The last pagan: Julian the Apostate and the death of the ancient world

The Last Pagan: Julian the Apostate and the Death of the Ancient World by Adrian Murdoch, published in 2003 by Sutton Publishing (with a 2008 edition by Inner Traditions), examines the life and reign of Roman Emperor Julian (r. 361–363 CE), known as "the Apostate" for his rejection of Christianity in favor of restoring traditional pagan religion. Murdoch, a historian and journalist, frames Julian as a pivotal figure whose brief rule marked a final, doomed attempt to revive the ancient pagan world amid Christianity’s ascendance.

Summary

Julian, born in 331 CE, was the nephew of Constantine the Great, who had made Christianity the Roman Empire’s favored religion. Raised as a Christian, Julian secretly embraced paganism, influenced by Neoplatonist philosophers like Maximus of Ephesus. After surviving the purge of his family by his cousin Constantius II, Julian was named Caesar in 355, governing Gaul successfully, notably defeating the Alemanni at the Battle of Strasbourg (357). He became sole emperor in 361 after Constantius’ death.

Murdoch details Julian’s ambitious reforms: he rejected Christian symbols, restored pagan temples, and issued edicts like the School Edict (362), banning Christians from teaching classical texts unless they renounced their faith—a move to undermine Christian cultural influence. His planned invasion of Persia aimed to emulate Alexander the Great, but it ended in disaster. Julian died in 363 during a retreat near Ctesiphon, possibly assassinated by a Christian soldier, though accounts vary (some sources, like Ammianus Marcellinus, suggest a Persian spear). His death at 32 marked the end of the Constantinian dynasty and paganism’s last imperial champion, as successors like Jovian swiftly reinstated Christian dominance.

The book portrays Julian as a complex figure: a philosopher-king whose intellectual zeal for paganism clashed with political realities. At 280 pages, it includes maps, a timeline, and illustrations, drawing on Julian’s own writings (e.g., Misopogon) and contemporary accounts by Libanius and Gregory of Nazianzus.

Murdoch’s narrative aligns with the traditional view of Julian as a tragic “last pagan,” emphasizing his cultural and religious defiance. However, this framing may oversimplify the era’s religious landscape—recent scholarship (e.g., Peter Brown) highlights a more syncretic late antiquity where paganism and Christianity coexisted longer than suggested. Julian’s policies, while bold, were often impractical; his temple restorations lacked public support, and his anti-Christian measures alienated key elites. The book’s focus on Julian’s idealism might underplay his authoritarian streak, such as his purges of Christian officials, which mirrored the intolerance he criticized. Additionally, the “death of the ancient world” thesis risks exaggeration, as classical culture persisted in the Byzantine East.