This article chronicles the attested movements of the fourth-century Roman emperors Constantine II (referred to here as Constantinus), Constantius II (referred to here as Constantius), Constans, Gallus, and Julian the Apostate from 337 to 361 AD. It does not cover the imperial usurpers of the period, including Magnentius, Vetranio, Claudius Silvanus, and Poemenius. [1] The chronology is principally derived from Timothy Barnes' Athanasius and Constantius. [2] Substantial additions and further sources are based on recent research that seeks to go beyond Barnes' own chronology and slightly modifying his at a few places.
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman Empire during the imperial period. The emperors used a variety of different titles throughout history. Often when a given Roman is described as becoming "emperor" in English, it reflects his taking of the title Augustus or Caesar. Another title often used was imperator, originally a military honorific. Early Emperors also used the title Princeps Civitatis. Emperors frequently amassed republican titles, notably princeps senatus, consul and pontifex maximus.
Constantine II was Roman Emperor from 337 to 340. Son of Constantine the Great and co-emperor alongside his brothers, his attempt to exert his perceived rights of primogeniture led to his death in a failed invasion of Italy in 340.
Constantius II was Roman Emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civil wars and usurpations, culminating in Constantius' overthrow as emperor by his cousin Julian. His religious policies inflamed domestic conflicts that would continue after his death.
This article begins its coverage at the death of Constantine on 22 May 337. After an interregnum of three months, during or after which the army and its agents lynched other potential successors, the three sons of Constantine declared themselves Augusti on 9 September 337. [3] Discarding their father's succession arrangements, the brothers divided the empire into three parts. [4] [notes 1] Constantinus ruled the provinces of Gaul, Britain, Spain, and Germany from Trier. [6] [notes 2] Constantius ruled the provinces of Asia Minor (the dioceses of Pontus and Asia), Thrace, the Levant and Egypt (the Diocese of the East) from Antioch. [8] Constans ruled Italy, Africa, and the dioceses of Pannonia, Dacia, and Macedonia from Naissus. [9]
The Diocese of Gaul was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, under the praetorian prefecture of Gaul. It encompassed northern and eastern Gaul, that is, modern France north and east of the Loire, including the Low Countries and modern Germany west of the Rhine.
The Diocese of the Seven Provinces, originally called the Diocese of Vienne after the city of Vienna, was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, under the praetorian prefecture of Gaul. It encompassed southern and western Gaul, that is, modern France south and west of the Loire, including Provence.
Trier, formerly known in English as Treves and Triers, is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the west of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, near the border with Luxembourg and within the important Moselle wine region. Karl Marx, philosopher and founder of the theory that would become known as Marxism, was born in the city in 1818.
In 340, Constantinus attempted to seize his brother Constans' territory, and was killed in battle during the ensuing civil war. Constans acquired his territory, and ruled from Trier, Milan, and Sirmium. [10] In January 350, Constans was overthrown and killed in a palace revolution instigated by Magnentius. Magnentius was defeated and killed in the summer of 353 at the Battle of Mons Seleucus, making Constantius the sole emperor. [11]
Milan is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city in Italy after Rome, with the city proper having a population of 1,395,274 while its metropolitan city has a population of 3,250,315. Its continuously built-up urban area has a population estimated to be about 5,270,000 over 1,891 square kilometres. The wider Milan metropolitan area, known as Greater Milan, is a polycentric metropolitan region that extends over central Lombardy and eastern Piedmont and which counts an estimated total population of 7.5 million, making it by far the largest metropolitan area in Italy and the 54th largest in the world. Milan served as capital of the Western Roman Empire from 286 to 402 and the Duchy of Milan during the medieval period and early modern age.
Sirmium was a city in the Roman province of Pannonia. First mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by Illyrians and Celts, it was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia Inferior. In 294 AD, Sirmium was proclaimed one of four capitals of the Roman Empire. It was also the capital of the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum and of Pannonia Secunda. Sirmium was located on the Sava river, on the site of modern Sremska Mitrovica in northern Serbia. The site is protected as an Archaeological Site of Exceptional Importance. The modern region of Syrmia (Srem) was named after the city.
The Battle of Mons Seleucus was fought in 353 between the forces of the legitimate Roman emperor Constantius II and the forces of the usurper Magnentius. Constantius' forces were victorious, and Magnentius later committed suicide.
