After Constantine

After Constantine's death in 337, other emperors stayed in Naissus as well, either resting on their long journeys or preparing themselves for war. Thus, Constantine's sons, Constantius and Constans, stayed in Naissus in the winter of 340 and signed an edict there. Later on, only Constans was in the town. According to the Hieronimus' Chronicles, in 350 Vetranio, commander of the Danubian army, was proclaimed emperor in Sirmium; in the same year he surrendered the insignia of imperial power to Constantius II in Naissus - Vetranioni aput Naissum a constantio regium insigne detractum. These events, characteristic of the period of military emperors, when the fate of the state was decided far from the capital, on the battlefield and in the presence of the army, caused anxiety among the contemporaries and focused the attention on the regions and towns in which these developments were taking place. Julian the Apostate unexpectedly spent some time in Naissus on his expedition against Constantius II, at the end of year 361. During his two month stay, Julian wrote from Naissus long epistles to the Senate, to Athens, Corinth and other Greek towns, explaining his policy and seeking support. Valentinian's stay in Naissus in 364 is attested by several imperial edicts. It should be added that Naissus was the native town of another Roman emperor - Constantius III (year 425), husband of Galla Placidia, father of Valentinian III (according to Olympidoros).

In the Emperor's escort, apart from personnel serving the needs of the imperial family, there were also officials authorized to conduct imperial rescripts and other acts that were issued in Naissus. On the other hand, one should bear in mind that Naissus also witnessed a continuous presence of high state officials throughout the IV century. There was a workshop - officina - for the production of objects from precious metals. Silver plates from this workshop most often carry an official message: in 317 they were cast to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Licinus' rule with the inscription "Licini imperatore semper vincas" - "Divine Licinius may you always win". In 321-322 to commemorate the welcome tenth anniversary - decenalia suscepta - of Constantine's sons Crispus and Constantine the Younger. One silver plate was cast on the occasion of Constantius II victory, probably in 358, and to the same group belongs a silver plate found in a hoard dating from 351-361, which included 255 pieces, in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland. Of special importance is a gold ingot from Feldiora in Transylvania, that was cast in 379, which apart from bearing a stamp of the Naissus workshop and city protectress Tyche, has relief busts of three emperors: Gracian, Theodosius I and Valentinian II.