ants,
wounded by the javelins hurled down upon them from above, and maddened
with the pain, turned upon their own side, and, roaring frightfully,
carried confusion among the ranks of the horse, which broke up and fled.
Many of the frantic animals were killed by their own riders or by the
Persians on whom they were trampling, while others succumbed to the
blows dealt them by the enemy. There was a frightful carnage, ending
in the repulse of the Persians and the resumption of the Roman march.
Shortly before night fell, Jovian and his army reached Samarah, then a
fort of no great size upon the Tigris, and, encamping in its vicinity,
passed the hours of rest unmolested. The retreat now continued for four
days along the left bank of the Tigris, the progress made each day being
small, since the enemy incessantly obstructed the march, pressing on
the columns as they retired, but when they stopped drawing off, and
declining an engagement at close quarters. On one occasion they even
attacked the Roman camp, and, after insulting the legions with their
cries, forced their way through the preatorian gate, and had nearly
penetrated to the royal tent, when they were met and defeated by the
legionaries. The Saracenic Arabs were especially troublesome. Offended
by the refusal of Julian to continue their subsidies, they had
transferred their services wholly to the other side, and pursued
the Romans with a hostility that was sharpened by indignation and
resentment. It was with difficulty that the Roman army, at the close
of the fourth day, reached Dura, a small place upon the Tigris, about
eighteen miles north of Samarah. Here a new idea seized the soldiers. As
the Persian forces were massed chiefly on the left bank of the Tigris,
and might find it difficult to transfer themselves to the other side, it
seemed to the legionaries that they would escape half their difficulties
if they could themselves cross the river, and place it between them and
their foes. They had also a notion that on the west side of the stream
the Roman frontier was not far distent, but might be reached by forced
marches in a few days. They therefore begged Jovian to allow them to
swim the stream. It was in vain that he and his officers opposed
the project; mutinous cries arose; and, to avoid worse evils, he was
compelled to consent that five hundred Gauls and Sarmatians, known to be
expert swimmers, should make the attempt. It succeeded beyond his hopes.
The corps cr