PROCLAMATION OF JULIAN AS AUGUSTUS IN PARIS (FEBRUARY, AD 360)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24919/2519-058x.3.101054Keywords:
Emperor Constantius II, Caesar Julian, Gaul, Persia, the Roman Empire, Augustus, the Paris proclamationAbstract
Constantius II gave the orders to Gallic troops to be sent to the East. Notarius Decentius arrived in Gaul with these orders. According to Constantius II`s decision substantial numbers of Gallic troops were sent from Gaul to the East. Caesar Julian hesitated over decision because of the absence of the high command.
Julian organized accelerating sending of troops. Discontent with sending to foreign lands had grown in the army. It was peace in Gaul after numerous victories and soldiers didn`t want to leave the province.
Sintula obeyed emperor Constantius II`s order and went to the east of the empire with one part of the army. The rest of the army went via Paris. Soldiers heard the appeal of Caesar at the outskirts of Paris. Julian protested against Constantius II`s decision. He had enlisted a lot of barbarians on condition that they would never leave the territory of the province. The army did not want to fight against Persia. As a result it was a riot in the army. Soldiers acclaimed Julian their Augustus. He eventually consented to their demands after several refusals. Julian had power over the military command and soldiers after successful campaigns in Gaul.
The negotiations continued throughout 360 without any results. Two cousins could not share the power. Julian found out that the emperor bribed barbarian king Vadomarius to attack his troops. He used this tactics in fighting with the previous usurpers, Magnentius and Silvanius. A civil war had become inevitable. Julian with the army of 23,000 soldiers decided to march against the emperor. He divided his troops between his generals Nevitta and Jovinus. This division of the army intended to show the emperor larger forces of Caesar than they actually were. Julian arrived in Naissus by October of 361. There he wrote and sent letters to the local councils of Rome, Athens, Corinth and Sparta. One of these letters was preserved. It was a letter to the Athenians. He wrote this letters in defence of his conduct and now we are able to estimate Caesar Julian`s motives of activities.
The majority of researchers believe that this Paris proclamation was the late Roman usurpation. However, Julian`s letter to the Athenians shows that he rejected the title of Augustus and the Paris proclamation was a spontaneous act of the troops. Julian was faced with a difficult choice. On the one hand he had to execute the order of the Emperor and send troops to the East and on the other hand the province of Gaul were threatened by the attack of the barbarians.
The article shows that the adoption of the title of Augustus by Julian was forced. It is established that Caesar Julian was tried to solve the problem diplomatically and attempted to avoid a civil war in the Roman Empire. The Julian`s popularity and considerable success in province restoring intensified protest of the army against sending substantial part of troops to Constantius II are described. The author also proves that Julian has not deviated from the execution of the order and recognized the authority of the emperor over him.References
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