Editing Constantius Gallus (section)

== Caesar ==
[[File:Chronography 354 gallus caesar.png|thumb|Constantius Gallus in a later copy of the [[Chronograph of 354]]]]

{{Location map | Turkey
|caption = Location of Antioch in present-day Turkey
|lat_deg = 36
|lat_min = 12
|lat_dir = N
|lon_deg = 36
|lon_min = 9
|lon_dir = E
}}
 
In 350, [[Magnentius]] rebelled and killed the emperor [[Constans]], claiming the purple. [[Constantius II]] prepared to move against the usurper, but needed a representative in the East, so he called Gallus at [[Sirmium]], raised him to the rank of [[caesar (title)|caesar]] (15 March 351), gave him the name ''Constantius'', and strengthened the bonds with his cousin by allowing Gallus to marry his sister [[Constantina]].{{sfn|Jones|Martindale|Morris|pp=224-225}} The two set up residence in [[Antioch]].{{sfn|Hunt|1998|p=17}}{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=88}}

During his rule, Gallus had to deal with a [[Jews|Jewish]] rebellion in [[Judea]]/[[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] (see [[Jewish revolt against Gallus]]) led by [[Patricius (usurper)|Patricius]] and [[Isaac of Diocesarea]].{{sfn|Crawford|2016|pp=90-91}} The rebellion, possibly started before Gallus' elevation to Caesar, was crushed by Gallus' general, [[Ursicinus (magister equitum)|Ursicinus]], who ordered all the rebels slain.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=91}}

Gallus was saved from an assassination plot by a woman, who revealed that some members of her household were planning the murder. Some sources, among whom are [[Joannes Zonaras]], claim that this plot had been organized by Magnentius in order to distract Constantius.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=94}}

[[Philostorgius]] claims that Gallus' generals won a campaign against the [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanids]]. Other sources, basing their views on an almost-peaceful situation between the Sassanids and Romans while [[Shapur II]] was engaged in a campaign against the [[Huns]] in the east, dismiss this claim. Ammianus relays an abortive scheme of Nohodares, Shapur's lieutenant in [[Mesopotamia]], to surprise the town of [[Suruç|Batnae]], which was betrayed by some in his own army, in 353.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=89}} In the same year, Gallus sent the ''[[comes Orientis]]'', Nebridius, against the [[Isauria]]ns, who had been raiding the coastal provinces, and were now besieging [[Seleucia on the Calycadnus]]. They dispersed on his approach.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=93}}

As a consequence of the need to gather food for the troops for a Persian campaign or because of drought, the grain supply in Antioch decreased. In order to counter the higher price of grain, Gallus forced the passage of some laws regardless of the opinion of the Senate, thus alienating the senatorial class of Antioch.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=94}} [[Ammianus Marcellinus]], a pro-senatorial writer, tells how the anger of the people of Antioch for the famine was diverted by Gallus towards the ''[[consularis]] Syriae'' Theophilus, who was killed by the mob.{{sfn|Crawford|2016|p=95}}

Ammianus reports also that Gallus and Constantina brought a number of wealthy people to trial for magic, ending in the execution of innocents and in the confiscation of their wealth. The same source claims that Gallus walked anonymously in Antioch by night, asking passers-by for their opinion on their ''caesar'', while Julian records the great amount of time spent by Gallus at the Hippodrome, probably to obtain popular support.

Doubting his cousin's loyalty, Constantius reduced the troops under Gallus, and sent the [[Praetorian prefecture of the East|Praetorian Prefect]] Domitianus to Antioch to urge Gallus to go to Italy. Different sources tell different stories, but all agree that Gallus arrested Domitianus and the ''[[quaestor]]'' [[Montius Magnus]] who had come to his aid, and that the two officers were killed.{{sfn|Hunt|1998|p=25}}

The arrest of Montius Magnus led to the discovery of what seems to be a plot to usurp Gallus' position. The conspirators had the support of two ''tribuni fabricarum'' (officers of the weapons factories) who had promised the weapons for an uprising (Ammianus Marcellinus, [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/ammianus/14.shtml#7 14.7.18]), and probably of the troops in Mesopotamia, as well as of the rector of the province of Phoenice. All suspected in connection with the plot, including many innocents, were put to death by order of the Caesar.<ref>Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Res Gestae'', IX., 8</ref>