Julian


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Julian's Rise

 * raised Christian by his grandmother and in philosophy
 * Gallus and Julian are brought back from exile in their teens to get back into the family
 * were sent away; elders feared their names being abused by elders
 * by this time Constantius II eliminated brothers
 * Constantius II couldn't manage empire on his own, appoints Julian Caesor of West
 * enormously succesful, primarily fighting barbarian incursions (very talented soldier)
 * Constantius II dies as Julian's plotting coup (may have been poisoned by his troops)
 * Julian proclaimed Emperor

Character (from Ammianus)

 * intellectual, fussy, talks too much, needed approval of masses, superstitious rather than truly religious
 * good soldier, chaste, self-controlled, wise, courageous

Re-invention of Paganism

 * gives Constantius a Christian burial
 * renounced Christianity upon entering office
 * attempted to "revive" paganism
 * still existed and widely practiced, though Christianity was on the up and up
 * reimagined paganism: incorporate social acts of Christianity
 * ​helping the poor, almsgiving
 * worshipping the gods daily, advocates clean living

Legal Moves
Early year of his reign, fairly tolerant? of Christians. Focused on reviving pagans.
 * revives practice of animal sacrifice
 * ​Christians refused to sacrifice (had led to their persecution)
 * Constantine had removed, but Julian reinstituted and encouraged to a daily thing (unrecognizable to traditional pagans)
 * bans Christians from the classrooms
 * removes tax breaks from clergy
 * second half of his reign, writes treatises against Christianity
 * begins to rebuild the temple (energize the Jews against the Christians), and supported non-orthodox Christianity (to stir up trouble)

Why did it fail?

 * was a strange new-fangled variant of paganism that offended traditional sensibilities, out of touch with average pagans (too intellectual, policy-wonk)
 * short reign (18 monts)
 * energized rather than weakened Christianity; gave Christians a rallying point (against him)
 * tried to incite hostility against Christians not widely felt in the empire

Death
In power for only 18 months, died on campaign against Persian forces in 363.
 * died by a spear in his breast
 * don't know who threw it
 * gives a philosophical treatise on the soul while dying