Valens

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/valens

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Valens born?328 AD
2. When did Valens die?August 9, 378 AD
3. What is the career?Co-Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (364–378 AD)
4. What is the religious stance?Favored compromise between Nicene and non-trinitarian Christian sects; largely non-interfering with paganism
5. Who was Valens and when did he become emperor?Valens was a Roman emperor who ruled the eastern half of the empire. He became co‑emperor in 364 AD, after his older brother, Valentinian I, chose him to help govern the vast Roman world.
6. What did Valens do to help people in his empire?He lowered taxes to ease the burden on the people and built the Aqueduct of Valens in Constantinople, which brought fresh water to the growing city.

Nicene Christianity: The form of Christianity that adheres to the creed established at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, affirming the divinity of Jesus.
Arianism: A theological doctrine that denies the full divinity of Jesus Christ, viewing him as subordinate to God the Father.
Battle of Adrianople: A decisive battle in 378 AD where Gothic forces annihilated a Roman army and killed Emperor Valens, a major turning point.
Sasanian Empire: The last Persian empire, a major rival to the Roman Empire in the East for centuries.