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