JULIA'NUS, FLA'VIUS CL.VUDIUS (' The Apostate '), son of Julius Constantius, brother of Constantine the Great, was born at Constantinople, November 17, 331. After Constantine's death, the soldiers massacred the brothers, nephews, and other relatives of that prince, in order that the empire should pass undisputed to his sous. Leo:Is/wales.] Two only escaped from this butchery, Julian, then six years old, and his half-brother Gallus, then thirteen years of age. Marcus, bishop of Arethusa, is said to have concealed them in a church. After a time Constautius exiled Gallus into Ionia, and entrusted Julian to the care of Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia. Julian was instructed in Greek literature by Mardouius, a learned eunuch, who had been teacher to his mother Basilica. At the age of fourteen or fifteen he was sent to join his brother Gallus at Macellum, a castle in Cappadocia, where they were treated as princes, but closely watched. (' Juliaui Opera, Epistle to the Athenians.') The youths were taught the Scriptures, and were even ordained lecturers, and in that capacity publicly read the Bible in the church of Nicomedia. It appears that Constantius had the intention of making a priest of Juliau, who had no inclination for that profession, and who is supposed to have already secretly abandoned the belief iu the Christian doctrines. The death of Constans and Constantine having left Constantius sole master of the Roman world, that emperor, who was childless, sent for Gallus, in March 351, and created him exams and he allowed Julian to return to Constantinople to finish his studies. There Juliau met with the sophist Libanius, who afterwards became his friend and favourite. Constantius soon after again bauiehed Julian to Nicomedia, where he became acquainted with some Platonist philosophers, who initiated him into their doctrines. He afterwards obtained leave to proceed to Athens, where ho devoted himself entirely to study. After the tragical death of Gallus, iu 355, Julian, who had again for a time awakened the jealous suspicion. of his cousin, was recalled to court by the Influence of the Empress numbla, his constant patroness, when Constantine named him Cesar, end gave him the government of Gaul, which was then delegated by the German tribes, together with his sister Helena to wife. Julian made four campaigns against the Germans, in which he displayed great skili and valour, and freed Gaul from the Barbarians, whom ho pursued across the Rhine. lie spent his winters at Lutetia (Paris), end became as much esteemed for his equitable and judicious administration as for his military success. Conetantins, always suspicious% ordered Julien to send him back some of the heat legions in Gaul to be employed against the Persians. When the time for marching came, in the year 360, Julian assembled the legions at Lutetia, and there bade them an affectionate farewell, when an insur rection broke out among the soldiers, who saluted him as Augustus. Julien immediately sent messengers to Constantius to deprecate his wrath, and to claim the title of Augustus, with supreme authority over the provinces in which he had ruled as Caesar. Constantiva rejected his proposals, and Julian marched with his legions towards Conetantinoplo. Constautius on his part set out to meet him. But
the death of the emperor, November 3, 361, loft the throne open to Julian. He proceeded to Coustantinoplo, where, being proclaimed emperor in December 361, he reformed the pomp and prodigality of the household, issued several prudent edicts, corrected many abuses, and established a court at Chaleedon to investigate the conduct of those who had abused their influence under the preccdiug reign. Unfortunately some innocent men were confounded with the guilty; among others Ursulus, whose condemnation Ammienus (b. xxii.) doplores.
On assuming the purple Julien had openly professed the old religion of Rome and sacrificed as high-priest to the gods, and though at the same time he had issued an edict of universal toleration, he soon showed a marked hostility to the Christians : lie took the revenues from the churches, and ordered that those who had waisted in pulling down the heathen temples should rebuild them. This was a signal for a fearful re-action and persecution against the Christians in the provinces, where many were imprisoned, tormented, and even put to death. Julian restrained or punished some of these disorders, but with no zealous hand. There was evidently a determined struggle throughout the empire between the old and the new religion, and Julian wished for the triumph of the former. lio -forbade the Christiana to read or teach others the works of the ancient classics, saying that as they rejected tho gods they ought not to avail them selves of the learning and genius of those who believed in them (' Julian' Opera,' Epiet. 42, Spanheim's edition). Ho also forbade the Christians filling any office, civil or military, and subjected them to other disabilities and humiliations. Julian has been called the Apostate, but according to his own statement, he ceased to be a Christian in his twentieth year, and it seems very doubtful whether at any period of his life after his boyhood he had been a Christian iu Lis heart ; the bad example of the court of Coustautiuts and the schisms and persecutions that broke out in the bosom of the church, 'nay, as Lea been suggested, have turned him against religion itself, while his vanity, of which he had a large share, and which was stimu lated by the praises of the sophists, made him probably consider him self as destined to revive both the old religion and the glories of the empire. Yet it was not till be ascended the throne that he publicly avowed his adherence to the ancient faith : thus for at least ton years, by his own account, he dissembled his change of religion. That ho was no believer in the mythological fables is evident from his writings, especially the piece called ' The Co:sears; yet. ho professed great zeal for the heathen divinities, and he scrota orations in praise of the mother of the gode and of the sun. Making every allowance fur the difficulties of his position and time effect of early impressions, ho may bo fairly charged with a want of candour and of justice, and with much affectation bordering upon hypocrisy. If we choose to discard the invectives of Gregory of Nazianzua, of Cyril, and of Jerome, we may be allowed at least to judge him by the narrative of Aunnianus and by his own works, and the result is very Ear from favourable to Lis moral rectitude or sobriety of judgment.