The emperor Severus, enraged with the Byzantines, laid siege to their
city. They defended themselves with great resolution and firmness, and
employed all kinds of stratagems to drive off their enemy, but they
could not prevent the attacks of famine. Decimated by this horrible
calamity, they were constrained to open the gates to the Romans. The
conquerors exercised the rights of war in all their rigour; the city
was plundered, and most of the citizens were slaughtered.