than twenty others of his friends. Acacius was only returning to
his master's steps when he explained _one in essence_ by _like in
essence_, and laid stress on the care with which 'the Fathers' had
guarded its meaning. We may hope that Acacius had found out his belief
at last. Still the connexion helped to widen the breach between Meletius
and the older Nicenes.

[Sidenote: Valentinian Emperor.]

All these movements came to an end at the sudden death of Jovian (Feb.
16, 364.) The Pannonian Valentinian was chosen to succeed him, and a
month later assigned the East to his brother Valens, reserving to
himself the more important Western provinces. This was a lasting
division of the Empire, for East and West were never again united for
any length of time. Valentinian belongs to the better class of emperors.
He was a soldier like Jovian, and held much the same rank at his
election. He was a decided Christian like Jovian, and, like him, free
from the stain of persecution. Jovian's rough good-humour was replaced
in Valentinian by a violent and sometimes cruel temper, but he had a
sense of duty and was free from Jovian's vices. His reign was a
laborious and honourable struggle with the enemies of the republic on
the Rhine and the Danube. An uncultivated man himself, he still could
honour learning, and in religion his policy was one of comprehensive
toleration. If he refused to displace the few Arians whom he found in
possession of Western sees like Auxentius at Milan, he left the churches
free to choose Nicene successors. Under his wise rule the West soon
recovered from the strife Constantius had introduced.

[Sidenote: Character of Valens.]

Valens was a weaker character, timid, suspicious, and slow, yet not
ungentle in private life. He was as uncultivated as his brother, but not
inferior to him in scrupulous care for his subjects. Only as Valens was
no soldier, he preferred remitting taxation to fighting at the head of
the legions. In both ways he is entitled to head the series of financial
rather than unwarlike sovereigns whose cautious policy brought the
Eastern Empire safely through the great barbarian invasions of the fifth
century.

[Sidenote: Breach between church and state.]

The contest entered on a new stage in the reign of Valens. The friendly
league of church and state at Nicaea had become a struggle for supremacy.
Constantius endeavoured to dictate the faith of Christendom according to
the pleasure of his e