Jovian

Two pillars in Spain were also monuments of the systematic cruelty of this persecution, on one of which was this inscription.

Quote, Diocletian, Jovian, Maximian, Herculeus, Caesaris Augusti, for having extended the Roman Empire in the east and west, and for having extinguished the name of Christians, who brought the republic to ruin.

End quote.

On the other, this.

End of chapter 9 Chapter 10 of The History of the Church of Christ, Century 4 by Joseph Milner.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

The Church under Jovian.

This prince succeeded Julian in the year 363, aged about 33 years.

There was a silence during which all gave themselves to prayer.

As the Abbot Theodore besought God to save their patriarch, it was suddenly made known to him by a divine revelation that at that very moment the Emperor Julian had met his death in battle against the Persians, and that he had been succeeded by Jovian, a Christian and a Catholic.

At once he told the good news to Athanasius, advising him to go without delay to the new emperor and ask to be restored to his see.

In the meantime they had arrived in safety at Tabenna, where the monks had assembled with joy on hearing of Athanasius' approach.

They gathered around him weeping, begging that he would remember them in his prayers.

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, cried Athanasius in the words of the psalmist, let my right hand be forgotten.

The Emperor Jovian had been an officer in the Roman army, where his cheerful good nature had so endeared him to the soldiers that he was proclaimed emperor immediately upon Julian's death.

There was no need to plead justice from such a man.

B. Etheria quotes the bishop of Haran's statement to her that at that time the Persians held the district of Nisibis and Ur, and the Romans had no place there, page 39.

As the emperor Jovian had yielded the district to King Sapor in 363, that seems to be the explanation of the statement.

On the other hand, in the years 540-545, the Romans under Balasarius regained their supremacy in the East, so that Meister allows that the pilgrimage must have taken place before then.

For that reason, among others, he assigns it to 534 or thereabouts.

He goes on to commend Julian for using milder methods.

Two pillars in Spain were also monuments of the systematic cruelty of this persecution, on one of which was this inscription, Diocletian Jovian Maximian Herculeus Caesaris Augusti, for having extended the Roman Empire in the east and west, and for having extinguished the name of Christians, who brought the republic to ruin.

On the other, this, Diocletian etc., for having adopted Galerius in the east, for having everywhere abolished the superstition of Christ, for having extended the worship of the gods.

And to name only one more evidence, the cruelty must have been egregious, which could have induced the persecutors to strike the medal of Diocletian, which still remains, with this inscription, The name of Christians being extinguished.

Chapter 10 of The History of the Church of Christ, Century 4 by Joseph Milner.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

The Church under Jovian.

This prince succeeded Julian in the year 363, aged about 33 years.

For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Later Treatises of St. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, by Athanasius of Alexandria, translated by Edward Bouverie Pusey and William Bright.

The Epistle to Jovian.

Jovian, to the most religious Athanasius, a friend of God.

Highly admiring the excellences of your most virtuous life, and of your like-mindedness to the God of the universe, and of your affections towards our Savior Christ, we praise you, most honored bishop, because you have not quailed at any labor, nor at the terror caused by the persecutors, and esteeming dangers and threats of the world as dung, grasping the rudder of that orthodox faith which is dear to you, you have contended even until now for the truth, and continue to exhibit yourself as an example and pattern of virtue to the whole community of the faithful.

Our majesty, therefore, recalls you, and wills you to return to the teaching of the way of salvation.

Return, then, to the holy churches, and act as the friend of God's people, and send up earnest prayers for our clemency.

For we know that by your supplication both we and those with us who are of Christian sentiments will receive great assistance from the Most High God.

The Letter of Athanasius to Jovian 1.

And they steam ahead and they don't find Athanasius.

When Julian dies, Jovian becomes emperor.

Now, he's an admirer of Athanasius, and he orders him to return from exile.

Jovian dies in 364.

Valens assumes the throne.

He's a staunch defender of Arianism, and Athanasius leaves again.