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| Of the Usurpers Magnentius and Vetranio.
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Chapter XXV.—Of the
Usurpers Magnentius and Vetranio.
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,339
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,340
| 340The same account is given by Eunap. X. 9, and by
Zosimus, II. 40.
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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 recorded341
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,342
| 342Magnentius was governor of the provinces of
Rhœtia, and assassinated Constans, as above. Cf. Zosimus, II.
43.
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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;343
| 343This whole affair is treated extensively in Zosimus,
II. 43–48.
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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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