[Antoninus]

Arianism was actually the predominant Christian sect during the middle 4th century AD. In many respects, it resembled paganism (or at least neo-Platonism), and its adherents seemed less inclined to practice Christian charity than Nicene Christians.

Valens was the last Arian to occupy the Eastern Roman throne.

[Antoninus]

Catholic ping!

[treetopsandroofs]

Also one of the last to exit the Beechcraft Bonanza.

[drpix]

A vastly more important lesson for the Western World today in Emperor Valen's reign is how he opened Rome's border to so called peaceful Goth refugees - who within 2 years militarily destroyed his Roman army and killed him. To be more specific:

In 376 Emperor Valens allowed several Goths tribes to cross the Danube into Roman territory in Thrace as refugees from the Huns. He believed that those Goth tribes would provide Rome with troops and taxes. But instead, more and more Goth tribes, who Valens did not permit to enter, followed anyway. What was envisioned as a controlled resettlement snowballed into a massive flood. In 377 the Goths attacked and defeated Roman army units in Thrace and the Gothic War began.

In the following year (378) the Goths joined forces with the Ostrogoths and even the Huns - who they claim were the persecutors they had sought refuge from 2 years earlier. They expanded their attacks and in a final battle killed not only 2/3s of the eastern Roman army, but Emperor Valens himself.

[Verginius Rufus]

No relation to Ritchie Valens as far as I know.