The Romans Acknowledged The Benefits They Derived From The Valour Of The
Rhodians On This Occasion; And They Again Experienced It, In The War Which
Pompey Carried On Against The Cilician Pirates, Though That Commander Took
All The Merit To Himself.
In the civil war between him and Caesar, they
assisted the former with a numerous fleet, under the command of one of
their best seamen, who distinguished himself above all Pompey's captains,
and gained very considerable advantages over Caesar's fleet.
On the death
of Pompey they joined Csesar: this exposed them to the hostility of
Cassius; they endeavoured to pacify him by promising to recal the ships
they had sent to the assistance of Caesar, but he demanded the delivery of
their whole fleet, and that he should be put in possession of their harbour
and city. To these terms they would not accede, but prepared for war, by
equipping a fleet of thirty-three ships, and placing it under the command
of one of their best officers. A battle ensued which was fought on both
sides with great skill and bravery; but the Rhodians were obliged to yield
to the superior number of the Roman fleet, and to return to the harbour,
having lost two of their ships, and the rest being very much damaged. It is
remarked by the ancient historians who relate this battle, that it was the
first time the Rhodians were fairly overcome in a sea-fight.
Cassius followed up his success by bringing against Rhodes a fleet of
eighty ships of war, and 200 transports. Against this formidable armament
the Rhodians again put to sea, and a second battle ensued, which was more
obstinately contested than the first: the Romans however were again
victorious, and the city of Rhodes was blocked up by sea and land. Its fate
was soon determined; for some of the inhabitants, dreading a famine, opened
the gates to the Romans. Cassius, besides other severe terms, obliged the
Rhodians to deliver up all their ships, and all their public treasures; the
temples were plundered, and 8000 talents extorted from private individuals,
besides a fine of 500 levied on the city.
From this time till the reign of Vespasian, when the island became a Roman
province, it was sometimes oppressed, and sometimes favoured by the Romans;
according, as Tacitus remarks, as they obliged them with their assistance
in foreign wars, or provoked them with their seditions at home.
In order to complete the maritime history of Rhodes, we have rather
advanced beyond the period to which we had brought down our notices of the
Roman navigation and commerce: these therefore we shall now resume at the
war between Perseus king of Macedonia and the Romans. Perseus harassed the
coasts of Italy, plundered and sunk all their ships, while they found it
difficult to oppose him by sea, or protect their coasts, for want of a
fleet. This induced them to prepare for service fifty vessels; but though
their allies augmented this number, the Romans do not seem to have
performed any thing of consequence by sea.
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