Spring, 365: Germanicus and the rebel Britons cross to Gaul. The combined forces of Germanicus and the Franks drive the Gallic army out of Batavia. Proconsul Marinus regroups the Gallic army at Avaricon, along with the troops returning from Julian's Sassanid campaign. Germanicus proclaims himself the protector of the gods, appealing to the still pagan population of Gaul.
In the far north beyond Dacia, a band of Goths encounter the Huns. Few survivors make it back to tell the tale.
In Alexandria, the return of Arian exiles prompts inter-Christian fighting. Rioters set fire to the Library of Alexandria, and the world's greatest repository of knowledge is lost.
The last of the Turkic invaders are cleared from Khwarezm. Ardashir forms an alliance with newly independent Armenia.
Julian and his legions begin the march from Nicomedia to Armenia, stopping at Julian's childhood home in Cappadocia along the way.
The Lakhmid king, still enraged over being snubbed by his nominal protector, invades Ghassanid territory with the intent of conquest, quickly occupying the eastern third. Procopius sends a warning but takes no action.
Summer, 365: Julian pursues Arsaces and the Armenian royal army through Armenia, eventually besieging them in a fortress in the south. Unbeknownst to Julian, Arsaces was fleeing to rendevous with Ardashir. The three armies engage in a massive battle on 10 July. The battle goes on for days, but in the end, the Romans are worn down to nothing, and Julian is killed. Ardashir has his body torn to shreds, and sends the head to Constantinople. Most of the rest he makes a gift to the Antiochenes, though the preserved heart and hands he sends to Athens along with a suggestion: "To adorn your very own charnel house," a reference to Christian martyriums. Julian had not appointed a Caesar or made any indications of his heir.
In Mesopotamia, a stunned Procopius has himself acclaimed by the legions, and offers Ardashir an additional 2,000 pounds of silver if he will return to the old five year peace. Before receiving a response, Procopius takes his best troops and flees west to Constantinople.
In Gaul, Germanicus and his Frankish auxiliaries defeat Marinus and the Gallic army at Paris. Soon after, news of Julian's death arrives, and most of Gaul and her army defect to the usurper in lieu of any other pretenders.
Autumn, 365: Procopius, as it turns out a crypto-Christian, arrives at Constantinople with a sizeable army gathered on the road from Ctesiphon and formally asks the Byzantine Senate to recognize his claims to the Empire, promising a return to the pre-Julian religious policies. The senate agrees, and Procopius is coronated by Archbishop Eudoxius. The next day, Procopius declares an end to the toleration of paganism and re-exiles the Arians.
Spain and Italy declare for Germanicus. Africa and Egypt remain silent until local usurpers pop up in each.
Ardashir takes advantage of Rome's chaos to attempt to retake Mesopotamia, and so, he invades. Arsaces of Armenia, too, sees and oppotunity. He invades Lazica and the fringes of Pontus Orientalis, accordingly.
The Arab war rages on between the Lakhmids and Ghassanids, with little changing since spring.
The Vandals take advantage of the situation by occupying Helvetia.
Across the splintered empire, famines set in as all the great granaries of the Empire are in different and mutually hostile hands.