34 Facts About Constantius II

Constantius II's reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civil wars, court intrigues, and usurpations.

Constantius II promptly oversaw the massacre of his father-in-law, an uncle, and several cousins, consolidating his hold on power.

The brothers divided the empire among themselves, with Constantius II receiving Greece, Thrace, the Asian provinces, and Egypt in the east.

Unwilling to accept Magnentius as co-ruler, Constantius II waged a civil war against the usurper, defeating him at the battles of Mursa Major in 351 and Mons Seleucus in 353.

Shortly thereafter, in 355, Constantius II promoted his last surviving cousin, Gallus' younger half-brother Julian, to the rank of Caesar.

The war against the Sasanians, which had been in a lull since 350, erupted with renewed intensity in 359 and Constantius II travelled to the east in 360 to restore stability after the loss of several border fortresses.

Constantius II was the third son of Constantine the Great, and second by his second wife Fausta, the daughter of Maximian.

Constantius II promptly attacked Narses, and after suffering minor setbacks defeated and killed Narses at the Battle of Narasara.

Constantius II captured Amida and initiated a major refortification of the city, enhancing the city's circuit walls and constructing large towers.

Constantius II built a new stronghold in the hinterland nearby, naming it Antinopolis.

In early 337, Constantius II hurried to Constantinople after receiving news that his father was near death.

Constantius II received the eastern provinces, including Constantinople, Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Cyrenaica; Constantine received Britannia, Gaul, Hispania, and Mauretania; and Constans, initially under the supervision of Constantine II, received Italy, Africa, Illyricum, Pannonia, Macedonia, and Achaea.

Constantius II then hurried east to Antioch to resume the war with Persia.

When Constantius II learned of Shapur's withdrawal from Roman territory, he prepared his army for a counter-attack.

Constantius II repeatedly defended the eastern border against invasions by the Sassanid Empire under Shapur.

Ultimately, Constantius II was able to push back the invasion, and Shapur failed to make any significant gains.

However, when Constantius II arrived, Vetranio willingly resigned his position and accepted Constantius II' offer of a comfortable retirement in Bithynia.

In 351, Constantius II clashed with Magnentius in Pannonia with a large army.

Rather than pursuing his opponent Constantius II turned his attention to securing the Danubian border, where he spent the early months of 352 campaigning against the Sarmatians along the middle Danube.

Constantius II spent much of the rest of 353 and early 354 on campaign against the Alamanni on the Danube frontier.

Possibly as a result of these reports, Constantius II concluded a peace with the Alamanni and traveled to Mediolanum.

In Mediolanum, Constantius II first summoned Ursicinus, Gallus' magister equitum, for reasons that remain unclear.

Constantius II soon changed his mind and recanted the order.

In spite of this, Constantius II never made any attempt to disband the various Roman priestly colleges or the Vestal Virgins.

Judaism faced some severe restrictions under Constantius II, who seems to have followed an anti-Jewish policy in line with that of his father.

Constantius II had made him magister militum in 353 with the purpose of blocking the German threats, a feat that Silvanus achieved by bribing the German tribes with the money he had collected.

Constantius II realised that too many threats still faced the Empire and he could not possibly handle all of them by himself.

Constantius II spent the next few years overseeing affairs in the western part of the empire primarily from his base at Mediolanum.

Constantius II had already spent part of early 361 unsuccessfully attempting to re-take the fortress of Ad Tigris.

The sources claim that realising his death was near, Constantius II had himself baptised by Euzoius, the Semi-Arian bishop of Antioch, and then declared that Julian was his rightful successor.

Constantius II was a full-sister of Gallus and a half-sister of Julian.

Second, to Eusebia, a woman of Macedonian origin, originally from the city of Thessalonica, whom Constantius II married before his defeat of Magnentius in 353.

Constantius II is a particularly difficult figure to judge properly due to the hostility of most sources toward him.

Constantius II was timid and suspicious, and interested persons could easily play on his fears for their own advantage.