ed from
Ariminum. Valens at once gave an Arian meaning to the anathemas of
Phoebadius. 'Not a creature like other creatures.' Then creature he
is. 'Not from nothing.' Quite so: from the will of the Father.
'Eternal.' Of course, as regards the future. However, the Homoeans
repeated the process of swearing that they were not Arians; the Emperor
threatened; and at last the Seleucian deputies signed the decisions of
Ariminum late on the last night of the year 359.

[Sidenote: Deposition of the Semiarians].

Acacius had won his victory, and had now to pass sentence on his rivals.
Next month a council was held at Constantinople. As the Semiarians of
Asia were prudent enough to absent themselves, the Homoeans were
dominant. Its first step was to re-issue the creed of Nice with a number
of verbal changes. The anathemas of Phoebadius having served their
purpose, were of course omitted. Next Aetius was degraded and
anathematized for his impious and heretical writings, and as 'the author
of all the scandals, troubles, and divisions.' This was needed to
satisfy Constantius; but as many as nine bishops were found to protest
against it. They were given six months to reconsider the matter, and
soon began to form communities of their own. Having cleared themselves
from the charge of heresy by laying the foundation of a permanent
schism, the Homoeans could proceed to the expulsion of the Semiarian
leaders. As men who had signed the creed of Nice could not well be
accused of heresy, they were deposed for various irregularities.

[Sidenote: The Homoean supremacy.]

The Homoean supremacy established at Constantinople was limited to the
East. Violence was its only resource beyond the Alps; and violence was
out of the question after the mutiny at Paris (Jan. 360) had made Julian
master of Gaul. Now that he could act for himself, common sense as well
as inclination forbade him to go on with the mischievous policy of
Constantius. So there was no further question of Arian domination. Few
bishops were committed to the losing side, and those few soon
disappeared in the course of nature. Auxentius the Cappadocian, who held
the see of Milan till 374, must have been one of the last survivors of
the victors of Ariminum. In the East, however, the Homoean supremacy
lasted nearly twenty years. No doubt it was an artificial power, resting
partly on court intrigue, partly on the divisions of its enemies; yet
there was a reason for its long duration. E