CHAPTER III.

HISTORY OF THE SILK MANUFACTURE FROM THE THIRD TO THE SIXTH CENTURY.

SPINNING, DYEING, AND WEAVING.--HIGH DEGREE OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINED IN THESE ARTS.

Fourth Century--Curious account of silk found in the Edict of Diocletian--Extravagance of the Consul Furius Placidus--Transparent silk shifts--Ausonius describes silk as the produce of trees--Quintus Aur Symmachus, and Claudian’s testimony of silk and golden textures--Their extraordinary beauty--Pisander’s description--Periplus Maris Erythræi--Dido of Sidon. Mention of silk in the laws of Manu--Rufus Festus Avinus--Silk shawls--Marciannus Capella--Inscription by M. N. Proculus, silk manufacturer--Extraordinary spiders’ webs--Bombyces compared to spiders--Wild silk-worms of Tsouen-Kien and Tiao-Kien--M. Bertin’s account--Further remarks on wild silk-worms. Christian authors of the fourth century--Arnobius--Gregorius Nazienzenus--Basil--Illustration of the doctrine of the resurrection--Ambrose--Georgius Pisida--Macarius--Jerome--Chrysostom--Heliodorus--Salmasius--Extraordinary beauty of the silk and golden textures described by these authors--Their invectives against Christians wearing silk. Mention of silk by Christian authors in the fifth century--Prudentius--Palladius--Theodosian Code--Appollinaris Sidonius--Alcimus Avitus. Sixth century--Boethius. (Manufactures of Tyre and Sidon--Purple--Its great durability--Incredible value of purple stuffs found in the treasury of the King of Persia.) 41