From 351 to 359, Constantius ruled from Sirmium and Milan. [12] Constantius appointed Gallus Caesar (subordinate emperor) on 15 March 351, and delegated the rule of the eastern provinces to him. Gallus ruled from Antioch. [13] He subsequently proved violent and cruel, and was recalled and executed in autumn 354. [14] Constantius appointed Julian, the last surviving male relative of Constantine other than himself, Caesar on 6 November 355. [15] Julian ruled the western provinces from Vienne, Sens, and Paris. [13] To address Persian influence and aggression on the eastern frontier, Constantius ruled from Antioch from 360 until his death. [12]
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator. The change from being a familial name to a title adopted by the Roman Emperors can be dated to about CE 68/69, the so-called "Year of the Four Emperors".
Vienne is a commune in southeastern France, located 35 kilometres (22 mi) south of Lyon, on the river Rhône. It is only the fourth largest city in the Isère department, of which it is a subprefecture, but was a major center of the Roman Empire.
Sens is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France, 120 km from Paris.
Julian's troops proclaimed him Augustus in February 360. Constantius did not recognize Julian's claim to the title, but was detained from campaigning against him by Persian raids. Constantius died on 3 November 361 after declaring Julian his successor. [16] Julian was sole emperor from Constantius' death until his own death in 363. [17] This article ends its coverage at Julian's death on June 26, 363. For a further timeline until 426, consult Matthews, John. Western Aristocracies and Imperial Court A.D. 364-425. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1975.
A † indicates that a date or an event is uncertain. A superscript S indicates that the manuscript is corrupt, and has been emended to follow Otto Seeck's corrections in his edition of the Codex Theodosianus. [18] Manuscript details are given in brackets (as "mss. date" or "mss. year", etc.) for all emended texts. Unsourced events are purely conjectural. Note that some are based on triangulation of different sources and can be, as such, somewhat inexact. These cases have been noted.
Otto Karl Seeck was a German classical historian who is perhaps best known for his work on the decline of the ancient world. He was born in Riga.
Date | Event | Source |
---|---|---|
337, c. September | Confers with Constantius and Constans in Pannonia | Julian, Oratio 1, 19a, cf. Libanius, Oratio 59.75 |
338† | Campaigns in Germany | Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum 3.12483 = Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae 724 + add. (3, p. clxxii); [notes 3] (Troesmis: 337/340) [21] |
8 January 339 | At Trier† [notes 4] | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.27 |
Late winter 340 | Invades the territory of Constans and is killed near Aquileia | Jerome, Chronicon 235a; Chronica minora 1.236; Epitome de Caesaribus 41.21; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.5; Zonaras 13.5 [notes 5] |
Date | Event | Source |
---|---|---|
July† 337 [notes 6] | At Viminacium | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 5.2 |
August/September† 337 | Campaigns against the Sarmatae | Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum 3.12483 [notes 7] |
337, c. September | Confers with Constantinus and Constans in Pannonia | Julian, Oratio 1.19a, cf. Libanius Orationes 59.75 [notes 8] |
September† 337 | Returns to Constantinople | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.7 |
November† 337 [notes 9] | Returns to Antioch for the winter | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.7, cf. Libanius Orationes 59.75, 66 |
Spring 338 [notes 10] | At Caesarea in Cappadocia | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 5.2 |
Restores Arsaces to the throne of Armenia | Julian, Oratio 1.20d–21a, cf. Libanius, Oratio 59,76–80 | |
11 October 338 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.23 |
