Editing Julian (emperor) (section)

===Beliefs===
Julian's personal religion was both pagan and philosophical; he viewed the traditional myths as allegories, in which the ancient gods were aspects of [[The One (Neoplatonism)|a philosophical divinity]]. The chief surviving sources are his works ''To King [[Helios]]'' and ''To the [[Cybele|Mother of the Gods]]'', which were written as [[panegyric]]s, not theological treatises.<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Julian |volume=15 |page=548}}</ref>

As the last pagan ruler of the Roman Empire, Julian's beliefs are of great interest for historians, but they are not in complete agreement. He learned [[theurgy]] from [[Maximus of Ephesus]], a student of [[Iamblichus]];<ref>The emperor's study of Iamblichus and of theurgy are a source of criticism from his primary chronicler, Ammianus Marcellinus, ''Res Gestae'', 22.13.6–8 and 25.2.5</ref> his system bears some resemblance to the Neoplatonism of [[Plotinus]]; Polymnia Athanassiadi has brought new attention to his relations with [[Mithraism]], although whether he was initiated into it remains debatable; and certain aspects of his thought (such as his reorganization of [[paganism]] under High Priests, and his fundamental [[monotheism]]) may show Christian influence. Some of these potential sources have not come down to us, and all of them influenced each other, which adds to the difficulties.<ref>{{cite book|first=Shaun |last=Tougher |title=Julian the Apostate |pages=27ff, 58f |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |year=2007 |isbn=9780748618873}}</ref>

According to one theory (that of [[Glen Bowersock]] in particular), Julian's paganism was highly eccentric and atypical because it was heavily influenced by an esoteric approach to Platonic philosophy sometimes identified as ''theurgy'' and also ''Neoplatonism''. Others (Rowland Smith, in particular) have argued that Julian's philosophical perspective was nothing unusual for a "cultured" pagan of his time, and, at any rate, that Julian's paganism was not limited to philosophy alone, and that he was deeply devoted to the same gods and goddesses as other pagans of his day.

Because of his Neoplatonist background, Julian accepted the creation of humanity as described in [[Plato]]'s ''[[Timaeus (dialogue)|Timaeus]]''. Julian writes, "when Zeus was setting all things in order there fell from him drops of sacred blood, and from them, as they say, arose the race of men."<ref>Julian, "Letter to a Priest", 292. Transl. W.C. Wright, v. 2, p. 307.</ref> Further he writes, "they who had the power to create one man and one woman only, were able to create many men and women at once..."<ref>As above. Wright, v. 2, p. 305.</ref> His view contrasts with the Christian belief that humanity is derived from the one pair, Adam and Eve. Elsewhere he argues against the single pair origin, indicating his disbelief, noting for example, "how very different in their bodies are the Germans and Scythians from the Libyans and Ethiopians."<ref>Julian, "[[Libri tres contra Galileos|Against the Galilaeans]]", 143. Transl. W.C. Wright, v. 3, p. 357.</ref><ref>Thomas F. Gossett, ''Race: The History of an Idea in America'',  1963 (Southern Methodist University Press) /1997 (Oxford University Press, US), p. 8.</ref>

The Christian historian [[Socrates Scholasticus]] was of the opinion that Julian believed himself to be [[Alexander the Great]] "in another body" via [[transmigration of souls]], "in accordance with the teachings of [[Pythagoras]] and Plato".<ref>Socrates Scholasticus, ''Church History'', iii, 21.</ref>

The diet of Julian is said to have been predominantly vegetable-based.<ref>Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chapter 22.</ref>