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ABOUT this time the Emperor Valens went to Antioch on the
Orontes; while he was on his journey Eudoxius died, after having
governed the churches of Constantinople during the space of eleven
years. Demophilus was immediately ordained as his successor by the
Arian bishops. The followers of the Nicene doctrines, believing
that the course of events was in their power, elected Evagrius as
their bishop. He had been ordained by Eustathius, who had formerly
governed the church of Antioch in Syria, and who having been recalled
from banishment by Jovian, lived in a private manner at
Constantinople, and devoted himself to the instruction of those who
held his sentiments, exhorting them to perseverance in their view of
the Divine Being. The Arian heretics were stirred to revolt, and
commenced a violent persecution against those who had participated in
the ordination of Evagrius. The Emperor Valens, who was then at
Nicomedia, on being apprised of the occurrences that had taken place
in Constantinople since the death of Eudoxius, was fearful lest any
interest of the city should suffer by sedition, and therefore sent
thither as many troops as he thought requisite to preserve
tranquillity.
Eustathius was arrested by his command and banished to Bizya, a city
of Thrace, and Evagrius was exiled to some other region. And such
was the manner of this event.
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