Constantius Ii
| Constantius II | |
|---|---|
| Roman Emperor | |
 Piece bearing the effigy of Constantius II. | |
| Reign | |
| 9 September 337 - 5 October 361 (~ 24 years) | |
| Period | Constantinian |
| Predecessor (s) | Constantine I |
| Co-emperor (s) | Constantine II (d. 340 ) Constant I. (d. 350 ) |
| Usurper (s) | Magnentius and Decency ( 350 ) Vetranio and Nepotian ( 350 ) Julian ( 360 - 361 ) |
| Successor (s) | Julien |
| Biography | |
| Birth | 7 August 317 - Sirmium ( Moesia ) |
| Original Name | Flavius Julius Constantius |
| Deaths | 5 October 361 (44) Tarsus ( Cilicia ) |
| Father | Constantine I |
| Mother | Fausta |
| Spouse (s) | (1) Sister of Julius Constantius (2) Eusebia (3) Faustina |
| Descent | Flavia Maxima (of Faustina ) |
| List of Roman Emperors | |
Constantius II ( 7 August 317 - 3 November 361 ) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. It is often called "Constance": his grandfather, Constance I, is generally called Constantius.
Summary |
Constantius II was the third son of Constantine I (after Crispus and Constantine II ). The death of Constantine in May 337 leaving a complicated situation: the power is shared between several months son of Constantine and his nephews. Consent if the responsibility for the massacre in Constance II nephews and half-brothers of Constantine was more than likely: Bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia , a supporter of Constantius II, produced a timely testament to Constantine, who accused her half-brothers of having poisoned him, and that prompted the Imperial Guard to avenge him.
9 September 337, the three brothers find themselves in Viminiacum Moesia and share the dioceses:
- Constantius II retains the East he governs already attaching the diocese of Thrace,
- Constantine II received the rest of the Empire to Macedonia,
- Constant is probably private land because of his age and remains under the tutelage of the elder, private real power, because of his young age fourteen.
Constantine II and Constant can not agree. Wanting to take the Italian to Constant , Constantine II was killed in April 340 at the battle of Aquileia. Its provinces pass Constant.
Until 350, the two brothers rule their separate ways on good terms. The cadet has shown the most decided and imposed on his brother's religious policy. Constant is then in turn murdered by a usurper, Magnentius himself defeated at the Battle of Mursa in September 351 , which is deadly battle for the Empire an irreparable disaster, all his best forces being destroyed. Magnentius committed suicide in 353. The whole empire is well met under the authority of Constantius II.
Emperor Constance II alone
Constantius II goes to the first Byzantine emperor. He asserts his power hold of the Christian God and holds absolute power and tyranny manifested in hieratic attitudes and justifies every cruelty.
- He lives surrounded by a populous court eunuchs (led by the Lord Chamberlain Eusebius), a place of intrigue.
- The Council became the Presbytery of Prince: participants have to stand in front of his imperial majesty.
It sometimes feels that his task is beyond him. Having no son, he was forced to appoint from among its cousins of the Caesars who survived the massacre of 337 family to assist him. He hated it knows and does not resign himself to designate that when forced to the extreme consequences:
- In 351 , Constantius II appointed Caesar in East his cousin Gallus to fight against Magnentius. In 354 , dissatisfied with the manner of governing of Gallus , he does run.
- In 355 , it sends the half-brother of Gallus , Julian , representing him in Gaul , with the title of Caesar , while he himself lives in Milan , worried about the danger Alaman.
In 356 , he published an edict of persecution against the pagans: "We decree the death penalty against those who are convinced to worship idols. In 357 , he comes to visit Rome , he does not know, then led an offensive against the Sarmatians and the cons finally Persians.
The religious work
Constantius II generally favors Arian The end But in 360 at Lutece , the troops of Gaul proclaimed Julian Augustus , that is to say, emperor of its own. Constantius II should stand against him when, in 361 , en route, he falls ill and dies soon after received, like his father, the baptism of a priest Arian , bequeathing the throne to his competitor. According to the funeral rites reserved for emperors, Constantius received the apotheosis . Bibliography
References
See also
Preceded by: According to: Followed by: Constantine I ( 310 - 337 ) Constantine II ( 337 - 340 )
Constant I. ( 337 - 350 )
Constantius II ( 337 - 361 ) Julian ( 361 - 363 )
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