perceptible impression. Autumn was already far advanced, and the
season for military operations would, soon be over. It was necessary,
therefore, either to take the city speedily or to give up the siege and
retire. Under these circumstances Sapor resolved on a last effort. He
had constructed towers of such a height that they overtopped the wall,
and poured their discharges on the defenders from a superior elevation.
He had brought his mounds in places to a level with the ramparts, and
had compelled the garrison to raise countermounds within the walls for
their protection. He now determined on pressing the assault day after
day, until he either carried the town or found all his resources
exhausted. His artillery, his foot, and his elephants were all employed
in turn or together; he allowed the garrison no rest. Not content with
directing the operations, he himself took part in the supreme struggle,
exposing his own person freely to the enemy's weapons, and losing many
of his attendants. After the contest had lasted three continuous days
from morn to night, fortune at last favored him. One of the inner
mounds, raised by the besieged behind their wall, suddenly gave way,
involving its defenders in its fall, and at the same time filling up
the entire space between the wall and the mound raised outside by the
Persians. A way into the town was thus laid open, and the besiegers
instantly occupied it. It was in vain that the flower of the garrison
threw itself across the path of the entering columns--nothing could
withstand the ardor of the Persian troops. In a little time all
resistance was at an end; those who could quitted the city and fled--the
remainder, whatever their sex, age, or calling, whether armed or
unarmed, were slaughtered like sheep by the conquerors.

Thus fell Amida after a siege of seventy-three days. Sapor, who on other
occasions showed himself not deficient in clemency, was exasperated by
the prolonged resistance and the losses which he had sustained in the
course of it. Thirty thousand of his best soldiers had fallen; the
son of his chief ally had perished; he himself had been brought into
imminent danger. Such audacity on the part of a petty town seemed no
doubt to him to deserve a severe retribution. The place was therefore
given over to the infuriated soldiery, who were allowed to slay and
plunder at their pleasure. Of the captives taken, all belonging to the
five provinces across the Tigris, claimed as