Ecclesiastical History — Book IV

St. Jerome

  1. 1. Of the reign and piety of Jovianus
  2. 2. Of the return of Athanasius
  3. 3. Synodical letter to the Emperor Jovian concerning the Faith
  4. 4. Of the restoration of allowances to the churches; and of the Emperor's death.
  5. 5. Of the reign of Valentinianus, and how he associated Valens his brother with him.
  6. 6. Of the election of Ambrosius, the Bishop of Milan
  7. 7. Letters of the Emperors Valentinianus and Valens, written to the diocese of Asia about the Homoüsion, on hearing that some men in Asia and in Phrygia were in dispute about the divine decree.
  8. 8. Synodical Epistle of the Synod in Illyricum concerning the Faith
  9. 9. Of the heresy of the Audiani
  10. 10. Of the heresy of the Messaliani
  11. 11. In what manner Valens fell into heresy
  12. 12. How Valens exiled the virtuous bishops
  13. 13. Of Eusebius, bishop of Samosata, and others
  14. 14. Of the holy Barses, and of the exile of the bishop of Edessa and his companions
  15. 15. Of the persecutionwhich took place at Edessa, and of Eulogius and Protogenes, presbyters of Edessa
  16. 16. Of the holy Basilius, Bishop of Cæsarea, and the measures taken against him by Valens and the prefect Modestus
  17. 17. Of the death of the great Athanasius and the election of Petrus
  18. 18. On the overthrow of Petrus and the introduction of Lucius the Arian
  19. 19. Narrative of events at Alexandria in the time of Lucius the Arian, taken from a letter of Petrus, Bishop of Alexandria
  20. 20. Of Mavia, Queen of the Saracens, and the ordination of Mosesthe monk.
  21. Chapter 21
  22. 22. How Flavianus and Diodorus gathered the church of the orthodox in Antioch.
  23. 23. Of the holymonkAphraates
  24. 24. Of the holymonkJulianus
  25. 25. Of what other monkswere distinguished at this period
  26. 26. Of Didymus of Alexandria and Ephraim the Syrian
  27. 27. Of what bishopswere at this time distinguished in Asia and Pontus.
  28. 28. Of the letter written by Valens to the great Valentinianus about the war, and how he replied
  29. 29. Of the piety of Count Terentius
  30. 30. Of the bold utterance of Trajanus the general
  31. 31. Of Isaac the monk of Constantinople and Bretanio the Scythian Bishop.
  32. 32. Of the expedition of Valens against the Goths and how he paid the penalty of his impiety
  33. 33. How the Goths became tainted by the Arianerror

After Julian was slain the generals and prefects met in council and deliberated who ought to succeed to the imperial power and effect both the salvation of the army in the campaign, and the recovery of the fortunes of Rome, now, by the rashness of the deceased Emperor, placed to use the common saying, on the razor edge of peril. But while the chiefs were in deliberation the troops met together and demanded Jovianus for emperor, though he was neither a general nor in the next highest rank; a man however remarkably distinguished, and for many reasons well known. His stature was great; his soul lofty. In war, and in grave struggles it was his wont to be first. Against impiety he delivered himself courageously with no fear of the tyrant's power, but with a zeal that ranked him among the martyrs of Christ. So the generals accepted the unanimous vote of the soldiers as a divine election. The brave man was led forward and placed upon a raised platform hastily constructed. The host saluted him with the imperial titles, calling him Augustus and Cæsar. With his usual bluntness, and fearless alike in the presence of the commanding officers and in view of the recent apostasy of the troops, Jovianus admirably said I am a Christian. I cannot govern men like these. I cannot command Julian's army trained as it is in vicious discipline. Men like these, stripped of the covering of the providence of God, will fall an easy and ridiculous prey to the foe. On hearing this the troops shouted with one voice, Hesitate not, O emperor; think it not a vile thing to command us. You shall reign over Christians nurtured in the training of truth; our veterans were taught in the school of Constantine himself; younger men among us were taught by Constantius. This dead man's empire lasted but a few years, all too few to stamp its brand even on those whom it deceived.