Julian II                 360 - 363 A.D.

Julian was the son of Constantius Gallus and made Caesar by his own father's murderer, Constantius II. Constantius then assigned him an army and sent to suppress yet another German invasion. Upon the successful completion of this task, however, his own soldiers promoted him to the rank of Augustus. Chafing still from his father's fate he was well-prepared to meet Constantius in battle. But the battle was never meant to be because Constantius died of an illness en route and he was able to rule uncontested. Reversing the growing momentum of Christianity within the empire, Julian attempted to bring back the old pagan gods and its rituals. Again, it can be suspected that this was done as much out of personal conviction as to his efforts in countering the legacy of the Constantines who decimated his family. Taking his army to deal with a new round of Persian invasions, however, left him little time to dwell on eradicating Christianity. He died in 363 from a javelin wound fighting the Persians.

AE1 360--363 A.D. Cyzicus, Officina 1 28 mm. Obv. DN FL IVLIANVS PF AVG: Diademed, draped bust right Rev. SECVRITAS REIPVB: Bull standing right, two stars above SR 4072v., Van Meter 25	AE3 360--363 A.D Heraclea, Officina 2 19 mm. Obv. DN FL IVLIANVS PF AVG: Helmeted, cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield Rev. VOT X MVLT XX: Legend in wreath S 4074, Van Meter 28	AE3 360--363 A.D. Sirmium, Officina 1 19 mm. Obv. DN CL IVLIANVS PF AVG: Diademed and helmeted, cuirassed bust left, holding a spear and shield Rev. VOT X MVLT XX: Four-line inscription with a laurel wreath SR 4074v., Van Meter 28	AR Siliqua (reduced) 360--363 A.D. Lugdunum 16 mm. Obv. DN CL IVLIANVS AVG: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev. VOTIS V MVLTIS X: Legend in wreath S-4071, Van Meter 21v.