Jerome (Eusebius Hieronymus), born at Stridon on…

Theodosius, the future emperor, had been born in 347 in Cauca in the province of Gallaecia in northwestern Spain.

His father was to become the general Flavius Theodosius; his mother's name is unknown.

His grandparents, like his parents, were probably already Christians.

Growing up in Spain, Theodosius had not received an extensive education but is intellectually open-minded and has acquired a special interest in the study of history.

While on his father's staff, he has participated in his campaigns against the Picts and Scots in Britain in 368-369, the Alamanni in Gaul in 370, and the Sarmatians in the Balkans in 372-373.

As a military commander in Moesia, a Roman province on the lower Danube, he defeats the Sarmatians in 374.

Valens, pressed by his generals and fearing that Pap will defect to the Persians, makes an unsuccessful attempt to capture the Armenian boy-king.

He then assigns Traianus to gain Pap's confidence and murder him; Traianus does so in 374 during a banquet which he had organized for the young ruler.

In his stead, Valens imposes another Arsacid, Varazdat, who rules under the regency of the notoriously pro-Roman sparapet Mushegh Mamikonian.

Shapur, who had long been courting Pap, is infuriated by Pap’s murder and the installation of a new Arsacid on the Armenian throne.

The Persians begin agitating again for compliance with the 363 treaty.

Apollinaris had collaborated with his father Apollinaris the Elder in reproducing the Old Testament in the form of Homeric and Pindaric poetry, and the New Testament after the fashion of Platonic dialogues, when the emperor Julian had forbidden Christians to teach the classics.

He is best known, however, as a noted opponent of Arianism.

Teaching that human beings are composed of body, soul, and spirit, his eagerness to emphasize the deity of Jesus and the unity of his person has led him so far as to deny the existence of a rational human soul (νους, nous) in Christ's human nature, this being replaced in him by the logos, or the second person of the Trinity, so that his body was a glorified and spiritualized form of humanity.

Over against this the orthodox or Catholic position maintains that Christ assumed human nature in its entirety including the νους, for only so could He be example and redeemer.

It is alleged that the system of Apollinaris is really Docetism, that if the Godhood without constraint swayed the manhood there was no possibility of real human probation or of real advance in Christ's manhood.

Religious peace reigns in the West, where tolerance is proclaimed.

Rome, after some difficulty, has found a great pope in Damasus.

When the Arian bishop of Milan, Auxentius, dies in 374, and the Arians challenge the succession.

Ambrose, the consular prefect or "Governor" of Liguria and Emilia, with headquarters at Milan, goes to the church where the election is to take place, to prevent an uproar, which is probable in this crisis.

His address is interrupted by a call "Ambrose, bishop!", which is taken up by the whole assembly.

A bachelor born into a Roman Christian family between about 337 and 340 and raised in Trier, Ambrose is known to be orthodox in belief, but also acceptable to Arians due to the charity shown in theological matters in this regard.

At first he energetically refuses the office, for which he is in no way prepared: although his strong rule, modesty, and rhetorical skill have made him a tremendously popular governor, Ambrose has neither been baptized nor formally trained in theology.

Upon his appointment, Ambrose flees to a colleague's home to seek hiding.

Upon receiving a letter from the Emperor praising the appropriateness of Rome appointing individuals evidently worthy of holy positions, Ambrose's host surrenders his guest.

Within a week, Ambrose is baptized, ordained and duly installed as bishop of Milan.

As bishop, he immediately adopts an ascetic lifestyle, apportions his money to the poor, donating all of his land, making only provision for his sister Marcellina (who will later become a nun), and commits the care of his family to his brother.

Ambrose also writes a treatise by the name of "The Goodness Of Death".

According to legend, Ambrose immediately and forcefully stops Arianism in Milan.

Valentinian has remained at Trier for seven years, devoting his attention to the construction of an elaborate system of fortifications on the Rhine.

A good administrator, he is noteworthy for having persecuted neither pagans nor Arians.

Basil’s predecessor Eusebius had in 364 persuaded him to accept ordination; he had completed his the third and final installment of Against Encomius in 365.

Having succeeded Eusebius in 370, Basil has flourished in his role as defender of orthodoxy among the churches of Anatolia, which have suffered from rifts caused by the Arian controversy.

He has applied his brilliant organizational gifts to the founding of hospitals, the fostering of monastic communities, and the reformation of the liturgy.

He has formulated a code for monastic life known as the Rule, which becomes the foundation of eastern monasticism.

His introduction of charitable service as a work discipline places monasticism in an urban context.

A prolific writer, he is celebrated for his influential 375 treatise, On the Holy Spirit.

