Julian was a philosopher-emperor who survived a childhood massacre of his family to become Caesar at 23 and later sole ruler of the Roman Empire, the last male relative of Constantine the Great. Having secretly abandoned Christianity, he devoted his reign to reversing Constantine's religious legacy and restoring paganism, but died in battle against the Persians before those ambitions could be realized. He was the last pagan emperor and the last to rule a united empire, leaving the dynasty in exhaustion at his death.
Also known as: Julian the Apostate · Flavius Claudius Julianus · The Butcher · Julian II
What each episode says
Episode 4 (1 mention)
Mentioned briefly at the end of the episode as the subject of the next lecture — described as experiencing an unlikely rise and tragic fall, and as the last of the pagan emperors.
“the unlikely rise and tragic fall of Julian, the last of the pagan emperors.”
Episode 5 (25 mentions)
A complex, enigmatic philosopher-emperor who survived a childhood massacre of his family to become Caesar at 23. He secretly abandoned Christianity for paganism and devoted his reign to reversing Constantine's religious legacy, but died in battle against the Persians before his ambitions could be realized.
“the middle son, started a rumor accusing his half-uncles, Julian's father, of poisoning”
“So at 23, the young, unknown, and unwilling, Flavius Claudius Julianus became Caesar.”
“now that the West was pacified, he quite naturally sent word to Julian to provide him with troops.”
Episode 6 (2 mentions)
Described as a misguided visionary who squandered tremendous talent in a fruitless attempt to restore paganism and destroy Christianity. He was the last emperor to rule a united empire and the last male relative of Constantine the Great, leaving the empire in dynastic exhaustion.
“the great library founded by Julian, destroying over 120,000 books as well as numerous sculptures”
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