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.
As emperor, Julian set about reforming the administration, conquering new territories, and reviving ancient religions. He was scorned in his time for repudiating Christianity and demonized as an apostate for willfully rejecting Christ.
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”.
You can purchase Philip's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Julian-Romes-Pagan-Emperor-Ancient/dp/0300256647
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