Juliānus

, a son of Julius Constant i us, the brother of Const an tine the Great, born at Constantinople. The ma acre which attended the elevation of the sons of Const an tine the Great to the throne, nearly proved fatal to Julian and to his brother Gallus. The two brothers were privately educated together, and taught the doctrines of the christian religion, and exhorted to be modest, temperate, and to despise the gratification of all sensual pleasures. Gallus received the instructions of his pious teachers with deference and submi ion, but Julian showed his dislike for christianity by secretly cherishing a desire to become one of the votaries of paganism. He gave sufficient proofs of this propensity when he went to Athens in the 24th year of his age, where he applied himself to the study of magic and astrology. He was some time after appointed over Gaul, with the title of Cæsar, by Constans, and there he showed himself worthy of the imperial dignity by his prudence, valour, and the numerous victories which he obtained over the enemies of Rome in Gaul and Germany. His mildne , as well as his condescension, gained him the hearts of his soldiers; and when Constans, to whom Julian was become suspected, ordered him to send him part of his forces to go into the east, the army immediately mutinied, and promised immortal fidelity to their leader, by refusing to obey the order of Constans. They even compelled Julian, by threats and entreaties, to accept of the title of independent emperor and of August us; and the death of Constans, which soon after happened, left him sole master of the Roman empire, A.D. 261. Julian then disclosed his religious sentiments, and publicly disavowed the doctrines of christianity, and offered solemn sacrifices to all the gods of ancient Rome. This change of religious opinion was attributed to the austerity with which he received the precepts of christianity, or, according to others, to the literary conversation and persuasive eloquence of some of the A then i an philosophers. From this circumstance, therefore, Julian has been called Apostate . After he had made his public entry at Constantinople, he determined to continue the Persian war, and check those barbarians, who had for 60 years derided the indolence of the Roman emperors. When he had cro ed the Tigris, he burned his fleet, and advanced with boldne into the enemy’s country. His march was that of a conqueror; he met with no opposition from a weak and indigent enemy; but the country of As syria had been left desolate by the Persians, and Julian, without corn or provisions, was obliged to retire. As he could not convey his fleet again over the streams of the Tigris, he took the resolution of marching up the source of the river, and imitating the bold return of the 10,000 Greeks. As he advanced through the country he defeated the officers of Sapor the king of Persia; but an engagement proved fatal to him, and he received a deadly wound as he animated his soldiers to battle. He expired the following night, the 27th of June, A.D. 363 in the 32nd year of his age. His last moments were spent in a conversation with a philosopher about the immortality of the soul, and he breathed his last without expre ing the least sorrow for his fate, or the suddenne of his death. Julian’s character has been admired by some and censured by others, but the malevolence of his enemies arises from his apostacy. As a man and as a monarch he demands our warmest commendations; but we must blame his idolatry, and despise his bigoted principles. He was moderate in his succe es, merciful to his enemies, and amiable in his character. He abolished the luxuries which reigned in the court of Constantinople, and dismi ed with contempt the numerous officers who waited upon Constant i us, to anoint his head or perfume his body. He was frugal in his meals and slept little, reposing himself on a skin spread on the ground. He awoke at midnight, and spent the rest of the night in reading or writing, and i ued early from his tent to pay his daily visit to the guards around the camp. He was not fond of public amusements, but rather dedicated his time to study and solitude. When he pa ed through Antioch in his Persian expedition, the inhabitants of the place, offended at his religious sentiments, ridiculed his person and lampooned him in satirical verses. The emperor made use of the same arms for his defence, and rather than destroy his enemies by the sword, he condescended to expose them to derision, and unveil their follies and debaucheries in a humerous work, which he called Misopogon, or beard-hater . He imitated the virtuous example of Scipio and Alexander, and laid no temptation for his virtue by visiting some female captives that had fallen into his hands. In his matrimonial connections, Julian rather consulted policy than inclination, and his marriage with the sister of Constant i us arose from his unwillingne to offend his benefactor, rather than to obey the laws of nature. He was buried at Tarsus, and afterwards his body was conveyed to Constantinople. He distinguished himself by his writings, as well as by his military character. Besides his Misopogon, he wrote the history of Gaul. He also wrote two letters to the A then i ans; and, besides, there are now extant 64 of his letters on various subjects. His Cæsars is the most famous of all his compositions, being a satire upon all the Roman emperors from Julius Cæsar to Const an tine. It is written in the form of a dialogue, in which the author severely attacks the venerable character of Marcus Aurelius, whom he had proposed to himself as a pattern, and speaks in scurrilous and abusive language of his relation Const an tine. It has been observed of Julian that, like Cæsar, he could employ at the same time his hand to write, his ear to listen, his eyes to read, and his mind to dictate. The best edition of his works is that of Spanheim, folio, Leipsic, 1696; and of the Cæsars, that of He us in ger, 8vo, Gothæ, 1741. Julian. — So crates. — Eutropius. — Ammianus Mar cell in us. — Libanius , . ――A son of Const an tine.――A maternal uncle of the emperor Julian.――A Roman emperor. See: Didius .――A Roman, who proclaimed himself emperor in Italy during the reign of Diocletian, . ――A governor of Africa.――A counsellor of the emperor Adrian.――A general in Dacia, in Domitian’s reign.