JOVIA'NUS, FLA'VIUS CLAU'DIUS, born 4.1) 331, was the son of Veronianus, of an illustrious family of Mosaics, who had filled im portant offices under Constantius. Jovianus served in the army of Julian in his uulueky expedition against the Persians, and when that emperor was killed, in 363, the soldiers proclaimed him his successor. His first task was to save the army, which was surrounded by the Persians, and iu great distress for provisions. After repelling repeated attacks of the enemy, he willingly listened to proposals for peace, which were—that the Romans should give up the conquests of former emperors westward of the Tigris, and as far as the city of Nisibis, which was still in their hands, but was included in the territory to be surrendered up to Persia, and that moreover they should give no assistance to the king of Armenia, then at war with the Petaiaus. These conditions, however offensive to Roman pride, Jovianua was obliged to submit to, as his soldiers were in the utmost destitution. It is a remarkable instance of the Roman notions of political honesty, that Eutropiva reproaches Jovianue not so much with having given up the territory of the empire, as with having observed so humiliating a treaty after he had come out of his dangerous position, instead of renewing the war, as the Romans had constantly done on former occasions. Jovianua delivered Nisibie to the Persians, the iuhabit
auta withdrawing to Amide, which became the chief Roman town in Mesopotamia. On his arrival at Antioch, Jovianus, who was of the Christian faith, revoked the edicts of Julian against the Christians. He also supported the orthodox or Nicene creed against the Ariaus, and he showed his favour to the bishops who had formerly suffered from the Arians, and especially to Athanasiva, who visited him at Antioch. Having been acknowledged all over the empire, Joviauus, after staying some months at Antioch, sat off during the wicks- to Constantinople, and, on his way, paid funeral honours to Julian's remains at Tarsus. He continued his journey in very severe col I, of which several of his attendauts died. At Aneyra he assumed the consular dignity, but a few days after, being at a place called Dada& tans in Galatia, he was found dead in his bed, as some say being auffacated by the vapour of the charcoal burning in his room, accord ing to others by the steam of the plaster with which it had been newly laid, whilst others again suspected him to have been poisoned or killed by some of his guards. He died on the 16th of February 364, Whig thirty-three years of age, after a reign of only seven months. The army proclaimed Valentiniauus as his successor.