Any recommendations for a biography of Julian?
Having just read "The Nisibis War" I realise that he is a far more interesting character than "the Apostate" denotes.
The only reasonably modern one seems to be the Ricciotti translation?
No helpful recommendation I fear, simply to quote Michael Kulikowski: "The emperor Julian is a source of endless fascination to scholars, not least because his brooding narcissism speaks directly to many academics." :o
Quote from: DBS on January 02, 2022, 10:16:57 AM
No helpful recommendation I fear, simply to quote Michael Kulikowski: "The emperor Julian is a source of endless fascination to scholars, not least because his brooding narcissism speaks directly to many academics." :o
Hahahhaaa! Thank goodness I am not an academic then!
I was more interested in his philosophical strategies as the little I have read about them has piqued my interest
The one in my biographies-of-emperors collection is Bowersock's Julian the Apostate (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Julian-Apostate-G-W-Bowersock/dp/0674488822/) - originally 1978 or so, though the link is to a 1997 reprint. Obviously dated, and a relatively slim volume, but still a sound introduction.
I've not read more recent works so am not sure what to recommend - maybe Murdoch (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Pagan-Julian-Apostate-Ancient/dp/1594772266/)?
Gore Vidal's novel (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Julian-Gore-Vidal/dp/0349104735/) is of course indispensable.
Interestingly, Kulikowski still rates Bowestock as a general biography, and picks out Polymnia Athanassiadi-Fowden for the intellectual and philisophical aspects. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Julian-Routledge-Revivals-Intellectual-Biography/dp/1138020419/%5B/url)
I think Lendon's Soldiers and Ghosts has some interesting stuff on Julian's Homeric models as guides to his actions.
Roy
Thank you all very much