Julian the Apostate. - BOWERSOCK, G.W.,

KORTE INHOUD

?Professor Bowersock?s book is a fine contribution to the revival of ?Julian? studies. It is of modest size, but rich in content, written in a fluent style, and also not too difficult for the non-specialist reader, In the first chapter, Bowersock argues that the primary sources for the reconstruction of Julian?s life are, besides the writings of the emperor himself, some orations of Libanius, the invectives of Gregory of Nazianzus, the imperial edicts of Julian in the Theodosian Code, (?) which ?have still to take their proper place in modern historical assessments of the ruler? (p.10). He also demonstrates that many historians have turned too uncritically and eagerly to the orderly and extensive account of Julian?s career by Ammianus Marcellinus. (?) After an informative chapter on ?The Personality of the Emperor? (?) there follows a reconstruction of the life of Julian based upon this critical reassessment of the sources. On several points of detail. Bowersock differs from previous scholars, in most cases c...
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1978Uitgever: Duckworth