#ThisDayInHistory Roman Emperor Julianus Set Forth Laws To Undermine Christianity

#ThisDayInHistory in 362 AD, Emperor Julianus of Constantinople prohibited Christian teachers from using pagan literature.

Flavius Claudius Julianus (331–June 26, 363), was a Roman Emperor (361–363) of the Constantinian dynasty. He was the last pagan Roman Emperor and tried to promote the Roman religious traditions of earlier centuries as a means of slowing the spread of Christianity.

Julian, born in 331 AD in Constantinople, was the son of Julius Constantius, half-brother of Emperor Constantine I, and his second wife, Basilina.

In the turmoil after the death of Constantine in 337 AD, in order to establish himself as sole emperor, Julian's zealous Arian Christian cousin Constantius II led a massacre of Julian's family.

Constantius II then saw to a strict Arian Christian education of the surviving Julian and his brother Gallus.

In 342 AD, both Julian and his half-brother Gallus were exiled to the imperial estate of Macellum in Cappadocia

In 351 AD, Julian returned to Asia Minor to study Neoplatonism under Aedesius, and later to study the Iamblichan Neoplatonism from Maximus of Ephesus. The later emperor’s study of Iamblichus of Chalcis and theurgy are a source of criticism from his primary chronicler, Ammianus Marcellinus.

From June to August of 360 AD, Julian led a successful campaign against the Attuarian Franks.

That same June, forces loyal to Constantius II captured the city of Aquileia on the north Adriatic coast and was subsequently besieged by 23,000 men loyal to Julian. A civil war was avoided only by the death of Constantius II, who, in his last will, recognized Julian as his rightful successor.

His philosophical studies earned him the attribute ‘Philosopher’ during the period of his life and of those of his successors. 

Christian sources commonly refer to him as Julian the Apostate, because of his rejection of Christianity, conversion to Theurgy (a late form of Neoplatonism), and attempt to rid the empire of Christianity while bringing back ancient Roman religion.

His model was Marcus Aurelius. He set out to reform the administration, reducing many expenses. He had the makings of a competent, intelligent emperor. He was better educated and more cultured than any Emperor had been for more than a century.

However, in choosing to resurrect the old religion against the new faith, he backed the wrong side. Christianity's momentum was too strong to be halted.

Since the persecution of Christians by past Roman Emperors had seemingly only strengthened Christianity, many of Julian's actions were designed to harass and undermine the ability of Christians to organize in resistance to the re-establishment of pagan acceptance in the empire.

In his School Edict Julian forbids Christian teachers from using the pagan scripts (such as the Iliad) that formed the core of Roman education: "If they want to learn literature, they have Luke and Mark: Let them go back to their churches and expound on them," the edict says. The edict was also a severe financial blow, as it deprived Christian scholars, tutors, and teachers of many students.

In March 363 AD, Julian started his campaign against the Sassanid Empire, with the goal of taking back the Roman cities conquered by the Sassanids under the rule of Constantius II which his cousin had failed to take back.

Julian victoriously led the Roman army into enemy territory, conquering several cities and defeating the Sassanid troops. He arrived under the walls of the Sassanid capital, Ctesiphon, but even after defeating a superior Sassanid army in front of the city (Battle of Ctesiphon), he could not take the Persian capital.

During this retreat, on June 26, 363 AD, Julian died near Maranga, aged 31, during a battle against the Sassanid army.

Julian's anti-Christian measures did not survive, nor did they have much effect on slowing down the rapid spread of the Christian religion. Julian's own high priest urged pagans to imitate Christian charity. More than the trappings of power, which were beginning to accumulate, it was Christian charity that won the support and gratitude of the people.

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July 29, 362 AD