At Sirmium, in mid-March 351 A.D., Constantius II raised his cousin Constantius Gallus to the rank of caesar, and arranged the marriage of his sister Constantia to Gallus. Gallus was then sent to Antioch to defend against the Persians, while Constantius remained in the Balkans to deal with Magnentius. When Constantius learned that Gallus was cruel and ruling harshly, he recalled him to Milan. But then had him arrested and executed in winter 354, even before he reached Italy.