The Roman Emperors Constantius II ( 337 – 361 ) and Valens ( 364 – 378 ) were Arians or Semi-Arians.

However, to minimize the extent of the movement ignores the facts that at least two Roman emperors, Constantius II and Valens, became Arians, as did prominent Gothic, Vandal and Lombard warlords both before and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

However, there is no evidence that his son and ultimate successor, Constantius II, who was an Arian Christian, was exiled.

Constantine's son Constantius II, who had become Emperor of the eastern part of the Empire, actually encouraged the Arians and set out to reverse the Nicene creed.

In 355 Constantius became the sole Emperor and extended his pro-Arian policy toward the western provinces, frequently using force to push through his creed, even exiling Pope Liberius and installing Antipope Felix II.

However, during the time of Arianism's flowering in Constantinople, the Gothic convert Ulfilas ( later the subject of the letter of Auxentius cited above ) was sent as a missionary to the Gothic barbarians across the Danube, a mission favored for political reasons by emperor Constantius II.

* 317 – Constantius II, Roman emperor ( d. 361 )

* 357 – Emperor Constantius II enters Rome for the first time to celebrate his victory over Magnus Magnentius.

He came from Antioch and served under Constantius II and was probably appointed to ensure that nobody with western associations was serving in Britain during a time of mistrust, rebellion and suppression symbolised by the brutal acts of the imperial notary Paulus Catena.

A bust of Emperor Constantius II from Syria. Ammianus was born between 325 and 330 in the Greek-speaking East, possibly at Antioch on the Orontes.

Ammianus served as a soldier in the army of Constantius II ( and possibly Julian the Apostate ) in Gaul and Persia.

He entered the army at an early age, when Constantius II was emperor of the East, and was sent to serve under Ursicinus, governor of Nisibis in Mesopotamia, and magister militum.

The walls of Amida, built by Constantius II before the Siege of Amida of 359

Like many ancient historians, Ammianus had a strong political and religious agenda to pursue, however, and he contrasted Constantius II with Julian to the former's constant disadvantage ; like all ancient writers he was skilled in rhetoric, and this shows in his work.

* 355 – Claudius Silvanus, accused of treason, proclaims himself Roman Emperor against Constantius II.

Antipope Felix II was installed as Pope in 355 after the Emperor Constantius II banished the reigning Pope, Liberius, for refusing to subscribe the sentence of condemnation against Saint Athanasius.

He continued to lead the conflict against the Arians for the rest of his life and was engaged in theological and political struggles against the Emperors Constantine the Great and Constantius II and powerful and influential Arian churchmen, led by Eusebius of Nicomedia and others.

Shortly thereafter, however, Constantine's son, the new Roman Emperor Constantius II, renewed the order for Athanasius ' banishment in 338.

The persecution against the orthodox party broke out with renewed vigor, and Constantius II was induced to prepare drastic measures against Athanasius and the priests who were devoted to him.

Unfortunately, the emperor Constantius II seems to have been committed to having Athanasius deposed, and went so far as to send soldiers to arrest him.

Athanasius went into hiding in the desert with the Desert Fathers, and continued in his capacity as bishop from there until the death of Constantius II in 361.

The Batavi were still mentioned in 355 during the reign of Constantius II ( 317-361 ), when their island was already dominated by the Salii, a Frankish tribe that had sought Roman protection there in 297 after having been expelled from their own country by the Saxons.

* Constantius II ( 317 – 361 ), Roman Emperor from 337 to 361

Constantius II (; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361 ), was Roman Emperor from 337 to 361.

However, upon Constans ' death in 350, a civil war broke out which left Constantius as sole emperor.

Division of the Roman Empire among the Caesars appointed by Constantine I: from left to right, the territories of Constantine II ( emperor ) | Constantine II, Constans I, Dalmatius and Constantius II.

After the death of Constantine I ( May 337 ), this was the formal division of the Empire, until Dalmatius was killed and his territory divided between Constans and Constantius.

The massacre left Constantius, his older brother Constantine II, his younger brother Constans, and three cousins Gallus, Julian and Nepotianus as the only surviving male relatives of Constantine the Great.

Meanwhile, his brother Constantine desired to retain control of Constans ' realm – leading Constantius ' two brothers into open conflict.

With Constantine ’ s death in 337, Constans and his two brothers, Constantine II and Constantius II divided the Roman world between themselves, after first deposing of virtually all of the relatives of their father who could possibly have a claim on the throne.

Division of the Roman Empire among the Caesars appointed by Constantine I: from left to right, the territories of Constantine II ( emperor ) | Constantine II, Constans, Dalmatius and Constantius II.

After the death of Constantine I ( May 337 ), this was the formal division of the Empire, until Dalmatius was killed and his territory divided between Constans and Constantius.

Following the death of his father in 337, Constantine II initially became emperor jointly with his brothers Constantius II and Constans, with the Empire divided between them and their cousins, the Caesars Dalmatius and Hannibalianus.

Division of the Roman Empire among the Caesars appointed by Constantine I: from left to right, the territories of Constantine II, Constans I, Dalmatius and Constantius II.

After the death of Constantine I ( May 337 ), this was the formal division of the Empire, until Dalmatius was killed and his territory divided between Constans and Constantius.

Constantius II ordered the murders of many descendants from the second marriage of Constantius Chlorus and Theodora, leaving only Constantius and his brothers Constantine II and Constans I, and their cousins, Julian and Gallus ( Julian's half-brother ), as the surviving males related to Emperor Constantine.

* 337 – Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans I succeed their father Constantine I as co-emperors.

At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Constans ( or, less frequently, year 1167 Ab urbe condita ).

In 342 CE, the Christian emperors Constantius and Constans declared same-sex marriage to be illegal.

* Constantinople, capital of Emperor Constantius II, becomes the largest city of the world, taking the lead from Rome, capital of his brother Constans I.

When he is ambushed and killed by Constans, Constans is left sole ruler of the Western Roman Empire, with his other brother, Constantius II, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Roman Empire ( 337 ) is divided between the territories of ( left to right ): Constantine II ( emperor ) | Constantine II, Constans I, Dalmatius and Constantius II

* September 9 – Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans I succeed their father Constantine I as co-emperors.

Constantius II, older brother of Constans and emperor in the East, promptly set forth towards Magnentius with a large army.

About the year 346 he composed a work entitled De errore profanarum religionum, which he dedicated to Constantius II and Constans, the sons of Constantine, and which is still extant.