The History of the Remains of the Roman Emperor, Julian the Apostate
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18778/2084-140X.09.18Keywords:
Julian the Apostate, Roman Empire in the 4th century AD, imperial burial, Church of the Holy Apostles in ConstantinopleAbstract
Julian (Flavius Claudius Iulianus), called the Apostate, Roman emperor in the years 361–363, was one of the most intriguing rulers. From antiquity to the present day he invariably aroused great interest, both during his life and after his death. He was a just emperor, a wise commander, and a very talented writer. On 26 June 363 Julian the Apostate was mortally wounded during a battle with the Persians. He spent the last moments of his life discussing with philosophers Priskus and Maksimus the nobility of the soul, as we learn from the historian Ammianus Marcellinus. The ruler then showed, perhaps too ostentatiously, his greatest passion: love of virtue and fame. Julian the Apostate died at the age of thirty-two after only twenty months of his rule. Julian’s body, as Gregory of Nazianzus recalls, was transported from Nisibis to Tarsus in Cilicia, which took fifteen days. The subjects greeted the arrival of the body with a mournful lament or contemptuous insults, as the Father of the Church adds. Julian wanted to rest after death in Tarsus, in a mausoleum next to a small temple on the banks of the Cydnus River. Then, at an unspecified time, as the chronicler Zonaras recalls, the body of Emperor Julian the Apostate was transferred to Constantinople and buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles. Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his collection On the ceremonies of the imperial court (book II, chapter 42) mentions the grave of Julian. Today one of the porphyry sarcophagi, kept in the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul, is sometimes considered the Julian sarcophagus. The theme of this article is an attempt to determine the posthumous fate of Emperor Julian the Apostate’s body, i.e. when and in what circumstances it was transferred to Constantinople.
Downloads
References
Ammianus Marcellinus, vol. I–III, trans. J.C. Rolfe, London 1950–1952 [= Loeb Classical Library, 300].
Google Scholar
Anthologia graeca, ed. H. Beckby, München 1958.
Google Scholar
Constantinus Porphyrogenitus, De Ceremoniis aulae byzantinae, rec. J.J. Reiske, Bonnae 1829 [= Corpus scriptorum historiae byzantinae, 5].
Google Scholar
Eutropii Breviarium ab Urbe condita, ed. C. Santini, Leipzig 1979.
Google Scholar
Georgorius Cedrenus, Historiarum Compendium, ed. I. Bekker, Bonnae 1838 [= Corpus scriptorum historiae byzantinae].
Google Scholar
Gregorius Nazianensis, Oratio, V, [in:] Patrologiae cursus completus, Series graeca, vol. XXXV, ed. J.-P. Migne, Paris 1857, col. 664–720.
Google Scholar
The History of Zonaras. From Alexander Severus to the Death of Theodosius the Great, trans. T. Banchich, E. Lane, preaf. T.M. Banchich, London 2009 [= Routledge Classical Translations].
Google Scholar
Homer, Iliada, ed. J. Łanowski, trans. K. Jeżewska, Wrocław 1981.
Google Scholar
Ioannis Zonarae Epitome historiarum libri XIII–XVIII, rec. T. Büttner-Wobst, Bonnae 1897.
Google Scholar
Cesarz Juljan Apostata i jego satyra Symposion, trans. L. Ćwikliński, Poznań 1936.
Google Scholar
Julian Apostata, Cesarze, trans. A. Pająkowska, Poznań 2013 [= Fontes Historiae Antiquae. Zeszyty Źródłowe Zakładu Historii Społeczeństw Antycznych, 27].
Google Scholar
Julian Apostata, Listy, trans. W. Klinger, Wrocław 1962 [= Biblioteka Przekładów z Literatury Antycznej, 9].
Google Scholar
Julian Apostata, List do filozofa Temistiosa, trans. A. Pająkowska, Poznań 2011 [= Fontes Historiae Antiquae. Zeszyty Źródłowe Zakładu Historii Społeczeństw Antycznych, 22].
