ra, an ancient town in the middle of a
desert, which had been long since abandoned, though at different times
those warlike emperors, Trajan and Severus, had attacked it with a view
to its destruction, but had been almost destroyed with their armies, as
we have related in our history of their exploits.

6. And as we now learnt that over the vast plain before us for seventy
miles in that arid region no water could be found but such as was
brackish and fetid, and no kind of food but southernwood, wormwood,
dracontium, and other bitter herbs, we filled the vessels which we had
with sweet water, and having slain the camels and the rest of the beasts
of burden, we thus sought to insure some kind of supplies, though not
very wholesome.

7. For six days the army marched, till at last even grass, the last
comfort of extreme necessity, could not be found; when Cassianus, Duke
of Mesopotamia, and the tribune Mauricius, who had been sent forward
with this object, came to a fort called Ur, and brought some food from
the supplies which the army under Procopius and Sebastian, by living
sparingly, had managed to preserve.

8. From this place another person of the name of Procopius, a secretary,
and Memoridus, a military tribune, was sent forward to Illyricum and
Gaul to announce the death of Julian, and the subsequent promotion of
Jovian to the rank of emperor.

9. And Jovian deputed them to present his father-in-law Lucillianus
(who, after giving up military service, had retired to the tranquillity
of private life, and who was at that time dwelling at Sirmium) with a
commission as captain of the forces of cavalry and infantry, and to urge
him at the same time to hasten to Milan, to support him there in any
difficulties which might arise, or (what he feared most) to oppose any
attempts which might be made to bring about a revolution.

10. And he also gave them still more secret letters, in which he warned
Lucillianus to bring him some picked men of tried energy and fidelity,
of whose aid he might avail himself according as affairs should turn
out.

11. He also made a wise choice, and selected Malarichus, who was at that
time in Italy on his own private affairs, sending him the ensigns of
office that he might succeed Jovinus as commander of the forces in Gaul,
in which appointment he had an eye on two important objects; first, to
remove a general of especial merit who was an object of suspicion on
that very account, and also by