the first after
Victor of L atin” Christian writers (Hieronym. catal. 53). Apollonius, however, hardly more recent
than Tertullian.
Greek inscriptions in the reign of Severus (Franz 107 to 138), presenting the following forms
of the letters, S, 6, U. Also in this reign (Franz 137 to 152), the earliest Greek inscriptions with the
words spaced ; intervening dots being omitted.
“ 208 A. D .” (Dio, and Clint.), war in Britain, and arrival there of Severus.
“ 209 A. D .” (Dio, and Clint.), invasion of Caledonia (Scotland) by Severus.
“ 210 A. D .” (coins, Spartian., Vict., Oros., and Clint.), North of Hadrian’s Wall, another wall
across Britain built by Severus. — Traces are extant, extending from “ the Frith of i'orth ” Westward
(Blair).
In this year ( = B. C. 543 — “ 752 y. 4 m. 10 d. of the Mahavamsa xxxvi.), Sirinaga succeeded
by his son Tissa, called Vyewahara-tissa and now king of Ceylon. — He burned the heretical books
of Vytullya, a Leathin brahmin.
“ 211, Feb. 4 th ” (Dio, and Clint.), death of Severus in Britain, at Eboracum (York). Pie was
succeeded by his son Caracalla, twenty-first Roman emperor. The separate hieroglyjahic ovals of
Caracalla and his brother Geta, occur at Esneh. The name also of Caracalla, occurs in a Greek
inscription in the quarries at Philæ.
“ In or about this year” (vit. Dpp. and Sm. b. d., see also Sozom.), the Cynegetica brought by
Oppianus to Rome and dedicated to Caracalla. In this p»em, Oppianus i. 490 speaks of the inhabi-
OF A C COM PA N Y ING A N IM A L S A N D P L A N T S . 5 3 5
l l
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tants of Britain as painting their bodies, and possessing a peculiar breed of dogs “ agasseos.” He
had also seen a living giraffe, as appears from the details of his description.
“ 212, February” (D io, and Clint.), Geta put to death by his brother Caracalla. Also many
others, including the jurist Papinianus.who had been prefect of Britain, and Serenus Sammonicus
(Sm. biog. diet.).
“ The same year” = “ 40th after the rise of the Montanists ” (Euseb., and Clint.), Apollonius
writing against Montanus and his Sect.
“ 214 A. D .” (Spartian,, and Clint.), from Gaul, invasion of the Alamanni by Caracalla; who next
proceeded to Dacia, and .Thrace, and wintered in Nicomedia.
“ The same year” (Euseb., and Clint.) Narcissus succeeded by the bishop of Cappadocia A lexander,
now thirty-first bishop of Jerusalem.
Jasminum officinale of the mountains of Yemen. Called in Britain jasm ine (Cowper) or jessamine
ox jessamy ox jesse, in Spain and France “ jasmin,” in Italy “ gesmino,” in Armenia “ jasamun,” in
Persia “jasem in” (Prior), in Yemen “ s íe s ” or “ kiejan,” in Egypt “ kajan” or “ jasm in” (Forsk.), in
which we recognize the Egyptian, or Coptic A CM I — (referred here by Kircher p. 179), and the
“ iasm e” of the Persians, according to Aetius i. a fragrant ointment made of flowers : th e “ yasm in” ■
is menlioned by Ishak ben Amran, I. ben Masah, Rhazes, Mosih ben Elhakam, S. E. Hasan, and Ebn
Baitar; J. officinale was observed by Forskal, and Delile, in the gardens of E g y p t; and by Forskal,
wild among the mountains of Yemen. Farther North, was observed by Forskal much cultivated at
Constantinople for its flowers and the ointment prepared from .them ; is described by Blackwell pl. 13 ;
is well known in the gardens of Western Europe as far as Britain, and escaping from cultivation has
been sometimes found growing spontaneously (Pers., and A. Dec.). Eastward from Arabia, is called
in Hindustanee “ yasmin,” in Bengalee “ m allika” or “ bell pushpa’’(D ’roz ) ; and was observed by
Graham “ in gardens ” at Bombay.
