The Works of the Emperor Julian
- ISBN-10
- 0674991737
- ISBN-13
- 9780674991736
- Pages
- 447
- Language
- English
- Published
- 1993
- Publisher
- Harvard University Press
- Author
- Julian
Description
JULIAN (Flavius Claudius Iulianus) 'the Apostate', Roman Emperor, lived A.D. 331 or 332-363. Born and educated in Constantinople as a Christian, after a precarious childhood he devoted himself to literature and philosophy and became a pagan, studying in various Greek cities. In 355 his cousin Emperor Constantius called him from Athens to the court at Milan, gave him his sister Helena in marriage, and entitled him 'Ceasar', and made him governor of Gaul which he restored to prosperity and good government after the ravages of the Almanni (he over-threw them at the battle of Strassburg in 357) and other Germans, reducing also Frankish settlers. Between 357 and 361 Julian's own soldiers, refusing to serve in the East at Constatnius' orders, nearly involved Julian in war with Constantius; who however died in 361 so that Julian became sole Emperor of the Roman world. He began many reforms and proclaimed universal toleration in religion but pressed for the restoration of the older pagan worships. In 362-363 he prepared at Constantinople and then at Antioch (where the people disliked him as he did them) for his expedition against Persia ruled by Shapur II, and died of a wound received in desperate battle.
