Editing Valentinian II (section)

==Early life and accession (371–375)==
Valentinianus was born to Emperor [[Valentinian I]] and his second wife, [[Justina (empress)|Justina]]. He was the half-brother of Valentinian's other son, [[Gratian]], who had shared the imperial title with his father since 367. He had three sisters: [[Galla (wife of Theodosius I)|Galla]], Grata and Justa. The elder Valentinian died on campaign in Pannonia in 375. Neither Gratian (then in [[Trier]]) nor his uncle [[Valens]] (emperor for the East) were consulted by the army commanders on the scene. At the time, the younger Valentinian was living with his mother in [[Sirmium]] or an imperial villa near [[Carnuntum]]. Instead of merely acknowledging Gratian as his father's successor, Valentinian I's leading generals and officials, including [[Merobaudes (magister peditum)|Merobaudes]],<ref>Ammianus Marcellinus ''Res Gestae'' XXX 10.4; Ps-Aurelius Victor, ''Epitome'' 45.10</ref> [[Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus|Petronius Probus]],<ref>Rufinus, ''Ecclesiastical History'' 11.12</ref> [[Equitius (consul)|Equitius]]<ref>Ps-Aurelius Victor, ''Epitome'' 45.10</ref> and Cerealis, Valentinian II's maternal uncle and Justina's brother,<ref>Ammianus Marcellinus ''Res Gestae'' XXX 10.5</ref> had the four-year-old Valentinian brought in litter and acclaimed him [[Augustus (title)|''augustus'']] on 22 November 375 at [[Aquincum]]. The army, and its Frankish general Merobaudes, may have been uneasy about Gratian's lack of military ability, and to prevent a split of the army, so raised a boy who would not immediately aspire to military command.<ref name="Valentinian">Roberts, Walter E., [http://www.roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/valenii.htm Valentinian II (375–392 A.D.)]</ref>{{Sfn |Curran |1998 |p= 86}} Also, he may have wanted to prevent more successful military commanders and officials, such as [[Sebastianus (magister peditum)|Sebastianus]] and [[Count Theodosius]], from becoming emperors or gaining independent power, as Sebastianus was removed to a distant posting and Theodosius was executed within a year of Valentinian's elevation.{{sfn|McEvoy|2013|pp=57–59}}