28 October 338 | At Emesa | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.25 |
27 December 338 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 2.6.4 |
339, c. January | At Antioch | Athanasius, Epistula encyclica 2.1; Historia Arianorum 10.1 |
339 or 340 | At Hierapolis | Papyri Abinnaeus 1.8–10 [notes 11] |
Summer 340 | Invades Persian territory | Itinerarium Alexandri, pr. 1, cf. 4 |
12 August 340 | At Edessa [notes 12] | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.30S (place of issue transmitted as Bessae) |
9 September 340 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 6.4.5/6 |
6 January 341 | Attends the 'Dedication Council' at Antioch [notes 13] | Athanasius, de Synodis 25.1; Philostorgius p. 212.19–22 Bidez |
12 February 341 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 5.13.1/2 |
341/2 | Winters in Antioch | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.13.5, cf. Jerome Chronicon 235f; Chronica minora 1.236 |
Early 342 | Visits Constantinople to expel the bishop Paul and returns to Antioch immediately after | Libanius, Oratio 59.94–97; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.13.7, cf. Jerome Chronicon 235f; Chronica minora 1.236 |
31 March – 11 May 342 | In Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 3.12.1; 12.1.33/4 (5, 8 April); 11.36.6 |
18 February 343 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 9.21.5 |
9 June – 4 July 343 | In Hierapolis | Codex Theodosianus 8.1.1 (319 mss.); 12.1.35 (27 June); 15.8.1 |
Summer/autumn 343 | Wins a victory over the Persians | Athanasius, Historia Arianorum 16.2, cf. Festus, Breviarium 27 |
October/November 343 | Visits Constantinople† | |
344, c. April | At Antioch | Theodoret, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.8.56, 9.9–10, cf. Athanasius, Historia Arianorum 20.5 |
Summer 344† | Defeats the Persians near Singara | Julian, Oratio 1, 26a; Libanius, Oratio 59.88, 99–120; Jerome, Chronicon 236l; Chronica minora 1.236 (both Jerome and the Chronica minora give the date as 348), cf. Festus, Breviarium 27 |
345 | At Nisibis | Codex Theodosianus 11.7.5, cf. Ephraem, Carmina Nisibena 13.4–6, 14/5 |
Summer 345 | At Edessa | Athanasius, Apologia contra Arianos 51.6 |
21 March 346 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 10.14.1S (315 mss.) |
346, c. September | At Antioch | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 5.2; Historia Arianorum 44.5, Historia acephala 1.2; Festal Index 17; Jerome, Chronicon 236e |
8 March 347 | At Ancyra | Codex Theodosianus 11.36.8 |
347†, spring [notes 14] | Themistius delivers an imperial panegyric before Constantius at Ancyra [notes 15] | Themistius, Oratio 1 |
11 May 347 | At Hierapolis† | Codex Theodosianus 5.6.1 |
348†, summer | Engages the Persians in battle near Singara | Festus, Breviarium 27 |
1 April 349 | At Antioch | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.39 |
Summer 349 | At Singara, then Emesa | Athanasius, Historia Arianorum 7.3 |
3 October 349 | At Constantinople† | Codex Theodosianus 12.2.1 +15.1.6 |
Spring 350 | At Edessa | Philostorgius, Historia Ecclesiastica 3.22 |
Summer 350 | At Antioch while Shapur II besieges Nisibis | Theodoret, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.30.1, 9/10, 31.1 |
Visits Nisibis after the siege | Zonaras 13.7 | |
Autumn 350 | Leaves Antioch heading west | Philostorgius, p. 215.22–24 Bidez |
Travels via Heraclea to Serdica | Zonaras 13.7 | |
25 December 350 | Engineers the abdication of Vetranio at Naissus | Jerome, Chronicon 238c (place and year); Chronica minora 1.238 (day, year falsely given as 351); Zosimus 2.44.3/4 |
15 March 351 | Proclaims Gallus Caesar at Sirmium | Chronica minora 1.238 |
Summer and autumn 351 | In Sirmium before and during the campaign against Magnentius | Sulpicius Severus, Chron. 2.38.5–7; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.28.23; Zosimus 2.45.3, 48.3 |
351, October† | Present at the Second Council of Sirmium which deposed Photinus | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.28.23, 29.1 |
