Julian's Gods: Religion and Philosophy in the Thought and Action of Julian the Apostate

ISBN: 0415034876

Author: Smith, Rowland B. E.

Condition: New

Julian's brief reign (360-363 AD) had a profound impact on his contemporaries, as he worked fervently for a pagan restoration in the Roman Empire, which was rapidly becoming Christian.Julian's Gods focuses on the cultural mentality of `the last pagan Emperor' by examining a wide variety of his own writings. The surviving speeches and treatises, satires and letters offer a rare insight into the personal attitudes and motivations of a remarkable Emperor. They show Julian as a highly educated man, an avid student of Greek philosophy, and a talented author in his own right.This elegant and closely-argued study will deepen understanding not only of Julian, but of the context of fourth century Neoplatonism.