Constantine II (emperor)

Constantine II
Emperor of the Roman Empire
Reign	1 March 317 - 337 (as Caesar in the west under his father); 337 - 340 (joint emperor with Constantius II and Constans, over Gaul, Hispania, and Britannia, in 340 in failed competition with Constans);
Full name	Flavius Claudius Constantinus
Born	316
Birthplace	Arles
Died	340 (aged 24)
Place of death	Aquileia
Predecessor	Constantine I
Successor	Constantius II and Constans
Dynasty	Constantinian
Father	Constantine the Great
Mother	Fausta

Flavius Claudius Constantinus, known in English as Constantine II, (316-340) was Roman Emperor from 337 to 340. The eldest son of Constantine the Great and Fausta, he was born at Arles and raised as a Christian.

On March 1 317, Constantine was made Caesar, and at the age of seven in 323, took part in his father's campaign against the Sarmatians. At the age of ten he became commander of Gaul, after the death of his half-brother Crispus. An inscription dating to 330 records the title of Alamannicus, so it is probable that his generals won a victory over the Alamanni. His military career continued when Constantine I elected his son field commander during the 332 campaign against the Goths.

Division of the Roman Empire among the Caesars appointed by Constantine I: from left to right, the territories of Constantine II, Constans I, Dalmatius and Constantius II. After the death of Constantine I (May 337), this was the formal division of the Empire, until Dalmatius was killed and his territory divided between Constans and Constantius.

Following the death of his father in 337, Constantine II became emperor jointly with his brothers Constantius II and Constans. After the division of the empire, made by the three brothers in September of the same year in Pannonia, he ruled over Gaul, Britannia and Hispania.

He was involved in the struggle between the different Christian streams. The Western portion of the empire leaned towards Catholicism and against Arianism, and Constantine freed Athanasius and allowed him to return to Alexandria. This action also put some burden on Constantius II, who was a supporter of Arianism.

At first, he was the guardian of his younger brother Constans, whose portion was Italia, Africa and Illyricum. As Constans came of age, Constantine would not relinquish the guardianship and in 340 he marched against Constans in Italy, but was defeated at Aquileia and he was killed in an ambush in Cervignano del Friuli. Constans came to control his deceased brother's realm.

See also

• Itineraries of the Roman emperors, 337–361

External links

• Media related to Constantine II (emperor) at Wikimedia Commons
• DiMaio, Michael, and Robert Frakes, "Constantine II (337-340 A.D.)", D.I.R.