Julian, Volume II

Julian, Volume II by Julian recounts the life of Julian (Flavius Claudius Iulianus) "the Apostate", a Roman Emperor who lived from 331 or 332 to 363 CE. Born and educated in Constantinople as a Christian, Julian's early years were marked by precariousness, influencing his devotion to literature and philosophy. Eventually, he embraced paganism, studying in various Greek cities.

In 355, his cousin, Emperor Constantius, summoned him from Athens to the court in Milan, granting him the title of "Caesar" and appointing him governor of Gaul. Julian successfully restored prosperity and effective governance to Gaul after the devastation caused by the Alamanni, whom he defeated at the battle of Strassburg in 357, along with other Germanic tribes.

Between 357 and 361, tensions with his troops nearly sparked a conflict with Constantius, who had ordered Julian's soldiers to serve in the East. However, Constantius's death in 361 allowed Julian to become the sole Emperor of the Roman world. As Emperor, he initiated numerous reforms and declared universal religious toleration while promoting the restoration of traditional pagan worship.

In the years 362–363, Julian prepared for an expedition against Persia, ruled by Shapur II, first in Constantinople and then in Antioch. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a fatal wound sustained during a desperate battle.

Julian's extant works, written in Greek, are contained within three volumes of the Loeb Classical Library. The collection includes eight Orations (with 1-5 in Volume I, and 6-8 in Julian, Volume II) featuring pieces in praise of Constantius and his wife Eusebia, alongside two theosophical hymns or declamations relevant for studies in neo-Platonism, Mithraism, and the cult of the Magna Mater in the Roman world.

The satirical works, Caesars and Misopogon ("Beard-hater"), are also part of Volume II. The Letters (over eighty in number, contained in Volume III) comprise edicts or rescripts, many concerning Christians, as well as encyclical or pastoral letters to priests and private correspondences. Also included in Volume III are fragments of Against the Galilaeans (the Christians), in which Julian argues against the notion that Christianity finds support in the Old Testament.