26 February 352 | At Sirmium | Codex Justinianus 6.22.5 |
12 May 352 | At Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 3.5.1S (319 mss.) |
Summer 352 | Campaign against the Sarmatae† | |
352, September† | Enters Italy | Chronica minora 1.67 [notes 16] |
3 November 352 | At Milan | Codex Theodosianus 15.14.5 |
Spring–summer 353 | In Milan | Historia acephala 1.7, cf. Festal Index 25; Codex Theodosianus 11.1.6 + 12.1.42 (22 May: year emended from 354), 16.8.7S (3 July: 357 mss.) |
353, c. October – 354, Spring | Winters in Arles | Ammianus 14.5.1; Codex Theodosianus 8.7.2S (3 November: 326 mss.); Ammianus 14.10.1 |
Spring 354 | At Valentia | Ammianus 14.10.1/2 |
Crosses the Rhine at Rauracum | Ammianus 14.10.6 | |
Autumn 354 – spring 355 | Winters in Milan | Ammianus 14.10.16; Codex Theodosianus 11.34.2 (1 January); Codex Justinianus 6.22.6 (18 February) |
355, c. June | Conducts expedition into Raetia | Ammianus 15.4.1 |
Goes to winter quarters in Milan | Ammianus 15.4.13, cf. Sulpicius Severus, Chron. 2.39.3, 8 (Council of Milan) | |
6 July 355 – 5 July 356 | In Milan | Codex Theodosianus 14.3.2; Codex Theodosianus 12.1.43 (17 July 355); 1.5.5 (18 July 355); 6.29.1 (22 July 355); 12.12.1 (1 August 355); 9.34.6 (31 October 355); 16.10.6 (19 February 356); 9.42.2 (8 March 356); 11.16.8S (1 April 356: 357 mss.); 11.16.7 (2 April 356); 6.4.8–10 (11 April 356); 6.29.2S (17 April 356: 357 mss.); 13.10.3S (29 April 356: 357 mss.); 9.17.4S = Codex Justinianus 9.19.4S (13 June 356: 357 mss.); Codex Theodosianus 8.5.8S (24 June 356: 357 mss.); 1.2.7 (5 July 356) |
6 November 355 | Proclaims Julian Caesar at Milan | Ammianus 15.8.17; Chronica minora 1.238; Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum 12, p. 277; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.34.5 |
1 December 355 | Escorts Julian out of Milan, then returns to the city | Ammianus 15.8.18 |
Summer and autumn 356 | Campaigns against the Alamanni on the Upper Rhine | Ammianus 16.12.15/6 |
25 July 356 | At Messadensis [notes 17] | Codex Theodosianus 11.30.25S (355 mss.) |
2 September 356 | At Dinumma [notes 18] | Codex Theodosianus 11.7.8S (355 mss.) |
10 November 356 – 19 March 357 | In Milan | Codex Theodosianus 16.2.13S (357 mss.); 9.16.5S (4 December 356: 357 mss.); 8.7.7S (27 December: a date in 357 is implied); 12.12.2 (15 January 357); 9.17.4 (15 January 357: 'id.Iun.' mss.); 9.16.4 (25 January 357); 15.1.1S (2 February 357: 320 mss.); 10.20.2S (358 mss.) |
28 April 357 | Enters Rome | Chronica minora 1.239 |
28 April – 29 May 357 | In Rome | Ammianus 16.10.20 (length of stay); Codex Theodosianus 8.1.5 (6 May 357); 10.1.2S (17 May 357: 319 mss.) |
7 or 10 June 357 | At Helvillum [notes 19] | Codex Theodosianus 1.5.6 + 7 |
5 July 357 | At Ariminum | Codex Theodosianus 9.16.6S (358 mss.) |
21 July 357 | At Ravenna | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.40S (353 mss.) |
Passes through Tridentum on the way to the Danube | Ammianus 16.10.20 | |
Visits Pannonia and Moesia | Zosimus 3.2.2; Julian, Epistula ad SPQ Atheniarum 279d | |
October 357 – 3 March 358 | Winters in Sirmium | Ammianus 16.10.21; 17.12.1; Codex Theodosianus 8.5.10 (27 October 357: transmitted year either 357 or 358); 1.15.3S (3 December 357: 353 mss.); 7.4.3, 11.30.27 (18 December 357); 2.21.2S (18 December 357: 360 mss.); 9.42.4 (4 January 357); Codex Justinianus 3.26.8 |
April 358 | Invades the territory of the Sarmatae Limigantes | Ammianus 17.12.4–6 |
Returns in triumph to Sirmium | Ammianus 13.3.33 | |
21–23 June 358 | In Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.44 + 45 (21 June 358); 8.13.4, 11.36.13 (23 June 358) |
27 June 358 | At Mursa | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.46 |
358, c. October – 359, c. March | Winters in Sirmium | Ammianus 18.4.1; 19.11.1; Codex Theodosianus 2.21.1 (19 December 358) |
Spring 359 | Begins a campaign against the Sarmatae | Ammianus 19.11.2 |
In the province of Valeria | Ammianus 19.11.4 | |
Defeats the Limigantes near Acimincum | Ammianus 19.11.5–16 | |
