As for the Council of _Seleucia_, it met on the 27th of _September_ 359. and consisted only of One hundred and Sixty Bishops, all _Arians_, or _Semi-Arians_, except Twelve or Thirteen orthodox Bishops from _Egypt_[921]. This Assembly _Gregory Nazianzen_ calls the _Tower_ of _Calane_, or _Babel_, the Council of _Caiaphas_[922]. And indeed with a great deal of Reason; for nothing was there seen but Tumult, Confusion, and Disorder. The _Anomeans_ and _Semi-Arians_ appeared so irreconcilably incensed against each other, and carried on their Debates with so much Animosity and Bitterness, that the Quæstor _Leonas_, whom the Emperor had appointed to assist at the Council, thinking it impossible they should ever agree in any one Point, rose up at their Fourth Meeting, while they were in the Heat of the Dispute, and, withdrawing abruptly, put an End to that Session, nay, and to the Council; for, being invited the next Day, the First of _October_, to the Assembly, he refused to go, saying, that he did not conceive his Presence to be at all necessary, since they might quarrel and scold as much as they pleased without him[923]. This he did, says _Sozomen_, to favour the _Anomeans_, who thence took Occasion to absent themselves from the Council, which, as it was chiefly composed of _Semi-Arians_, seemed determined to condemn their Doctrine[924]. [Sidenote: _The_ Semi-Arians _condemn and depose the_ Arians.] However, the _Semi-Arians_ met by themselves; and, finding they could by no means prevail upon the _Anomeans_ to return to the Council, they condemned their Doctrine as heretical and blasphemous, excommunicated and deposed the leading Men of their Party, appointed others in their room, and gave Notice thereof to their respective Churches[925]. Before they broke up, they dispatched Ten Deputies to acquaint the Emperor with the Transactions of the Council. But the Bishops whom they had deposed, arriving at Court before them, and being by their Friends there immediately introduced to _Constantius_, they prejudiced him against the Council of _Seleucia_ to such a Degree, that it was some time before he could prevail upon himself to hear the Deputies. [Sidenote: _They sign the last Confession of_ Sirmium.] However, he heard them at last, and, by threatening them with Exile if they did not comply, obliged them to sign the last Confession of _Sirmium_, which had been rejected by the Council as _Arian_[926]. In this he spent the whole Day, and great Part of the Night, preceding the First of _January_, though he was obliged to make the necessary Preparations for entering on that Day his Tenth Consulate with the usual Pomp and Solemnity[927]. [Sidenote: _The_ Arians,_in their Turn, condemn and depose the_ Semi-Arians, _and also sign the last Confession of_ Sirmium.]