353

Events

By place

Roman Empire

• Battle of Mons Seleucus: Emperor Constantius II defeats the usurper Magnentius, who commits suicide in Gaul in order to avoid capture. Constantius becomes sole emperor and reunifies the Roman Empire.
• Constantius II sends his official Paulus Catena to Britain to hunt down the opponents supporting Magnentius. Flavius Martinus, vicarius of Britain and supporter of Constantius, opposes the persecutions; he is then accused by Catena of being a traitor. In response, Martinus tries to kill Catena with a sword; he fails and then commits suicide.
• Constantius II assembles a conciliabulum at Arles and condemns Athanasius as Patriarch of Alexandria.

  By topic

China

• Wang Xizhi, Chinese calligrapher, produces "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" in running script style. It becomes a model for future calligraphers.

  Births

• Saint Paulinus, Bishop of Nola
• Saint Vigilius, Bishop of Trent

  Deaths

• August 11 - Magnentius, Roman usurper
• August 18 - Magnus Decentius, brother and Caesar of Magnentius
• Flavius Martinus, vicarius of Roman Britain
• Zhang Chonghua, ruler of Former Liang