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The chief rival facing Alexander and Aristobulus was Antipater, the son of Herod by his first wife, Doris.
Rumors and warnings of plots filled Herod's ears, all prompted by Antipater and his allies, and Herod
soon demanded that his two designated heirs be tried for treason. Augustus tolerated their trial in 12 but
achieved a reconciliation among the family members before any verdict could be reached. In 7 B.C.
Herod demanded another trial, and this time Augustus agreed. The result of the trial was the death of
Aristobulus and Alexander, prompting Augustus to remark that it was safer to be one of Herod's pigs than
one of his sons.
¤ ARISTOPHANES (fl. mid-4th century A.D.) Government official whose career was saved from
disgrace by his friend, the orator Libianus. Aristophanes was the son of Menander, a leading citizen of
Corinth. He learned oratory and philosophy in Athens before returning home. A relative, Flavius
Eugenius, laid claim to his inheritance; unable to use legal means to recover his losses, Aristophanes
moved to Syria. There, before 357 and through the good graces of the pagan philosopher, Fortunatianus,
he became an agens-in-rebus, working for the government. In 357, Aristophanes was transferred to
Egypt, but in 358 his fortunes changed considerably when Parnasius was named prefect of the province.
In 359, both Parnasius and Aristophanes were brought before Modestus at Scythopolis on charges of
treason and witchcraft. Aristophanes was fined and exiled for three years until, in 362, Libianus begged
Emperor Julian to reinstate him. Convinced by the pleas and impressed by the fact that Aristophanes was a
pagan (something that Julian found pleasing) he gave Aristophanes the post of governor, most likely in
Macedonia. See REBUS, AGENTES IN.
¤ ARIUS (260-336 A.D.) Heretical philosopher, a priest of ALEXANDRIA and the founder of the most
important heretical doctrine faced by the early Christian Church, ARIANISM. Arius was born most
likely in Libya. His education ranged from the study of the theologian Origen (who had a tremendous
influence on his thinking) to a direct tutelage under Lucian of Antioch, then a leading presbyter of the
Eastern Church. Arius became a priest in Alexandria and in 319 began to voice his views on the nature of
Christ. Furor and outrage quickly gripped the church as a result, and the tremendous Arian controversy
began. Emperor CONSTANTINE called together the Council of Nicaea, where Arius was condemned and
exiled to Illyricum. The popularity of his doctrines, however, infected the Eastern episcopacy, and many of
the bishops protected him, both physically and politically.
That Arianism gained a firm foothold in the minds of 4th-century religious and political leaders was
demonstrated by Constantine's attempts to bring Arius back to Constantinople in 334-335, through the
good graces of Eusebius, the bishop of Nicomedia. Fortunately for the principal opponents of the
doctrine (Athanasius, Alexander of Alexandria and most of the Western Church), Arius died while en
route. Few of his works are extant, and these are mainly fragments of his doctrinal presentations and
some letters. See also CHRISTIANITY.
¤ ARLES (also Arelate) Called the "Mother of all Gauls"; the city in Gallia Narbonensis that was one of
the permanent metropolises of the province and the Empire. Founded by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C., Aries,
like much of southern Gaul, was quickly Romanized, both through construction and architecture and in
the placement of coloniae (Roman colonists). During the age of Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) extensive
building programs were initiated in Aries, most of which are still extant. Water mills were created at
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