Returns to Sirmium | Ammianus 19.11.17 | |
22 May 359 | At Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 6.4.14 + 15; Athanasius, de Synodicus 8.3; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.37.18 |
28 May 359 | At Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 1.7.1 |
18 June 359 | At Singidunum | Codex Theodosianus 11.30.28 |
† | At Adrianople† | Athanasius, de Synodicus 55.2/3 (implies intent to visit) |
Autumn 359 | Goes to Constantinople for the winter | Ammianus 19.11.17; 20.8.1; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.41.1; Sozomen, Historia Ecclesiastica 4.23.3, cf. Chronica minora 1.239 (implies Constantius' presence in Constantinople before 11 December 359) |
December 359 – March 360 | In Constantinople | Sozomen, Historia Ecclesiastica 4.23.4–7 (late December 359 – 1 January 360); Hilary, Ad Constantium 2.2 (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 65.198.9/10), cf. Jerome, de Virus Illustribus 100; Codex Theodosianus 4.13.4S; 11.36.10S (18 January 360: 356 and 354 mss.); 11.24.1 (4 February 360); 14.1.1S (24 February 360: 357 mss.); 7.4.5S (14 March 360: 359 mss.) |
360, March† | At Caesarea in Cappadocia, receiving news that Julian has been proclaimed Augustus | Ammianus 20.9.1 |
Travels via Melitene, Lacotena, and Samosata to Edessa | Ammianus 20.11.4 | |
After 21 September, 360 | Leaves Edessa | Ammianus 20.11.4 |
Visits Amida | Ammianus 20.11.4/5 | |
Besieges Bezabde | Ammianus 20.11.6–31 | |
17 December 360 | At Hierapolis | Codex Theodosianus 7.4.6S (17 May mss.) |
Late December 360 – 361, c. March | Winters in Antioch | Ammianus 20.11.32; Codex Theodosianus 16.2.16 (14 February 361); Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.45.10 |
3 May 361 | At Gephyra | Codex Theodosianus 1.6.1, 28.1; 6.4.12, 13; 7.8.1; 11.1.7, 15.1, 23.1; 12.1.48; 13.1.3; 15.1.7 (all extracts from the same law) |
29 May 361 | At Doliche | Codex Theodosianus 7.4.4S (358 mss.: place of issue written as Doridae) |
Crosses the Euphrates at Capersana, goes to Edessa, and later returns to Hierapolis (or perhaps Nicopolis) | Ammianus 21.7.7, 13.8 | |
Autumn 361 | Briefly returns to Antioch | Ammianus 21.15.1/2 |
October 361 | At Hippocephalus | Ammianus 21.15.2 |
Falls ill at Tarsus | Ammianus 21.15.2 | |
3 November 361 | Dies at Mopsucrenae in Cilicia | Jerome, Chronicon 242b; Ammianus 21.15.3 (date emended from 5 October); Chronica minora 1.240; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.47.4; 3.1.1 |
Date | Event | Source |
---|---|---|
337, c. September | Confers with Constantinus and Constantius in Pannonia | Julian, Oratio 1, 19a, cf. Libanius, Oratio 59.75 |
6 December 337 | At Thessalonica | Codex Theodosianus 11.1.4; 11.7.8S (353 mss.) |
338/346 [notes 20] | Campaign against the Sarmatae | Corpus Incriptionum Latinarum 3.12483 |
12 June 338 | At Viminacium | Codex Theodosianus 10.10.4 |
27 July 338 | At Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 15.1.5; Codex Justinianus 10.48.7 |
339†, 6 April | At Savaria | Codex Theodosianus 10.10.6S (342 mss.) |
19 January 340 – 2 February 340 | At Naissus | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.29; 10.10.5 |
Hears of Constantinus' invasion of his territory while in Dacia | Zonaras 13.5 | |
9 April 340 | At Aquileia | Codex Theodosianus 2.6.5; 10.15.3 |
25 June 340 | At Milan | Codex Theodosianus 9.17.1 |
340† | Visits Rome† | Passio Artemii 9 = Philostorgius, Historia Ecclesiastica 3.1A |
24 June 341 | At Lauriacum | Codex Theodosianus 8.2.1 = 12.1.31 |
Late 341 | Campaigns against the Franci in Gaul | Jerome, Chronicon 235b; Chronica minora 1.236 |
342 | Wins a victory over the Franci and signs a treaty with them | Libanius, Oratio 59.127–136; Jerome, Chronicon 235e; Chronica minora 1.236; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.13.4 |
Summer 342 | In Trier | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.18 |
Autumn 342 | Interviews Athanasius in Milan | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 4.3 |
