CONSTANTINE II. (317-340), son of Constantine the Great, Roman emperor (337-340), was born at Arelate (Arles) in Feb ruary 317. On March i in the same year he was created Caesar, and was consul in 32o, 321, 324 and 329. The fifth anniversary of his Caesarship was celebrated by the panegyrist Nazarius. He gained the credit of the victories of his generals over the Ala manni (331), and over the Goths (332). From 335 he administered the Gallic portion of the empire as Caesar till his father's death, May 22, 337. On Sept. 9 in the same year he assumed the title of Augustus, together with his brothers Constans and Constantius, and in 338 a meeting was held at Viminiacum, on the borders of Pannonia, to arrange the distribution of the empire. In accordance with the arrangements made by his father, Constantine received Britain, Spain, and the Gauls. By virtue of his seniority he claimed a kind of control over his brothers. Constans declined to submit; and Constantine demanded from Constans the cession of Africa and equal authority in Italy. In 34o Constantine invaded Italy, but was killed near Aquileia.
See Zosimus ii., xii.; Aurelius Victor, Epit. 41 ; Eusebius, Vita Con stantini, iv. ; O. Seeck in Pauly-WissoNva's Realencyclopadie, iv. pt. I. (190o) ; Gibbon, Decline and Fall, ch. 18.