Valens Persecutes the Novatians

The emperor, however, did not stop persecuting those who held the doctrine of the homoousion, but drove them out of Constantinople. And since the Novatians acknowledged the same faith, they were treated the same way. He ordered their churches to be shut up, and their bishop was sent into exile. His name was Agelius. He had presided over their churches since the time of Constantine and had lived an apostolic life: he always went barefoot and wore only one coat, keeping the command of the gospel. But the emperor’s anger against this sect was softened by the efforts of a devout and eloquent man named Marcian. He had once served in the army at the imperial palace, but was then a presbyter in the Novatian church, and he taught grammar to Anastasia and Carosa, the emperor’s daughters. The public baths that Valens built at Constantinople, which are still standing, were named after the first of them. Out of respect for this man, then, the Novatian churches, which had been closed for some time, were opened again. The Arians, however, would not let these people alone, because they disliked the sympathy and love the Novatians showed toward the Homoousians, with whom they agreed in belief. Such was the state of affairs at that time. We may note here that the war against the usurper Procopius ended about the end of May, in the consulship of Gratian and Dagalaifus. [a]