Julian the Apostate

Julian the Apostate (331 - 363), born Flavius Claudius Julianus, was a Roman emperor for about 20 months, from 3 November 361 to 26 June 363. He is called "the Apostate" because he was a convert from Christianity to Paganism. He is also referred to as Julian II or Julian the Philosopher. He was born at Constantinople, his father being a half-brother of Constantine the Great, on whose death most of Julian's family were murdered. Embittered by this event, Julian threw himself into philosophic studies, and secretly renounced Christianity.

As joint emperor with his cousin from 355 he showed himself a capable soldier, a vigorous and wise administrator. On becoming sole emperor he proclaimed his apostasy, and sought to restore paganism, but without persecuting the Church. Though painted in blackest colours by the Christian Fathers, he was a lover of truth, chaste, abstinent, just, and affectionate, if somewhat vain and superstitious. He was killed in an expedition against Persia. Several writings of his are extant, but a work he wrote against the Christians is lost.

Wisdom & Quotes

• Thou hast conquered, Galilean !

- attributed death-bed words

• Whither are we fleeing, my most valiant men? Do you not know that flight never leads to safety, but shows the folly of a useless effort? Let us return to our companions, to be at least sharers in their coming glory, if it is without consideration that we are abandoning them as they fight for the Republic.

– to his fleeing troops at the Battle of Strasbourg, reported in Ammianus

• Can anyone be proved innocent, if it be enough to have accused him?

– at the trial of Numerius, governor of Gallia Narbonensis, who was accused of embezzlement, reported in Ammianus

• I have observed that even the barbarians across the Rhine sing savage songs composed in language not unlike the croaking of harsh-voiced birds, and that they delight in such songs. For I think it is always the case that inferior musicians, though they annoy their audiences, give very great pleasure to themselves.

– On the songs of the early Germans, in his Mispogon

• I think he who knows himself will know accurately, not the opinion of others about him, but what he is in reality… he ought to discover within himself what is right for him to do and not learn it from without…

– Oration to the Cynic Heracleios

• Nature loves to hide her secrets, and she does not suffer the hidden truth about the essential nature of the gods to be flung in naked words to the ears of the profane...

– Oration to the Cynic Heracleios

• The end and aim of the Cynic philosophy, as indeed of every philosophy, is happiness, but happiness that consists in living according to nature, and not according to the opinions of the multitude.

– Oration to the Uneducated Cynics

• Is it not absurd when a human being tries to find happiness somewhere outside himself, and thinks that wealth and birth and the influence of friends...is of the utmost importance?

– Oration to the Uneducated Cynics

• So long as you are a slave to the opinions of the many you have not yet approached freedom or tasted its nectar...But I do not mean by this that we ought to be shameless before all men and to do what we ought not; but all that we refrain from and all that we do, let us not do or refrain from merely because it seems to the multitude somehow honorable or base, but because it is forbidden by reason and the god within us.

– Oration to the Uneducated Cynics

• One indeed is the Creator of all things, but many are the creative powers revolving in the heavens.

– Upon the Sovereign Sun

St Ambrose

Nearby pages
Juliana Berners, Julianus Didius, Julich, Julie Andrews, Julio Cortazar