Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.
COSTANTINO II (Flavius Claudius Constantinus), EMPEROR. - Son of Constantine the Great and
(from J. Maurier, Numismatique Constant., I, Paris 189, pl. XII, 38) COSTANTINO II - Gold coin.Fausta, born in Arles in Feb. 317, d. in Aquileia on Apr. 9, 340. While still a child he held the consulship 4 times; in 332 he participated victoriously in the struggle against the Goths, whom he defeated on Apr. 20, and shortly thereafter against the Sarmatians. Upon the death of his father (337) he received the title of Augustus, like his brothers, and the provinces of Gaul, Spain, and Britain.
He practically governed the West from 337 to 340, since his brother Constantius had held only the title of Augustus. As early as June 17, 337, C. permitted Athanasius to return to his patriarchal see of Alexandria and wrote a letter to the faithful of that Church. He showed this same favor to other Catholic prelates who enjoyed his full protection. In 340 he marched down into Italy against his brother Constans, but fell victim to an ambush set by the latter's officers, and was killed at 23 years of age.
BIBL.: O. Seeck, Geschichte des Untergangs der antiken Welt, IV, Berlin 1911, pp. 3-70; A. Olivetti, I figli dell'imperatrice Fausta, in Atti della R. Accad. delle scienze di Torino, 49 (1914), p. 1242 ff.; J. R. Palanque, Essai sur la préfecture du prétoire au IVe siècle, Paris 1933, p. 19; R. Paribeni, Da Diocleziano alla caduta dell'Impero d'Occidente, Bologna (1941), pp. 113, 116.
Agostino Amore
Cite this article
“COSTANTINO II (FLAVIUS CLAUDIUS CONSTANTINUS), IMPERATORE.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV (1950), p. 431. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/costantino-ii-flavius-claudius-constantinus-imperatore.
