Late Roman Empire, Constantinian Dynasty (305-364): 65*Julian, Julian’s Sassanid War, [7/9]

65 *JULIAN (31/32; r.360-363) (Gaul→all)

Though Julian was raised a Christian he seems to have acquired an abiding love of Greek literature and philosophy. On becoming emperor in 361 he issued an Edict on Toleration for all religions and ordered that pagan temples, altars, sacrifices and priesthoods be reinstated. State support for Christianity was minimised and although there was no overt persecution, pagans were favoured and promoted. In 362, because the Christians were rejecting Hellenism, Julian issued the Edict on Teaching that forbade Christian scholars to teach classical literature. After this he was known as Julian the Apostate.

Julian’s Sassanid War (363) [7/9]

After five months in Constantinople, Julian moved to Antioch to prepare his Persian campaign. On 5 March 363 departed with about sixty-five thousand troops and headed eastward towards the Euphrates, which he crossed near Hierapolis and continued eastwards to Carrhae. From here he sent thirty thousand soldiers under Procopius (c.40; fl.358-366) and Sebastianus (1) (fl.356-378) eastward with instructions to join up with Arsaces II of Armenia (r.350-368) and then to march southwards along the left (east) bank of the Tigris River.

Julian took the other half the army southwards, accompanied by a fleet of warships and pontoon ships to facilitate river crossings, to Circesium (=Buseira, eastern Syria) at the confluence of the Khabur and Euphrates rivers, arriving there at the beginning of April. Continuing southwards along the left (east) bank of the Euphrates, at the end of April the Romans captured Pirisabora (=al Anbar, Central Iraq), which commanded the canal approach east to the winter capital Ctesiphon on the Tigris.

At Ctesiphon the Romans gained a tactical victory over the Persians, driving them back into the city. However, with the main Persian army approaching, the city could not be put under siege. On 16 June the army withdrew northwards along the left bank of the Tigris hoping to meet Procopius and Sebastianus (1). During the retreat Julian was wounded at the indecisive Battle of Samarra. In his pursuit of the retreating enemy, Julian received a mortal wound during a battle outside Maranga from a spear and died a few days later.