hius of Sebastia was therefore sent to lay their
case before the court of Milan. As, however, Valentinian had already
started for Gaul, the deputation turned aside to Rome and offered to
Liberius an acceptance of the Nicene creed signed by fifty-nine
Semiarians, and purporting to come from the council of Lampsacus and
other Asiatic synods. The message was well received at Rome, and in due
time the envoys returned to Asia to report their doings before a council
at Tyana.

[Sidenote: Revolt of Procopius, Sept. 365.]

Meanwhile the plans of Valens were interrupted by the news that
Constantinople had been seized by a pretender. Procopius was a relative
of Julian who had retired into private life, but whom the jealousy of
Valens had forced to become a pretender. For awhile the danger was
pressing. Procopius had won over to his side some of the best legions of
the Empire, while his connexion with the house of Constantine secured
him the formidable services of the Goths. But the great generals kept
their faith to Valens, and the usurper's power melted away before them.
A decisive battle at Nacolia in Phrygia (May 366) once more seated
Valens firmly on his throne.

[Sidenote: Baptism of Valens by Eudoxius (367).]

Events could scarcely have fallen out better for Eudoxius and his
friends. Valens was already on their side, and now his zeal was
quickened by the mortal terror he had undergone, perhaps also by shame
at the unworthy panic in which he had already allowed the exiles to
return. In an age when the larger number of professing Christians were
content to spend most of their lives as catechumens, it was a decided
step for an Emperor to come forward and ask for baptism. This, however,
was the step taken by Valens in the spring of 367, which finally
committed him to the Homoean side. By it he undertook to resume the
policy of Constantius, and to drive out false teachers at the dictation
of Eudoxius.

[Sidenote: Interval in the controversy (366-371).]

The Semiarians were in no condition to resist. Their district had been
the seat of the revolt, and their disgrace at court was not lessened by
the embassy to Rome. So divided also were they, that while one party
assembled a synod at Tyana to welcome the return of the envoys, another
met in Caria to ratify the Lucianic creed again. Unfortunately however
for Eudoxius, Valens was entangled in a war with the Goths for three
campaigns, and afterwards detained for another year i