Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

314 THE THIRD AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.raised from their ruins, and fortifications repairedupon a line of fifteen hundred miles, were thefruits of his victories.3So much for the north: while on the east thePersian empire, hereditary foe of the Roman name,had found a new and more vigorous master in therace of the Sassanidip, who took the religion ofZoroaster to reanimate the national spirit. Ardes-chir claimed once more the whole realm which*Cyrus and Darius had ruled. Henceforth the Romanshad a neighbour more than ever threateningtheir eastern frontier, and never to be wholly sub-dued, until the empire of Mohammed arose to detacha great part of their dominion, and to movewith redoubled force upon what remained.To the south of the Roman provinces in Africawere tribes at least as savage as those of the north.Thus the whole empire was enringed with enemies: on the east an opposing civilisation andreligion; on the north and south barbarian tribesin perpetual confusion and conflict with each other.Such was the great realm of disorder which surgedand heaved to the north and south of the empire;and such the second great enemy which in futuretimes was to occupy the Christian Churc * Clld the strongest contrast to thmoral polity of peace and goodwill, of loyal submission,patient endurance, and heroic fortitude,which was spreading daily in the empire.3 Am, Thierry, Tableau de VEmpire Romain, p. 412,