Julian

Flavius Claudius Julianus, or Julian (332-363), was Roman Emperor 360-363. Chiefly remembered for being the last Pagan Emperor of Rome, Julian sought to undo the favoured position granted to the Christian Church by the Emperor Constantine and his successors. He reversed the Church's tax exempt status and ordered it to hand back lands and properties it had taken from Pagan temples. At the same time he promoted Ancient Greek religious philosophies such as Neoplatonism and suggested that Hercules would make a suitable replacement for Jesus Christ for those who wished to adopt him as their patron. Because of his love of Greek culture he was known as Julian the Hellene, though to the Christians he was known as Julian the Apostate. In 363 he invaded Persia, but was mortally wounded in a minor skirmish during a retreat. Afterwards it was believed by some that he had been murdered by one of his own soldiers, a Christian. His supposed last words were Vicisti, Galilaee ("You have won, Galilean").