revolt.8 He made his way at once to Constantinople, at the same time calling
a council to meet in Nicaea to look into the doctrine of “other in substance.” But when he reached the place called Mopsucrenae, he fell ill, and then,
having received baptism from Euzoius, he departed from life and realm
together, and from the councils that had promoted heresy.
5a [AP 19]. Constantius left Constantinople and took the road to Syria. When he reached the great city of Antioch, he stopped there to prepare for war against the Persians. But while he was staying in the city and getting the army ready, he received letters announcing Julian’s revolt. Julian, as I
7. Vaggione (ibid.) dates the conciliar hearing to January or February of 361 and thinks that it was also at this time that Acacius complained about the welcome shown by Auxentius of Mopsuestia to Aetius (cf. 5.2), so that “the charges laid against Eunomius may have been part of a co-ordinated attack on master and pupil.” kopecek (history of Neo-Arianism, 407–10) connects the hearing with the council referred to
in Athanasius, syn. 31; Socrates 2.45.9–15.
8. On Julian’s appointment as Caesar, see 4.2, 2a. His “revolt” refers to his proc- lamation as Augustus in Paris (February 360) by troops resisting Constantius’s order to transfer them to the eastern frontier for the Persian campaign. See Julian, Ep. ad
Ath. 284A–285D; Ammianus 20.4–5; Libanius, or. 18.95–100; Eunapius, Frag. hist.
14.4; Gregory of Nazianzus, or. 4.47. It is usually agreed that while Julian himself was not behind the proclamation, he did little to resist it and signaled his acceptance by granting the usual accession donative; see David F. Buck, “Eunapius on Julian’s Accla- mation as Augustus,” Ancient history Bulletin 7 (1993): 73–80. Philostorgius thus shares Ammianus’s view that Julian’s accession was usurpation, in that his proclama- tion was not done in regular form; cf. Joachim Szidat, “Imperator legitime declaratus,” in historia testis: Mélanges d’épigraphie, d’histoire ancienne et de philologie offerts à
tadeusz Zawadzki (ed. Marcel Piérart et Olivier Curty; Fribourg: universitaires Fri-
bourg, 1989), 174–88. His source for Julian’s campaign against Constantius and then against the Persians is, however, the same as that used by Gregory of Nazianzus (see Bidez, Philostorgius, cxxxvi–cxxxvii).
explained earlier when I was giving an account of these matters, had been appointed Caesar in Gaul by Constantius for the protection of the west, but being no longer content to remain in the rank of Caesar, he put on the diadem and seized the higher office. And when he had taken over, he reflected not an instant further, nor did he think that he should delay, but intending to sub- ject to himself then and there all of Europe9 that belonged to the Roman
Empire, he mustered the army, proceeded through the German territories to the Danube, secured the further bank, and drove through the regions adjoin- ing it, eluding both prefects, the one named Taurus who had charge of Italy and the other, Florentius, who had charge of Illyricum.10 But when he reached
Pannonia,11 he crossed the river to the other side and at once had in his power
all the land of Illyricum, together with Italy and all the provinces out to the western ocean that belonged to the Roman Empire.12
[AP 20]. Constantius, when he learned of this from the letters, was shaken, as may be imagined, and was especially concerned about Constanti- nople, lest Julian should arrive there first and take possession of the city, as in fact he was planning; so he bent every effort to anticipate him. But while he was getting together the army, which was scattered throughout the cities of the east, and making it ready for the long journey, he sent word to the bishops to go as soon as possible to Nicaea and await him, for he planned to convene a second council there, the heretical Arians having incited him against the
9. In 6.5a, “Europe” means the continent; see 20 n. 14.
10. Florentius had been praetorian prefect of Gaul when he learned of Julian’s proclamation as Augustus, had gone to meet Constantius in the east, and then had been appointed praetorian prefect of Illyricum. Taurus had been praetorian prefect of Italy and Africa since 355; he escaped to Illyricum at the news that Julian was on the march and together with his colleague fled to the east.
11. The phrase “reached Pannonia” translates κατὰ Παίονας ἐγένετο. Another possible reading is κατὰ πλείονος, which would yield “when he had gone further.”
12. On Julian’s maneuvers after being proclaimed Augustus, see Paschoud,
Zosime, 2:86–97. Contrary to what Philostorgius says, negotiations between Constan-
tius and him went on from the time of his proclamation all through the rest of 360, but by the end of the winter of 361 the break was final, with Constantius gathering his forces to march against him and inciting the barbarians to oppose him. Julian began moving in strength to meet him in the spring. The suggestion of swiftness conveyed in 6.5a does accurately characterize Julian’s course at that time; he “rushed down like a torrent,” says Libanius (or. 18.111; also Ammianus 21.9.6; Pan. Lat. III [IX] 6.2; 7). He was probably already in Sirmium before summer, from there continuing on to Naissus. On Julian’s march, see Julian, Ep. 8 (ed. Wright, LCL); Pan. Lat. III (IX) 6–9; Libanius, or. 18.111–114; Ammianus 21.5.13–9.6; Zosimus 3.9–10; Sozomen 5.1.3–5.
consubstantialist doctrine. While he was crossing through Cilicia, however, and had reached the place called Mopsucrenae, he was stricken by a sudden illness and could go no further. Sensing that he was in a bad way and had not much longer to live, he summoned Euzoius, the bishop of Antioch, as quickly as he could and bade him baptize him. He lived just a short time after
having received baptism and then he departed from life in that place, having
reigned for forty years in all, half of them with his father and the rest alone.13
5b [AP 41: Julian speaks]. And … Constantius … murdered my brother Gallus, … and he meant to do the same to us as well, except that we were saved by the providence of the gods. The gods prevented him, showing me openly their salvation.14 Placing my confidence in them, I renounced Christi-
anity and went over to the Greek way of life, since I knew well that the ancient way of life of the Greeks and Romans, with its fine customs and laws, included worship of those gods, belief in whom was grounded in reality.