Who Was Julian?
Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor
Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,
Flavius Claudius Julianus turned the world upside down.
Also known as Julian the Apostate as well as Julian the Philosopher, he ruled Rome as sole emperor for just a year and a half, from 361 to 363.
Nonetheless, his impact was substantial.
Despite the fact that he was the nephew of Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of Rome, Julian fought to return Rome to the old gods who had led his ancestors to build their vast empire.
Through the centuries, Julian has been viewed by many as a tragic figure who sought to save Rome from its enemies... as well as a traitor to God and violent oppressor of Christians.
But who was he... really? And how did his short time as ruler impact Western history?
Featuring Philip Freeman, Professor of Humanities at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Classical Philology and Celtic Languages and Literatures. He is the author of numerous books, including, “Alexander the Great”, “How to Tell a Story”, “How to Grow Old”, “Julius Caesar” and most recently, “Julian: Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor”.
All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom
Excellent conversation & insight. Monotheism is not the ethnic faith of European people; I've always questioned the exact origins & intentions of Christianity. I wish Julian succeeded in everything he intended to do; if only he could see how ruthless Theodosius was and the following millenium of sectarian Christian wars that tore Europe apart… until the Renaissance started bringing us back to our ancient roots. We need to go back—now.