4 December 342 | At Milan | Codex Theodosianus 9.7.3 |
25 January 343 | At Bononia | Codex Theodosianus 11.16.5, cf. Codex Justinianus 3.26.6 |
Crosses to Britain in winter | Firmicus Maternus, De errore profanarum religionum 28.6; Libanius, Oratio 59.137–140; Ammianus 20.1.1 | |
Spring 343 | Returns from Britain to Gaul soon after his departure | Libanius, Oratio 59.139, 141 |
30 June 343 | At Trier | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.36 |
Summer 343 | Interviews Athanasius in Trier | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 4.4, cf. 3.7 |
Autumn 344 | In Pannonia | Libanius, Oratio 59.133 |
Early 345 | Receives an embassy from Constantius at Poetovio | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 3.3 |
7 April 345 | At Aquileia at Easter, where he interviews Athanasius | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 15.4, cf. 3.7; Festal Index 17 |
15 May 345 | At Trier | Codex Theodosianus 10.10.7 |
9 June or 11 July 345 | At Cologne | Codex Theodosianus 3.5.7 |
Autumn† 345 | Interviews Athanasius in Trier | Athanasius, Apologia ad Constantium 4.5, cf. 3.7 |
346†, 5 March | At Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 10.10.8S (353 mss.) |
23 May 346 | At Caesena | Codex Theodosianus 12.1.38 |
17 June 348 | At Milan | Codex Theodosianus 10.14.2 |
27 May 349 | At Sirmium | Codex Theodosianus 7.1.2 + 8.7.3 |
350, shortly after 18 January | Killed at Helena in Gaul | Eutropius, Breviarium 10.9.4; Jerome, Chronicon 237c; Chronica minora 1.237; Epitome de Caesaribus 41.23; Zosimus 2.42.5 |
Date | Event | Source |
---|---|---|
15 March 351 | Proclaimed Caesar at Sirmium | Chronica minora 1.238 (day); Passio Artemii 12 = Philostorgius, Historia Ecclesiastica 3.26a |
7 May 351 | Reaches Antioch | Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.28.22 |
Campaigns in Mesopotamia† | Philostorgius, Historia Ecclesiastica 3.28 | |
Summer 352 | Suppresses a Jewish rebellion in Galilee | Jerome, Chronicon 238f |
Late summer 353 – spring 354 | At Antioch | Ammianus 14.1.4–9, 7.1–4 |
354, c. March | Visits Hierapolis | Ammianus 14.7.5 |
354, c. 1 September | Leaves Antioch | Ammianus 14.11.12 |
14–30 September 354 | At Nicomedia† | Papyri Laurentius 169 (consular date of 354 restored) |
Stripped of his imperial rank at Poetovio | Ammianus 14.11.19/20 | |
October 354 | Tried and executed near Pola | Ammianus 14.11.20–30 |
Date | Event | Source |
---|---|---|
6 November 355 | Proclaimed Caesar at Milan | Ammianus 15.8.7; Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum 12, p. 277; Chronica minora 1.238; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 2.34.5 |
6–30 November 355 | At Milan | Ammianus 15.8.18 |
1 December 355 | Leaves Milan | Ammianus 15.8.18 |
Travels via Turin to Vienne | Ammianus 15.8.18–21 | |
December 355 – spring 356 | At Vienne | Ammianus 16.1.1, 2.1 |
April/May 356 | Present at the Council of Baeterrae† | Hilary, Ad Constantium 2 (Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum 65.198.5–15) |
24 June 356 | Reaches Autun | Ammianus 16.2.2 |
Passes through Auxerre | Ammianus 16.2.5 | |
Advances via Troyes, Reims, Decem Pagi, Brotomagus | Ammianus 16.2.6–8 | |
356, c. August | Recaptures Cologne | Ammianus 16.3.1/2, cf. Julian, Epistula ad SPQ Atheniarum 279b |
Visits Trier | Ammianus 16.3.3 | |
356/7 | Winters at Sens | Ammianus 16.3.3, 7.1, 11.1 |
Spring 357 | Goes to Reims | Ammianus 16.11.1 |
Marches toward Strasbourg and wins a victory over the Alamanni | Ammianus 16.11.8–12.67 | |
Returns to Tres Tabernae | Ammianus 17.1.1 | |
Goes to Mainz | Ammianus 17.1.2 | |
Conducts raid across the Rhine | Ammianus 17.1.2/3 | |
December 357 – January 358 | Besieges barbarians at a fortified town on the Meuse for 54 days | Ammianus 17.2.2/3 |
January–July 358 | Winters in Paris | Ammianus 17.2.4, 8.1 |
July–autumn 358 | Campaigns against the Salian Franci in Toxandria | Ammianus 17.8.3–10.10 |
1 January 359 | In winter quarters at Paris | Ammianus 18.1.1 |
Strengthens the Rhine frontier from Castra Herculis to Bingen | Ammianus 18.2.4 | |