Google Scholar
Julian Apostata, List do rady i ludu ateńskiego, trans. A. Pająkowska, Poznań 2006 [= Fontes Historiae Antiquae. Zeszyty Źródłowe Zakładu Historii Społeczeństw Antycznych, 7].
Google Scholar
Julian Apostata, Misopogon, czyli Nieprzyjaciel brody, trans. A. Pająkowska, Poznań 2009 [= Fontes Historiae Antiquae. Zeszyty Źródłowe Zakładu Historii Społeczeństw Antycznych, 13].
Google Scholar
Julian Apostata, Przeciw Galilejczykom, trans. A. Pająkowska, Poznań 2012 [= Fontes Historiae Antiquae. Zeszyty Źródłowe Zakładu Historii Społeczeństw Antycznych, 24].
Google Scholar
The Works of the Emperor Julian, vol. I–III, trans. W.C. Wright, London–Cambridge Mass. 1962–1969 [= Loeb Classical Library, 13; 29; 157].
Google Scholar
Libanius, Selected Works, vol. I, The Julianic Orations, ed. et trans. A.F. Norman, London–Cambridge Mass. 1987 [= Loeb Classical Library, 451].
Google Scholar
Philostorgius, Kirchengeschichte, ed. J. Bidez, F. Winkelmann, Berlin 1981 [= Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten [drei] Jahrhunderte].
Google Scholar
Sokrates, Kirchengeschichte, ed. G.C. Hansen, Berlin 1995 [= Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten [drei] Jahrhunderte. Neue Folge, 1].
Google Scholar
Sozomenus, Kirchengeschichte, ed. J. Bidez, G.C. Hansen, Berlin 1995 [= Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten [drei] Jahrhunderte. Neue Folge, 4].
Google Scholar
The Theodosian Code and Novels and the Sirmondian Constitutions, trans. et ed. C. Pharr, praef. C. Dickerman Williams, Princeton 1952.
Google Scholar
Zosime, Histoire nouvelle, ed. et trans. F. Paschoud, vol. I–III, Paris 1979–2000.
Google Scholar
Zosimus, New History, trans. R.T. Ridley, Canberra 1982 [= Byzantina Australiensia, 2].
Google Scholar
Arce J., La tumba del Emperador Juliano, “Lucentum. Anales de la Universidad de Alicante. Prehistoria, Arqueología e Historia Antigua” 3, 1984, p. 181–191.
Google Scholar
Athanassiadi P., Giuliano. Ultimo degli imperatori pagani, Genova 1994.
Google Scholar
Athanassiadi P., Julian. An Intellectual Biography, London–New York 1992.
Google Scholar
Bidez J., La vie de l’Empereur Julien, Paris 1930.
Google Scholar
Bielas L., Apostazja cesarza Juliana w świadectwach antycznych pisarzy i w nowożytnej historiografii, Kraków 2002.
Google Scholar
Bowersock G.W., Julian the Apostate, London 1978.
Google Scholar
Braun R., Richer J., L’empereur Julien. De l’histoire a la légende, Paris 1978.
Google Scholar
Bringmann K., Kaiser Julian. Der letzte heidnische Herrscher, Darmstadt 2004.
Google Scholar
Browning R., The Emperor Julian, Los Angeles 1978.
Google Scholar
Ceran W., Kościół wobec antychrześcijańskiej polityki cesarza Juliana Apostaty, Łódź 1980 (= “Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Historica” 1).
Google Scholar
Conduché D., Ammien Marcellin et la mort de Julien, “Latomus” 24, 1965, p. 359–380.
Google Scholar
Downey G., The Tombs of the Byzantine Emperors at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, “Journal of Hellenic Studies” 79, 1959, p. 27–51.
Google Scholar
Drabik A., Ktezyfont 363, Warszawa 2016.
Google Scholar
Farrokh K., Maksymiuk K., Gracia J.S., The Siege of Amida (359 CE), Siedlce 2018.
Google Scholar
Fornara C.W., Julian’s Persian Expedition in Ammianus and Zosimus, “Journal of Hellenic Studies” 111, 1991, p. 1–15.
