Short Biography about the life of Valens
Short Biography profile and facts about one of the most famous Romans of all, in the life of Valens, Emperor of Rome and provinces of the Roman Empire.

• Name commonly known as: Valens
• Latin Roman Name: Flavius Iulius Valens
• Reigned as Roman Emperor / Caesar: 28 March 364 - 17 November 375as emperor of the east, with his brother in the west and 17 November 375 - 9 August 378 as emperor in the east, with his nephews Gratian and Valentinian II acting together as emperors of the west
• Dynasty / Historical Period: The Valentinian dynasty (364 - 394) derives its name from the first of the dynasty's Emperors - Valentinian I. Orthodox Christianity became the officially tolerated variant of the faith and the Empire became irrevocably split into two halves.
• Place and Date of Birth: Born 328 near Sirmium
• Family connections / Genealogy
  • Name of Father: Gratian the Elder
  • Name of Mother: Unknown
  • Married: Albia Dominica
  • Children: Valentinianus Galates, Carosa and Anastasia
• Place and Date of Death: Died 9 August 378 at Adrianople

• For the names of the next Roman emperors in the East and the West of the Empire refer to the Timeline of Roman Emperors

Interesting facts about the life of Valens
Obtain a fast overview of the times of the Roman Emperor Valens from the following facts and information about his life. When Jovian died, the army chose another soldier named Valentinian, a stout, brave, rough man, with little education but a good Christian. As soon as he reached Constantinople, he divided the empire with his brother Valens, whom he left to rule the East, while he himself went to govern the West. Valens was a weaker and less able man than his brother. Valens succeeded in repelling the attacks of the Persians. Valens also suppressed a rebellion in the East, led by Procopius; and then, having become an Arian, commenced a severe persecution of the orthodox, of whom no fewer than eighty ecclesiastics were put to death for supporting the election of a bishop of their own faith at Constantinople. Valentinian I died in 375, the Western Empire was shared between his sons Valentinian II and Gratian. The Gothic nation now begged permission from the Romans to cross the Danube, and settle within the Roman territory. Ill-treated by the Roman commissioners who had been sent by the Emperor Valens to superintend their settlement, the Goths marched against Constantinople. Valens wrote to Gratian for aid, and Gratian, although his own dominions were harassed by the Germans, marched to the aid of his uncle Valens, but died at Sirmium. Valens encountered Fritigern, the Gothic leader, near Adrianople, in A.D. 378 and was defeated and slain by the Goths on 9 August 378. Nearly the whole of the Roman army was destroyed upon this fatal field.