Description
Valens became the Eastern Roman Emperor in 364. By far his most notable accomplishment was the construction of the aqueduct that supplied water to Constantinople, his capital city, for over a thousand years. Although a fine administrator, Valens was not a military man. He led a series of unsuccessful campaigns against the Goths, culminating in the disastrous Battle of Hadrianopolis, when he rode into battle instead of waiting for reinforcements. This error in judgment cost him more than his life: the decisive military defeat heralded the disintegration of the Roman Empire, a moment recognized even by fourth-century historians. Valens is recalled as the Last True Roman.