Crosses the Rhine from Mainz and conducts a raid into German territory | Ammianus 18.2.7–19 | |
1 January 360 | In winter quarters at Paris | Ammianus 20.1.1 |
360, February† | Proclaimed Augustus at Paris | Julian, Epistula ad SPQ Atheniarum 283a–285a; Ammianus 20.4.4–22; Zosimus 3.9.1–3 |
Summer 360 | Crosses the Rhine at Tricesima and attacks the Franci Attuarii | Ammianus 20.10.1/2 |
Autumn 360 | Marches up the left bank of the Rhine to Rauracum, then via Besançon to Vienne | Ammianus 20.10.3 |
6 November 360 – 361, c. March | Winters at Vienne | Ammianus 20.10.3; 21.1 (6 November 360); 21.2.5 (6 January 361), 3.1 |
Spring 361 | Attacks Germans, crosses the Rhine, and goes to Rauracum | Ammianus 21.3.3–4.8, 8.1 |
Leaves Rauracum, advances up the Rhine, then down the Danube | Ammianus 21.8.1–10.2 | |
Mid-July 361 | Continues advancing down the Danube via Sirmium as far as the Pass of Succi | Ammianus 21.8.1–10.2 |
Returns to Naissus | Ammianus 21.20.5 | |
At Naissus | Ammianus 21.12.1; Zosimus 3.11.2 | |
After receiving news of Constantius' death, leaves Naissus and travels via Philippopolis and Heraclea/Perinthus to Constantinople | Ammianus 21.12.3; 22.2 | |
11 December 361 | Enters Constantinople | Ammianus 22.2.4; Chronica minora 1.240; Socrates, Historia Ecclesiastica 3.1.2 |
c. May 362 | Sets out for Antioch | Ammianus 22.9.2 |
Winter 362 | Julian winters at Antioch, planning the campaign on the Sassanian front | Ammianus 23.2.6 |
March 5 363 | Julian sets out on his campaign from Antioch, makes it to Hierapolis in his first stage | Ammianus 23.2.6 |
March 27 363 | Julian arrives in Kallinikos | Ammianus 23.3.7 |
Beginning of April 363 | Julian enters Kirkesion | Ammianus 23.5.1 |
April to June 26 363 | Julian continues his campaign eastward, until he dies on the battlefield on June 26, 363 | Ammianus 25.3.21, 22 |
Athanasius of Alexandria, also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor or, primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church, Athanasius the Apostolic, was the 20th bishop of Alexandria. His intermittent episcopacy spanned 45 years, of which over 17 encompassed five exiles, when he was replaced on the order of four different Roman emperors. Athanasius was a Christian theologian, a Church Father, the chief defender of Trinitarianism against Arianism, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century.
Constantine the Great, also known as Constantine I, was a Roman Emperor who ruled between 306 and 337 AD. Born in Naissus, in Dacia Ripensis, city now known as Niš, he was the son of Flavius Valerius Constantius, a Roman Army officer of Illyrian origins. His mother Helena was Greek. His father became Caesar, the deputy emperor in the west, in 293 AD. Constantine was sent east, where he rose through the ranks to become a military tribune under Emperors Diocletian and Galerius. In 305, Constantius was raised to the rank of Augustus, senior western emperor, and Constantine was recalled west to campaign under his father in Britannia (Britain). Constantine was acclaimed as emperor by the army at Eboracum after his father's death in 306 AD. He emerged victorious in a series of civil wars against Emperors Maxentius and Licinius to become sole ruler of both west and east by 324 AD.
Eusebius of Caesarea, also known as Eusebius Pamphili, was a historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian polemicist. He became the bishop of Caesarea Maritima about 314 AD. Together with Pamphilus, he was a scholar of the Biblical canon and is regarded as an extremely learned Christian of his time. He wrote Demonstrations of the Gospel, Preparations for the Gospel, and On Discrepancies between the Gospels, studies of the Biblical text. As "Father of Church History", he produced the Ecclesiastical History, On the Life of Pamphilus, the Chronicle and On the Martyrs. He also produced a biographical work on the first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, who ruled between 306 and 337 AD.