Google Scholar
Grierson P., Mango C., Ševčenko I., The Tombs and Obits of the Byzantine Emperors (337–1042), “Dumbarton Oaks Papers” 16, 1962, p. 1–63.
Google Scholar
Hahn I., Der ideologische Kampf um den Tod Julians des Abtrünnigen, “Klio. Beiträge zur alten Geschichte” 38, 1960, p. 225–232.
Google Scholar
Harrel J.S., Wojna o Nisibis. Obrona rzymskiej wschodniej granicy 337–363, trans. A. Paradziński, Oświęcim 2019.
Google Scholar
Jaczynowska M., Imitatio Alexandri. Parę uwag na temat perskiej wyprawy cesarza Juliana, “Acta Universitatis Nicolai Copernici. Historia” 29, 1996, p. 133–148.
Google Scholar
Jerphagnon L., Julien dit l’Apostat, Paris 2008.
Google Scholar
Johnson M.J., Observations on the Burial of the Emperor Julian in Constantinople, “Byzantion. Revue internationale des études byzantines” 77, 2008, p. 254–260.
Google Scholar
Kuranc J., Zgon cesarza Juliana Apostaty w świetle relacji współczesnych pisarzy pogańskich, “Roczniki Humanistyczne” 14, 1966, p. 73–86.
Google Scholar
Maio M. Di, The Transfer of the Remains of the Emperor Julian from Tarsus to Constantinople, “Byzantion. Revue internationale des études byzantines” 48, 1978, p. 43–50.
Google Scholar
Marcone A., Giuliano, Roma 2018.
Google Scholar
Negri G., L’imperatore Giuliano Apostata, Milano 1901.
Google Scholar
Olszaniec S., Julian Apostata jako reformator religijny, Kraków 1999.
Google Scholar
Pająkowska A., Historyk Ammianus Marcellinus o śmierci cesarza Juliana Apostaty, “Studia Classica et Neolatina” 7, 2005, p. 9–21.
Google Scholar
Ramos P., La veritable histoire de Julien, Paris 2012.
Google Scholar
Ricciotti G., L’imperatore Giuliano l’Apostata secondo i documenti, Verona 1962.
Google Scholar
Ridley R.T., Notes on Julian’s Persian Expedition (363), “Historia. Zeitschrift für alte Geschichte” 22, 2, 1973, p. 317–330.
Google Scholar
Rosen K., Julian. Kaiser, Gott und Christenhasser, Stuttgart 2006.
Google Scholar
Sińczak T., Wojny Cesarstwa Rzymskiego z Iranem Sasanidów w latach 226–363, Oświęcim 2016.
Google Scholar
Smith R., Julian’s Gods. Religion and Philosophy in the Thought and Action of Apostate, London–New York 1995.
Google Scholar
Spinelli M., Giuliano l’Apostata. Anticristo o cercatore di dio?, Roma 2017.
Google Scholar
Szeląg T., Amida 359, Warszawa 2012.
Google Scholar
Szeląg T., Kampanie galijskie Juliana Apostaty. Argentoratum 357, Zabrze 2007.
Google Scholar
Teitler H.C., The Last Pagan Emperor. Julian the Apostate and the War against Christianity, Oxford 2017.
Google Scholar
Vasiliev A.A., Imperial Porphyry Sarcophagi in Constantinople, “Dumbarton Oaks Papers” 4, 1948, p. 1–26.
Google Scholar
Wolski J., Julian Apostata. Życie i twórczość, [in:] Julian Apostata, Listy, trans. W. Klinger, Wrocław 1962 [= Biblioteka Przekładów z Literatury Antycznej, 9], p. V–XVII.
Google Scholar
Woods D., Gregory of Nazianzus on the Death of Julian the Apostate (Or. 5.13), “Mnemosyne: a Journal of Classical Studies” 68, 2015, p. 297–303.
Google Scholar
Woods D., On the Alleged Reburial of Julian the Apostate in Constantinople, “Byzantion. Revue internationale des études byzantines” 76, 2006, p. 364–371.
Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
