Imagery of Julian 'the Apostate': its Formation, Transfiguration and Reception

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02071
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of thought
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: TAKAKU-NAKANISHI Kyoko (中西恭子) 東京大学, 大学院人文社会系研究科(文学部), 研究員 (90626590)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ユリアヌス / インテレクチュアル・ヒストリー / 古代末期地中海世界宗教史 / 教義論争期の宗教政治史 / 新プラトン主義 / 初期キリスト教 / ヘレニズム・ローマ宗教史表象の受容史 / 儀礼論と神話論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Roman Emperor Julian(331/2-363, sole reign 361-363) is known for his conversion from Christianity and Constantinian pro-Christian imperial politics to the promotion of sacrifice and asceticism as the essential of his religions of 'forefathers'. This research project examines how Julian adopted Iamblichan Platonic religious philosophy to reconstruct his ideas and ideals, and how he became recognized as‘the Apostate' and 'the Failed Philosopher-Emperor' among the sphere of his contemporary litterati.
The other research question of this research project is how it could be possible to describe the reception history of the imagery of Julian: medieval Julian 'the Apostate', Renaissance-early modern Julian 'the Defender of Classics', modern 'Romanticist on the Throne' and after.
The monograph "Philosopher-Emperor in Kaleidoscope: Faith and Religion of Julian" (Keio University Press, 2016) by Kyoko Nakanishi, the representative of this project, is a part of the research product.

Free Research Field

思想史