The 350s decade ran from January 1, 350, to December 31, 359.
Galerius was Roman emperor from 305 to 311. During his reign, he campaigned, aided by Diocletian, against the Sassanid Empire, sacking their capital Ctesiphon in 299. He also campaigned across the Danube against the Carpi, defeating them in 297 and 300. Although he was a staunch opponent of Christianity, Galerius ended the Diocletianic Persecution when he issued an Edict of Toleration in Serdica in 311.
Macedonius was a Greek bishop of Constantinople from 342 up to 346, and from 351 until 360. He inspired the establishment of the Macedonians, a sect later declared heretical.
Salminius Hermias Sozomenus, also known as Sozomen was a historian of the Christian Church.
Themistius, named εὐφραδής (eloquent), was a statesman, rhetorician, and philosopher. He flourished in the reigns of Constantius II, Julian, Jovian, Valens, Gratian, and Theodosius I; and he enjoyed the favour of all those emperors, notwithstanding their many differences, and the fact that he himself was not a Christian. He was admitted to the senate by Constantius in 355, and he was prefect of Constantinople in 384 on the nomination of Theodosius. Of his many works, thirty-three orations of his have come down to us, as well as various commentaries and epitomes of the works of Aristotle.
Lucifer Calaritanus was a bishop of Cagliari in Sardinia known for his passionate opposition to Arianism. He is venerated as a Saint in Sardinia, though his status remains controversial.
Helvidius was the author of a work written prior to 383 against the belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary. Helvidius maintained that the biblical mention of "sisters" and "brothers" of the Lord constitutes solid evidence that Mary had normal marital relations with Joseph and additional children after the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus. He supported his opinion by the writings of Tertullian and Victorinus.
Timothy David Barnes, is a British classicist.
Helena was a Roman Empress by marriage to Julian, Roman Emperor in 360–363. She was briefly his Empress consort when Julian was proclaimed Augustus by his troops in 360. She died prior to the resolution of his conflict with Constantius II.
Olympias, also known as Saint Olympias and sometimes known as Olympias the Younger to distinguish her from her aunt of the same name was a Christian Roman noblewoman of Greek descent.
Philip the Arab was one of the few 3rd-century Roman emperors sympathetic to Christians, although his relationship with Christianity is obscure and controversial. Philip was born in Auranitis, an Arab district east of the Sea of Galilee. The urban and Hellenized centers of the region were Christianized in the early years of the 3rd century via major Christian centers at Bosra and Edessa; there is little evidence of Christian presence in the small villages of the region in this period, such as Philip's birthplace at Philippopolis. Philip served as praetorian prefect, commander of the Praetorian Guard, from 242; he was made emperor in 244. In 249, after a brief civil war, he was killed at the hands of his successor, Decius.
Sossianus Hierocles was a late Roman aristocrat and office-holder. He served as a praeses in Syria under Diocletian at some time in the 290s. He was then made vicarius of some district, perhaps Oriens until 303, when he was transferred to Bithynia. It is for his anti-Christian activities in Bithynia that he is principally remembered. He was, in the words of the Cambridge Ancient History, "one of the most zealous of persecutors". While in Bithynia, Hierocles authored Lover of Truth, a critique of Christianity. Lover of Truth is noted as the first instance of the trope, popular in later pagan polemic, of comparing the pagan holy man Apollonius of Tyana to Jesus Christ.
The anti-paganism policy of Constantius II lasted from 337 till 361. It was marked by laws and edicts that punished pagan practices. Laws dating from the 350s prescribed the death penalty for those who performed or attended pagan sacrifices, and for the worshipping of idols; temples were shut down, and the Altar of Victory was removed from the Senate meeting house. There were also frequent episodes of ordinary Christians destroying, pillaging, desecrating, vandalizing many of the ancient pagan temples, tombs and monuments. Paganism was still popular among the population at the time. The emperor's policies were passively resisted of many governors and magistrates. Herbermann contends that the anti-paganism legislation had an unfavourable influence on the Middle Ages and become the basis of the Inquisition.
Ulpius Limenius was a Roman politician who was appointed consul in AD 349.
Flavius Salia was a Roman military officer who was appointed consul in AD 348.
Cecropius of Nicomedia was a bishop of Nicomedia and a key player in the Arian controversy.