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Julian the Apostate Trivia Quiz

Julian is my favorite emperor. This is not an easy quiz unless you are well acquainted with the period. Nevertheless, I hope you have fun and maybe you'll learn something.

A multiple-choice quiz by Claressa. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Claressa

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
148,447

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
832

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. When did Julian reign? Hint

361-363 BC

361-363 AD

61-63 AD

61-63 BC

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Question 2 of 15

2. In what Roman province did Julian have surprising military success while stationed there as a Caesar? Hint

Gallia

Germania

Britannnia

Dacia

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Question 3 of 15

3. How was Julian related to Constantine the Great? Hint

cousin

half brother

half nephew

son

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Question 4 of 15

4. Julian is dubbed 'The Apostate' because he switched from the religion of his birth and education to one that seemed much more sensible to him. What was this change of religion? Hint

Pagan to Christian

Christian to Pagan

Christian to Jew

Jew to Christian

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Question 5 of 15

5. Where was Julian given special permission, due to persuasion by the empress, to study? Hint

Antioch

Athens

Damascus

Alexandria

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Question 6 of 15

6. Whose violent death at the behest of his kinsman, Constantine the Great, is credited with instigating Julian's turn against the religion of his education? Hint

His father's

His sister's

His mother's

His wife's

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Question 7 of 15

7. One of the more interesting Roman coins was minted by Julian near the end of his period as Emperor. On the obverse is his bearded portrait. What is on the reverse? Hint

An apis bull

A laurel leaf

A sheaf of wheat

A Roman legion eagle

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Question 8 of 15

8. Where were most of Julian's enigmatic coins minted? Hint

Lutetia

Camulodunum

Sirmium

Isca Dumnoniorum

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Question 9 of 15

9. Did Julian ever marry? Hint

Yes, but he only had daughters.

Yes, without issue.

No.

Yes, but his sons died before him.

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Question 10 of 15

10. Why did the 'proper Greeks' of his empire make fun of Julian? Hint

He wore his hair long

He wore a beard

He spoke bad Greek

He was a Christian

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Question 11 of 15

11. Which co-emperor with Julian conveniently died while Julian was en route to oust him from power and avenge wrongs done to his family? Hint

Constantius

Constans

Constantine

Caesar

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Question 12 of 15

12. According to history, how did Julian die? Hint

An assassin slit his throat

Of a poisoned or septic wound

He had an apoplectic fit

He choked on blood from a nosebleed

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Question 13 of 15

13. Julian died while on campaign to fight which empire? Hint

Egyptian

Persian

Babylonian

Byzantine

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Question 14 of 15

14. Who raised Julian? Hint

Nicephorus

Mardonius

Constantius

Helena

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Question 15 of 15

15. What is Julian's historical distinction? Hint

He was the first Jewish emperor of Rome/Byzantium.

He was the last pagan emperor of Rome/Byzantium.

He was the first Christian emperor of Rome/Byzantium.

He had the shortest reign of any emperor of Rome/Byzantium.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When did Julian reign?

Answer: 361-363 AD

He was Caesar some years before 361 AD while stationed in Gaul. However, his undisputed reign as Roman emperor was 361-363 AD. The other choices weren't even close.

2. In what Roman province did Julian have surprising military success while stationed there as a Caesar?

Answer: Gallia

All his studying paid off. Although Julian is not known to have received formal training in the martial arts, he was a very cunning, if overconfident, strategist.

3. How was Julian related to Constantine the Great?

Answer: half nephew

Julian's grandfather and Constantine's father were the same man. The enmity between the houses was caused by this father, Constantine Chlorus, throwing out Constantine the Great's mother for Julian's grandmother. They were not one big happy family.

4. Julian is dubbed 'The Apostate' because he switched from the religion of his birth and education to one that seemed much more sensible to him. What was this change of religion?

Answer: Christian to Pagan

The hypocrisy of his Christian relatives, who practiced patri- and fratricide and just about every other kind of '-cide' you can think of, put Julian off that religion. Instead, he found cold solace in the logical philosophy of the Athenian pagans.

5. Where was Julian given special permission, due to persuasion by the empress, to study?

Answer: Athens

All of the great philosophical schools had been centered in Greece, in or near Athens, since time immemorial.

6. Whose violent death at the behest of his kinsman, Constantine the Great, is credited with instigating Julian's turn against the religion of his education?

Answer: His father's

Constantine had Julian's father and eldest brother strangled and then sent him and another of his brothers into exile in the wilds of Cappadocia.

7. One of the more interesting Roman coins was minted by Julian near the end of his period as Emperor. On the obverse is his bearded portrait. What is on the reverse?

Answer: An apis bull

No-one has a really good explanation as to why this coin was minted. Of course, given Julian's pagan and extremely superstitious leanings, he might have thought it was a good herald to the raiding season to have a depiction of the powerful, fecund apis bull.

8. Where were most of Julian's enigmatic coins minted?

Answer: Sirmium

Sirmium is in modern day Macedonia. Camulodunum was the Roman name for the English town of Colchester, and Isca Dumnoniorum is modern day monniker is Exeter. Lutetia is Paris.

9. Did Julian ever marry?

Answer: Yes, without issue.

He married the Emperor's youngest sister Helena in 355 but they never had any children. Considering his puritannical character, it is questionable whether Julian ever actually consummated the marriage.

10. Why did the 'proper Greeks' of his empire make fun of Julian?

Answer: He wore a beard

Most men wore their hair as long as Julian's portraits depict his. As a scholar in Athens he certainly spoke excellent Attic Greek and Julian was anything but a Christian! Julian's Greek subjects often nicknamed him 'The Goat' because of his beard.

11. Which co-emperor with Julian conveniently died while Julian was en route to oust him from power and avenge wrongs done to his family?

Answer: Constantius

The early Byzantine emperors showed a woeful lack of originality in names.

12. According to history, how did Julian die?

Answer: Of a poisoned or septic wound

An assassin might have shot the fateful arrow, but he certainly didn't slit Julian's throat. Julian was much too stolid and unimaginative to do anything romantic like die of a fit. Attila the Hun died of a nosebleed on his wedding night.

13. Julian died while on campaign to fight which empire?

Answer: Persian

Technically speaking, Julian was a Byzantine Emperor. The Babylonians were, of course, a much earlier people and Egypt had been Rome's breadbasket province for centuries by Julian's time.

14. Who raised Julian?

Answer: Mardonius

Julian's early years were spent in the company of the eunuch Mardonius. Nicephorus was a much later emperor, purely Byzantine. Constantius was Julian's half-uncle and not one of his favorite people. Helena could be either Julian's wife or Constantine the Great's mother abandoned in favor of Julian's more politically-suitable grandmother.

15. What is Julian's historical distinction?

Answer: He was the last pagan emperor of Rome/Byzantium.

There was never a Jewish emperor. Constantine the Great's victory at the battle of the Milvian Bridge ensured he'd always be remembered as the first Christian emperor. And there were many shorter reigns than Julian's, before and after his time.

Source: Author Claressa

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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