A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

VALENTINIANUS. VALENTINIANUS. 1207
Although they were more jealous of one another it is said, commanded him to sacrifice to the idol,
than ever, they agreed in one point, which was to or resign his office; but Valentinian, who had
obtain all the property they could lay their hands been baptized in the Christian faith, refused. Acon, while their besotted master was indulging in cording to most of the historians, Valentinian was
every kind of debauchery. But the approach of exiled for his adherence to his religion.
Antonius Primus, who had espoused the cause of Jovian succeeded Julian A. D. 363, and LuVespasian, and was marching into Italy at the cilianus, the father-in-law of Valentinian, took him
head of the Pannonian and Moesian legions, com- with him to Gaul. Lucilianus lost his life in
pelled Caecina and Valens to prepare again for a disturbance at Rheims, and Valentinan only
war. As Valens was at the time only just beginning saved himself by flight. Returning to the East he
to recover from a severe illness, he was obliged to was rewarded by Jovian with the office of captain
remain at Rome, while his colleague marched of the second company of Scutarii. When Jovian
against Primus. The treachery of Caecina, who died suddenly at Dadastana, on the borders of
deserted Vitellius and joined Primus, has been Galatia and Bithynia, on the 16th of February,
related elsewhere. [CAECINA.] Valens remained A. D. 364, Valentinian was at Ancyra. For ten
faithful to Vitellius, almost the only fact recorded days the empire was without an emperor, but it
in his favour. He had left Rome a few days after was at last agreed by the officers of the army of
Caecina, and might perhaps have prevented the Jovian, who were at Nicaea, that Valentinian
revolt of the latter, if the indulgence of his pleasures should be the successor of Jovian. Valentinials
had not delayed him on the march. He was still came to Nicaea, and on the 26th of February he(
in Tuscany when he heard of the victory of Primus assumed the imperial insignia in the presence of the
and the capture of Cremona [PInmsus], and as he army in the plain of Nicaea.
had not sufficient troops to oppose the enemy, he Valentinian maintained the pure Catholic fa;th,
resolved to sail to Gaul and rouse the Gallic pro- though his'brother Valens was an Arian. He forvinces to espouse the cause of Vitellius: but he was bade, under pain of death, all pagan ceremlollnills,
taken prisoner by some ships sent after him by magical arts and sacrifices by night; but this wIas
Suetonius Paulinus at the islands of the Stoechadae a prudent measure of police, and nothing more.
(the Hibres) off Massilia. He was kept in con- He restored the figure of the cross and the name
finement for a time, but about the middle of Sep- of Jesus Christ on the Labarum or chief standard
tember was slain at Urbinum (Urbino) and his of the armies, for Julian had removed these Chrishead shown to the Vitellian troops, to contradict tian symbols. He also renewed and perhaps exthe report that he had escaped to Germany and tended a law of Constantine, which forbade any
was there collecting an army. (Tac. Hist. i. 7, 52, judicial proceedings, or the execution of any judicial
57, 61, 66, ii. 24, 27-30, 56, 59, 71, 92, 95, sentence on Sunday. However, Valentinian did not
99, iii. 15, 36, 40, 43, 62; Plut. Otilo, c. 6.) meddle with religious disputes, and either from in2. A friend of the younger Pliny, who addressed difference or good sense, he said it was not for him,
a letter to him (Ep. iv. 24), from which we gather a layman, to deal with difficulties of that descripthat he was a young man at the time. tion. Though a Catholic, he did not persecute
VALENS, MA'NLI US, legatus of a legion in either Arians or heathens: he let every man follow
Britain in the reign of Claudius, A. D. 50. He is his own religion, for which Ammianus Marcellinus
afterwards mentioned as the legatus of the Italica (xxx. 9) has commended him; and certainly his
legion in the civil wars in a. D. 69, and is pro- moderation in this respect must be considered a
bably the same as the C. Manlius Valens, who was remarkable feature in his character. Though there
consul with C. Antistius Vetus in the last year of were some enactments made by him against MaDomitian's reign, and who died in the same year nichaeans, Donatists and the other heretics, the
in the ninetieth year of his age. (Tac. Ann. xii. general religious freedom which he allowed is un40, Ilist. i. 64; Dion Cass. lxvii. 14.) disputed (Cod. Theod. 9. tit. 16. s. 9), and the
VALENS, PINA'RIUS, was named praefect emperor set an example which even now is not
of the praetorians upon the elevation of Maximus completely followed in modern Europe. This is
and Balbinus. He was paternal uncle of the former. the most unequivocal evidence of the good sense
(Capitolin. Max. et Balb. 4, 5). [W. R.] and the courage of Valentinian. Ecclesiastical
VALENS, VE'CTIUS. See above VALENS, writers, like Baronius, as a matter of course blame
physicians, No. 1. that toleration which they suppose to be conVALENS, VI'NNIUS, a centurion in the demned by the religion which they profess.
praetorium of Augustus, memorable for his extraor- Ammianus and other writers have spoken pardinary strength. (Plin. H. N. vii. 19. s. 20.) ticularly of the personal merits and defects of
VALENTINIA'NUS I., Roman emperor A. D. Valentinian. He was robust and handsome; he
364-375, was the son of Gratianus, and was had a natural eloquence, though he hadno literary
born A. D. 321, at Cibalis in Pannonia. [GRA- acquirements; he was neat in his apparel, but
TIANUS.] He bore also the name of Flavius, not expensive; and his chastity is specially rewhich was common to all the emperors after Con- corded. He possessed good abilities, prudence,
stantine. His first wife was Valeria Severa, by and vigor of character. He had a capacity for
whom he became the father of the emperor Gra- military matters, and was a vigilant, impartial,
tianus. Valentinian entered the army when young, and laborious administrator. Ammianus sums up
and showed military talents; but the emperor by saying that he had so many good qualities
Constantinus for some reason or other deprived him that, if every thing had been equal in him, he
of his rank A. D. 3.57. Under Julian he held the would have been as great a man as Trajan or
office of tribune of the guard, or of the Scutarii, as Marcus Aurelius. Among his faults was that of
Orosius terms the body (vii. 32), and in this ca- having a very good opinion of himself, and he
pacity he was with Julian at Antioch, A. D. 362, punished sometimes with excessive severity. Yet
and accompanied him to a heathen temple. Julian, he is accused of behaving with too much lenity
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