Abstract
David Neal Greenwood’s monograph is an insightful contribution to the study of one of the most fascinating late antique historical figures: Julian the Apostate. In spite of his short reign (November 361–June 363), Julian is one of the most studied, praised, and criticized Roman emperors. Well aware of this immense tradition, Greenwood rightly does not aim to revolutionize our understanding of Julian, but hopes to integrate it. Thanks to his extensive knowledge of Julian’s philosophical and theological methods of argumentation, Greenwood does a fine job highlighting the emperor’s capacity to undercut the Constantinian revolution from the inside, borrowing and exploiting Christian rhetoric and concepts. The introduction provides an overview of modern Julianic scholarship that sets the stage for the author’s viewpoint and helps the reader to recognize its innovative aspects. Contrary to one popular interpretation, Greenwood rejects the idea that Julian was originally interested in religious tolerance and became more...
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