Nicholas Baker-Brian - The Reign of Constantius II

Constantius II, son of Constantine the Great, ruled the Roman Empire between 337 and 361 CE. Constantius reign is characterised by a series of political and cultural upheavals and is rightly viewed as a time of significant change in the history of the fourth century. Constantius initially shared power with his brothers, Constantine II and Constans, but this arrangement lasted a short period of time before Constantine II was killed in a contest over authority by Constans. Further threats to the stability of the empire arose with the usurpation of the ambitious Roman general Magnentius between 350 and 353, and additional episodes of imperial instability occurred as Constantius relations with his junior Caesars, Gallus and Julian, deteriorated, the latter to the point where civil war would have been on the cards once again if Constantius had not died on 3 November 361.

This book examines the dynastic, political and cultural impact of Constantius reign as a member of the Constantinian family on the later empire, first as a joint ruler with his brothers and then as sole Augustus. The chapters investigate the involvement of Constantius in the imperial, administrative, legal, religious and cultural life of the Roman Empire in the fourth century. Constantius handling of various threats to Roman hegemony such as the ambitions of the neighbouring Sasanian Empire, and his relationships with Gallus and with Julian are explored. The books analysis is guided by the epigraphic, iconographic, literary and legal evidence of the Roman and Byzantine periods but it is not a conventional imperial biography. Rather, it examines the figure of Constantius in light of the numerous historiographical issues surrounding his memorialisation in the historical and literary sources, for instance, as Arian tyrant or as internecine murderer. The over-arching aim is to investigate power in the post-Constantine period, and the way in which imperial and episcopal networks related to one another with the ambition of participating in the exercise of power.

The Reign of Constantius II will appeal to those interested in the Later Roman Empire, the Constantinian imperial family, Roman-Sasanian relations and the role of religion in shaping imperial dynamics with Christianity.

Nicholas Baker-Brian is Reader in Ancient Religions in the School of History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff University. He has published extensively on the late antique period, including most recently the co-edited volumes, A Companion to Religion in Late Antiquity (2018), The Sons of Constantine, AD 337361 (2020) and Studia Patristica Vol. 102 (2021).

First published 2023

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2023 Nicholas Baker-Brian

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ISBN: 978-1-032-01042-7 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-032-01047-2 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-003-17688-6 (ebk)

DOI: 10.4324/9781003176886

Typeset in Baskerville

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AAAHActa ad Archaeologiam et Artium Historiam PertinentiaAEL Anne pigraphiqueAntTardAntiquit TardiveBICSBulletin of the Institute of Classical StudiesBMGSByzantine and Modern Greek StudiesBZByzantinische ZeitschriftCLREConsuls of the Later Roman EmpireCPClassical PhilologyCQClassical QuarterlyCRClassical ReviewDIRDe Imperatoribus RomanisDOPDumbarton Oaks PapersEHREnglish Historical ReviewFHGFragmenta Historicorum GraecorumGRBSGreek, Roman and Byzantine StudiesHSCPHarvard Studies in Classical PhilologyHTRHarvard Theological ReviewJECSJournal of Early Christian StudiesJLAJournal of Late AntiquityJLARCJournal for Late Antique Religion and CultureJNGJahrbuch fr Numismatik und GeldgeschichteJRAJournal of Roman ArchaeologyJRSJournal of Roman StudiesJTSJournal of Theological StudiesLSALast Statues of AntiquityNACNumismatica Ars ClassicaNCNumismatic ChronicleNPNFNicene and Post-Nicene FathersOCDOxford Classical DictionaryODLAOxford Dictionary of Late AntiquityPCPhSProceedings of the Cambridge Philological SocietyPLREProsopography of the Later Roman EmpireRIBRoman Inscriptions of BritainRICRoman Imperial CoinageRQRmische QuartalschriftTAPATransactions of the American Philological AssociationVCVigiliae ChristinaeZACZeitschrift fr Antikes ChristentumZPEZeitschrift fr Papyrologie und Epigraphik MapThe Later Roman Empire: created by Kirsty Harding, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff UniversityMapThe Sasanian Empire: created by Kirsty Harding, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff UniversityMapThe Nile, Egypt, Ethiopia and Arabia: created by Kirsty Harding, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University Family Tree 1The Descendants of Constantius I and Helena: devised by Shaun Tougher and created by Howard Mason, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff UniversityFamily Tree 2The Descendants of Constantius I and Theodora: devised by Shaun Tougher and created by Howard Mason, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff UniversityFamily Tree 3The Family of Julius Constantius: devised by Shaun Tougher and created by Howard Mason, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University

316 (Summer)	Birth of Constantine II
317 (1 March)	Crispus and Constantine II made Caesars (along with Licinianus)
317 (7 August)

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