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About this time an extraordinary commotion shook the whole state, of
the principal heads, of which we shall give a brief account, deeming
it necessary not to pass over them altogether. We mentioned in our
first book, that after the death of the founder of Constantinople,
his three sons succeeded him in the empire: it must now be also
stated, that a kinsman of theirs, Dalmatius, so named from his
father shared with them the imperial authority. This person after
being associated with them in the sovereignty for a very little while,
the soldiers put to death, Constantius having neither commanded his
destruction, nor forbidden it. The manner in which Constantine the
younger was also killed by the soldiers, on his invading that division
of the empire which belonged to his brother, has already been recorded
a more than once. After his death, the Persian war was raised
against the Romans, in which Constantius did nothing prosperously:
for in a battle fought by night on the frontiers of both parties, the
Persians had to some slight extent the advantage. And this at a time
when the affairs of the Christians became no less unsettled, there
being great disturbance throughout the churches on account of
Athanasius, and the term homoousion. Affairs having reached this
pass, there sprang up a tyrant in the western parts called
Magnentius, who by treachery slew Constans, the emperor of the
western division of the empire, at that time residing in the Gauls.
This being done, a furious civil war arose, and Magnentius made
himself master of all Italy, reduced Africa and Libya under his
power, and even obtained possession of the Gauls. But at the city of
Sirmium in Illyricum, the military set up another tyrant whose name
was Vetranio; while a fresh trouble threw Rome itself into
commotion. For there was a nephew of Constantine's, Nepotian by
name, who, supported by a body of gladiators, there assumed the
sovereignty. He was, however, slain by some of the officers of
Magnentius, who himself invaded the western provinces, and spread
desolation in every direction.
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