Julian the Apostate: Apart from Christianity

Scholarship on the reign of Julian the Apostate has long been dominated by his conflict with Christianity. Although this was a prominent feature of his Emperorship, this was not the centerpiece of his policy. Julian's primary goal was the restoration of the Roman Empire to its former glory. This thesis examines Julian's policies when he was Caesar in Gaul as well as his policies when he later became Emperor. This research shows that Julian's strategy to restore the Empire differed little from the same successful plan he used to rejuvenate Gaul. Julian combined a geopolitical approach with administrative reform to achieve his goals both as Caesar and Emperor. He rebuilt the cities of the Empire and created new revenue streams so they could sustain their reconstruction. He secured the borders from outside threats. He prosecuted corrupt imperial officials and reformed the bureaucracy, expanding the numbers of citizens who were required to participate in government. His campaign to renovate the Empire and reform the bureaucracy should be the focal point for his brief reign as Emperor rather than a petty feud over religion to which he devoted little of his actual time.