JULIAN, jootlyan (FLAVIUS CLALYDIUS JULI ANus), Roman emperor, surnamed the Apos tate: b. Constantinople, 17 Nov. 331; d. 26 June 363. When hardly six years old his father and several members of his family were murdered by the soldiers of his cousin, the Emperor Constantius. He was•hrought up in the Chris tian religion, studied philosophy and letters, and resided in Athens, where he was induced •to em brace Paganism. Having received command of an army against the Germans, he defeated them at Strassburg and drove them beyond the Rhine. He also displayed great talent as an adminis trator in Gaul. The emperor now became jeal ous of Julian, and rezalled his best troops under pretense that he wanted to employ them against the Persians. This order caused a re bellion among the soldiers, who proclaimed their leader, Julian, emperor in March 360, in spite of his own resistance. Constantius prepared to proceed against him, but soon after died, and Julian was generally recognized as emperor.• He began by putting a stop to many
abuses and limiting the splendor of the court, and was thus able to remit to the people the fifth part of all their taxes. He sought to restore the heathen worship in all its splendor, and on that account opposed Christianity as much as was in his power, without, however persecuting the Christians themselves. In 363 he headed an expedition against the Persians and took several cities. He was an able ruler, and had also a reputation as an author. Some of his works have come down to us, including speeches, letters and satirical pieces; the lat ter are distinguished for wit and humor, He wrote also a work against the Christian reli gion, of which some extracts remain. Con sult Gardner, 'Julian: Philosopher and Em peror> (1895) • Hoffmann, Julianus der Ab triinnige) (1880) ; Negri, 'Julian .the Apostate' (1905) ; Rendall, 'The Emperor Julian, Pagan ism and Christianity' (1879).