The Last Pagan Emperor of Rome – Part 2/3: Payback (331 – 363 AD)
In his new position of power, Julian found himself to be a capable and strong military leader who was able to fend off the Germanic tribes that had troubled Rome for quite some time. He had several major victories – such as the Battle of Strasbourg in 358, winning back Cologne in 356, and defeating the Salian Franks along the Rhine – while also handling domestic affairs such as preventing tax increases and taking care of some provincial administration.
Constantius II was still making his own trouble during this time, and at one point ordered Julius to send some of his own Gallic troops over for support. The troops were not exactly receptive to the idea of leaving the commander they respected and admired for an emperor who had usurped the seat of power, and so the troops of the Petulantes proclaimed Julian the emperor in Paris. This provided Julian with a strategic vantage point from which to round up additional allegiances.
Several months later, Constantius was still causing problems, and captured a city along the northern Adriatic coast – and although he likely expected support from his co-leader of the Empire, he received a rather nasty shock. Recalling what had been done to his family by Constantius II, Julian allowed 23,000 of his own loyal troops to besiege the city. For a short time, the threat of civil war loomed as the armies of both leaders were in opposition – but fortunately for Julian, Constatius died of fever, leaving behind a final will that recognized Julian as the rightful successor.
As the new ruler of the Roman Empire, Julian moved to try and put the Empire back in order: first, he reduced the expenses of the imperial offices by eliminating all the eunuchs who had previously served administrative roles. Secondly, unnecessary luxuries were removed, and the amount of servants and guards were reduced to only as many as were needed. And as the next order of business… he began the Chalcedon Tribunal, where a number of Constantius II’s followers were tortured and killed.
Still bitter about his childhood, Julian was finally able to reject the religious teachings that had been forced upon him by the man who had murdered his family. Private letters between Julian and the pagan rhetorician Libanius reveal an Emperor who deeply resented the Christianity that he was forced to accept while young, since Constantius II refused to tolerate any pagan relatives.
Julian quickly developed a passion for art, literature, and Greek mythology, soon becoming an official convert to the philosophies of Hellenism. Whether he realized it or not, Julian was an Emperor with a strong religious temperament – only he was passionate for something different than his cousin had been – and he became somewhat of a pantheistic mystic after the fashion of contemporary Neoplatonist philosophers.
Julian’s intention was to conduct a religious transformation of the Roman state, however there was a danger in this – although he’d rebelled against the forceful and zealous nature of his cousin’s Christian beliefs, would his new passion for traditional paganism cause that to be forced upon others in the same way?
…to be continued…
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Tomorrow: Part 3 of course!
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