Present Anbar, located on the east bank of the Euphrates, just south of the Nahr 'Isa, or Sakhlawieh canal, the northernmost of the canals connecting that river with the Tigris, had been founded circa 350 as Firuz Shapur, or Perisapora by Shapur II, Sassanid king of Persia.

Captured and destroyed by Emperor Julian in 363, but speedily rebuilt, Perisapora has become a refuge for the Arab, Christian, and Jewish colonies of this region.

Anbar is adjacent or identical to the Babylonian Jewish center of Nehardea, and lies a short distance from the present-day town of Fallujah, formerly the Babylonian Jewish center of Pumbedita.

At the death of the Berber prince Nubel, a powerful Roman military officer as well as a wealthy Christian, his son Firmus had killed his half-brother Zammac, who had illegitimately appropriated Nubel's wealth, and become successor to his father.

Firmus has been in revolt from 372 against the comes Africae Romanus, who had been a supporter of Zammac.

The misbehavior of Romanus, who had neglected protection from African tribes to Roman cities that had refused the payment of bribes, had worsened the situation in Africa Province in 360s.

Firmus is a supporter of the Donatists against the Nicene Christians; he had ordered his followers to kill the Nicene inhabitants of Rusuccuru (present Dellys).

Firmus’s revolt against Romanus forces Valentinian to take action against both his officer and the African rebel.

When Valentinian sends his magister militum Theodosius to depose Romanus, Firmus tries to find a compromise with him, but Theodosius refuses peace to Firmus, who had proclaimed himself emperor.

With the support of the indigenous African tribes, Firmus obliges Theodosius to a bloody and hopeless campaign.

In the end, however, Firmus is betrayed by one of his supporters, and chooses suicide over capture.

After his death in 375, Valentinian issues laws against the Donatists.

Firmus’s brother Gildo, who had remained loyal to Valentinian and helped the Romans crush the revolt of his brother, is awarded with the immense patrimony confiscated from Firmus’s estate.

Martin of Tours: Bishop, Monastic Pioneer, and Missionary Leader (371 CE)

In 371 CE, despite his own objections, Martin of Tours was elected bishop of Tours, marking a significant moment in the Christianization of Gaul. Though now a bishop, Martin continued his monastic way of life, establishing the Abbey of Marmoutier across the Loire River from Tours. This monastery became a center for religious training and missionary work, particularly in efforts to convert the Celts of Gaul.

1. Martin’s Reluctant Elevation to Bishop of Tours

• By 371 CE, Martin had gained a reputation for holiness and miracles, making him widely respected among the Christian community.
• When the bishopric of Tours became vacant, the clergy and people insisted on electing Martin.
• Humble and reluctant, Martin tried to avoid the position, reportedly hiding in a barn full of geese, but was eventually found and consecrated bishop.

2. The Founding of Marmoutier Abbey (372 CE)

• Despite his new role, Martin continued to live as a monk, establishing the Abbey of Marmoutier as a retreat outside of Tours, on the opposite bank of the Loire River.
• The monastery served as:
  • A center for monastic discipline, where Martin and his disciples lived in austere simplicity.
  • A missionary training ground, preparing monks for evangelization missions to the still largely pagan Celtic and Gallic populations.
  • A model for future monasteries, influencing the later monastic tradition in medieval France.

3. The Christianization of the Celts and Rural Gaul

• Martin’s focus was not on city dwellers, but on rural populations, where pagan traditions were still deeply rooted.
• He traveled extensively, preaching, converting, and destroying pagan temples, replacing them with Christian churches.
• His monks at Marmoutier became a missionary force, spreading Christianity throughout the countryside of Gaul.

4. Martin’s Enduring Influence

• Marmoutier Abbey remained a key monastic institution throughout the Middle Ages.
• Martin became one of the most venerated saints in Western Christendom, inspiring later missionary efforts across Europe.
• His work laid the foundation for the Christianization of France, earning him the title of "Apostle of Gaul".

5. Conclusion: A Monastic Bishop Who Transformed Gaul

Martin’s election as Bishop of Tours in 371 CE and the founding of Marmoutier in 372 CE signified a major step in the Christianization of Gaul. His monastic leadership, missionary efforts, and commitment to asceticism made him a model for future bishops, bridging the gap between monasticism and episcopal authority. His legacy endured for centuries, shaping the spread of Christianity in France and beyond.

Valens begins preparations for a major expedition as the eastern frontier heats up in 375.

Meanwhile, trouble is brewing elsewhere.

In Isauria, the mountainous region of western Cilicia, the inhabitants of which are described by Ammianus Marcellinus as the scourge of the neighboring provinces of Asia Minor, a major revolt has broken out which diverts troops formerly stationed in the east.