When he had captured the whole country of Armenia and had won over also many of the kings, some of whom, since they submitted, he treated as his friends, and others, though disobedient, he subdued without resort to arms, [Sidenote:—­23—­] the senate voted to him many honors of various descriptions, and they bestowed upon him the title of Optimus, i.e., Excellent.—­He was always accustomed to trudge on foot with his entire army and he had the ordering and arrangement of the troops throughout the entire expedition, leading them sometimes in one order and sometimes in another; and he forded as many rivers as they did.  Sometimes he even had his scouts circulate false reports, in order that the soldiers might at the same time practice military manoeuvres and be so impervious to alarm as to be ready for anything.  After he had captured Nisibis and Batnae he was given the title of Parthicus.  But he took greater pride in the name of Optimus than in all the rest, inasmuch as it belonged rather to his character than to his arms.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 115 (a.u. 868)] [Sidenote:—­24—­] While he was staying in Antioch, a dreadful earthquake occurred.  Many cities were damaged, but Antioch was most of all unfortunate.  Since Trajan was wintering there and many soldiers and many private persons had flocked thither from all directions for lawsuits, embassies, business, or sightseeing, there was no nation nor people that went unscathed.  Thus in Antioch the whole world under Roman sway suffered disaster.

There were many thunderstorms to start with and portentous winds, but no one could have expected that so many evils would result from them.  First came, on a sudden, a great bellowing roar, and there followed it a tremendous shock.  The whole earth was up-heaved and buildings leaped into the air.  Those that were lifted up collapsed and were smashed to pieces, [Sidenote:  A.D. 115 (a.u. 868)] while others were beaten this way and that as if by the surges and were turned about.  The wrecks were strewn a long distance over the countryside.  The crash of grinding and breaking timbers, tiles, and stones together became most frightful, and an inconceivable mass of dust arose, so that no one could see any person nor say or hear anything.  Many persons were hurt even outside the houses, being picked up and tossed violently about, and then with a momentum as in a fall from a cliff dashed to the earth.  Some were maimed, others killed.  Not a few trees leaped into the air, roots and all.

The number of those found in the houses who perished was beyond discovery.  Multitudes were destroyed by the very force of the collapse and crowds were suffocated in the debris.  Those who lay with a part of their bodies buried under the stones or timbers suffered fearful agony, being able neither to live nor to find an immediate death.