julian

IPA/ˌdʒuː.li.ən ˈkæl.ən.dər/
KK[dʒˈuliən]IPA/ˌdʒuː.li.ən ˈkæl.ən.dɚ/

julian — noun

1. the Roman emperor who ruled from 361 to 363 CE, known for rejecting Christianity

1.noun
Definition

the Roman emperor who ruled from 361 to 363 CE, known for rejecting Christianity and trying to restore the old Roman religion — commonly called Julian the Apostate

Example

In history class, Linh read about Julian, the last non-Christian emperor of Rome.

proper noun + appositive description after a comma

Julian died in battle against the Persian army at the age of thirty-two.

Common collocations
  • the reign of Julian
  • Julian the Apostate
  • Emperor Julian
  • Julian's writings
  • the death of Julian
Synonyms
  • Julian the Apostate

    the standard epithet used by historians, emphasising his rejection of Christianity

Usage Note

In historical writing, Julian is often referred to as Julian the Apostate (apostate meaning someone who has abandoned a religion) to distinguish him from other notable figures named Julian. He is the last Roman emperor who did not practise Christianity.

Common Mistakes

Julian was a Roman king.
Julian was a Roman emperor.
The ruler of ancient Rome was called emperor, not king.

Word family

  • Julius
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Julian is often compared with Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, because Julian undid many of Constantine's religious policies. While Constantine promoted Christianity as a unifying state religion, Julian tried to revive traditional Roman polytheism. Julian is also paired with Marcus Aurelius, another emperor-philosopher who left behind personal writings — Julian's letters and satires offer a similar first-person view of ancient political life. The historian Ammianus Marcellinus, who served in Julian's army, gives the most complete contemporary account of his short reign.

ConstantineMarcus AureliusAmmianus Marcellinus

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From the Latin name Iulianus, meaning 'belonging to the Julian family (gens Iulia)'. The Julian family claimed descent from Iulus, son of the Trojan prince Aeneas. The name entered English through Latin historical writings about the Roman Empire.