The Works of the Emperor Julian, Vol. 1 (Loeb)

INTRODUCTION

The army and the provincials [of Gaul] adored him. The Emperor, on the eve of a campaign against Sapor, the Persian king, needed reinforcements. It was an opportune moment to weaken Julian's influence by withdrawing his best troops for service in the East. Accordingly, in the winter of 359–360, Julian received peremptory orders, brought by the tribune Decentius, to send his finest troops—in fact, more than half of his 23,000 men—to the Emperor under the command of Julian's own officers, Lupicinus and Sintula. Many of these men were barbarian auxiliaries who had joined Julian’s service on the condition that they would not serve outside of Gaul. When the order became known, the Celtic troops were dismayed at the prospect of leaving their lands and families at the mercy of renewed barbarian invasions.

Florentius was at Vienne and refused to join Julian in Paris to discuss the safety of Gaul if the troops were withdrawn. Meanwhile, two of the legions requested by Constantius were in Britain fighting the Picts and Scots. But when the others reached Paris from their winter quarters in February 360, on their march eastward, their discontent resulted in an open mutiny. Julian, whose loyalty toward Constantius up to this point was unquestioned, failed to pacify them. They surrounded the palaceJulian was lodged in what is now the Musée des Thermes in Paris. at night, calling on Julian with the title of Augustus [Emperor], and when, after receiving a divine sign,See To the Athenians, 284 c, and compare with Letter 2, p. 5. Ammianus 20. 4 provides a full account of the mutiny, Julian's speeches to the army, and his letter to Constantius. he came out...