412 THE DECLINE AND FALL [Chap, xlii the resemblance of language and manners, the report of an ancient emigration, and the narrow interval between the shores of the Eed Sea. Christianity had raised that nation above the level of African barbarism ; 104 their intercourse with Egypt, and the successors of Constantine, 105 had communicated the rudi- ments of the arts and sciences ; their vessels traded to the isle of Ceylon, 106 and seven kingdoms obeyed the Negus or supreme prince of Abyssinia. The independence of the Homerites, who reigned in the rich and happy Arabia, was first violated by an ^Ethiopian conqueror ; he drew his hereditary claim from the queen of Sheba, 107 and his ambition was sanctified by religious zeal. The Jews, powerful and active in exile, had seduced the mind of Dunaan, prince of the Homerites. 108 They urged him to retaliate the persecution inflicted by the Imperial laws on their unfortunate brethren : some Roman merchants were in- juriously treated ; and several Christians of Negra 109 were honoured with the crown of martyrdom. 110 The churches of 104 The Portuguese missionaries, Alvarez (Ramu6io, torn. i. fol. 204, rect. 274, vers.), Bermudes (Purchas's Pilgrims, vol. ii. 1. v. c. 7, p. 1149-1188), Lobo (Re- lation, &c. par M. le Grand, with xv. Dissertations, Paris, 1728), and Tellez (Re- lations de Thevenot, part iv.), could only relate of modern Abyssinia what they had seen or invented. The erudition of Ludolphus (Hi6t. iEthiopica, Francofurt, 1681, Commentarius, 1691, Appendix, 1694), in twenty-five languages, could add little concerning its ancient history. Yet the fame of Caled, or Ellisthaeus, the conqueror of Yemen, is celebrated in national songs and legends. [For a coin of this Chaleb, see Schlumberger, Revue Numism., 1886. The legend is XAAHB BA2IAET2 TIOS 0EZENA. It is noteworthy that these kings used the title basileus.] 105 The negotiations of Justinian with the Axumites, or /Ethiopians, are re- corded by ProcopiuB (Persic. 1. i. c. 19, 20) and John Malala (torn. ii. p. 163-165, 193-196 [433-4, 457-8, ed. Bonn]). The historian of Antioch quotes the original narrative of the ambassador Nonnosus, of which Photius (Bibliot. cod. iii.) has preserved a curious extract [ap. Muller, F. H. G. iv. p. 179]. 106 The trade of the Axumites to the coast of India and Africa and the isle of Ceylon is curiously represented by Cosmas Indicopleustes (Topograph. Christian. 1. ii. p. 132, 138, 139, 140 ; 1. xi. p. 338, 339). [They had most of the carrying trade between the Empire and India.] 107 Ludolph, Hist, et Comment. iEthiop. 1. ii. c. 3. 108 [The author has mistaken the accusative Dunaan {bovvoAv) for the nomi- native. Dhu Nuvas is the name. Cp. Appendix 18.] 100 The city of Negra, or Nag'ran, in Yemen, is surrounded with palm trees, and stands in the high-road between Saana the capital and Mecca, from the former ten, from the latter twenty, days' journey of a caravan of camels (Abulfeda, Descript. Arabia), p. 52). 110 The martyrdom of St. Arethas prince of Negra, and his three hundred and forty companions, is embellished in the legends of Metaphrastes and Nicephorus Callistus, copied by Baronius (a.d. 522, No. 22-66 ; A.r>. 523, No. 16-29), and refuted, with obscure diligence, by Basnage (Hist. deB Juifs, torn. xii. 1. viii. c. ii. p. 333-348), who investigates the state of the JewB in Arabia and -.Ethiopia. [Cp. Acta Sanct., Oct. x. p. 721 sqq. ; Theophanes, Chron., sub a.m. 6015. The activa