Jasminum grandifiorum, regarded by Graham as perhaps not distinct, and in the environs of
Bombay called “ chumbelly ” and “ jatee ja i: ” the fragrant “ djatika ” or “ djatya ” is mentioned in the
Saddharma pundarika (Burn. li. 218 to 415), and the “ jati” or “ siimana” or “ sukumara” of Susrutas
i. 25 to iv. 20, is referred here by Flessler : J. grandifiorum was observed in Hindustan by Rheede vi.
pl. 52, and Roxburgh ; by Graham, “ in .gardens everywhere,” its flowers “ peculiarly sweet-scented,”
and distinguished by residents as the Catalonian or Spanish jasmine. Farther East, is enumerated
by Mason as “ e,xotic” in Burmah and called “ myat-Ice.” Westward, was observed by Delile in the
gardens of Egypt; is described by Miller diet. 4, and Aiton kew. i. p. 10. By European colonists, was
carried to Tropical America, where it was observed in Surinam by Merian pl. 46 (P ers.).
“ 215 A. D .” (coins, Dio, and Clint.), leaving Nicomedia, Caracalla proceeded to Antioch, and
for the second time to Alexandria in E.gypt. At Rome, building of the “ baths of Caracalla.”
As early possibly as this date, cutting through the air-tube of the throat, tracheotomy, in extreme
cases of difficult respiration practised by A sclepiades; — directions for even a timid operator, are
given by Antyllus (Paul. Aegin. vi. 33, and Cockayne).
“ 217, April 8tli ” (Dio, and Clint.), Caracalla slain near Edessa. And “ on the fourth day” afterwards,
accession of Macrinus, twenty-second Roman emperor. The name of Macrinus occurs on
coins issued in Egypt.
“ The same year” (Dio. and Clint.), invasion of Mesopotamia by the Parthians under Artabanus,
and peace purchased by Macrinus. Who concealed some of the facts from the Senate.
“ In the third century and under the Flan” (Humb. cosm. ii), the Chinese writer Hiu-chin composing
his dictionary.
“ 218, June 8th ” (Dio. and Clint.), Macrinus succeeded by Elagabalus, twenty-third Roman
emperor. The name of Elagabalus occurs on coins issued in Egypt.
Ranunculus muricatus of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Greece “ sphóurthókókula ”
(Sibth.) or “ sphourthakla” (F raas); and t h eAlMNHCTHN o rAlMNHCION enumerated by
Anthyllus among acrid plants mixed in acrid liniments — (Oribas. vi. 6 and x. 13) may be compared :
R. muricatus is described by Alpinus exot. pl. 262; was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard, and Fraas,
frequent about gardens and in moist and watery places from the Peloponnesus throughout Greece.
Westward, is termed “ r. palustris echinatus ” by Tournefort inst. 286 ; was ob.served by Desfontaines
in Barbary; and is known to grow in various parts of Southern Europe (Pers.). By European colonists,
was carried to Madeira (herb. A. N. S.) ; to Northeast America, where it continues in cultivated
ground from 'Virginia to Charleston (Mx., Pursh, and Ell.) and New Orleans (H . Little, and
Drumm.) ; also to Buenos Ayres, Tucuman, and ’Valparaiso (D ec., and Flook.).
“ 219 A. D .” (Lamprid., and Clint.), arrival of Elagabalus from N icom edia; and a temple with
an image erected by him in Rome, where he wished to be worshipped as the principal deity.
“ 220 A. D. = : epoch of the San-koue,” or of the Three kingdoms, Han of Chou, Wei, and Ou,
having its seat of government at Khian-khang : — the city afterwards called Nan-king (Pauth ).
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