Julian II, 360-363. Solidus (Gold, 22 mm, 4.44 g, 10 h), Antiochia, 361-363. FL CL IVLIA-NVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Julian II with long beard to right. Rev. VIRTVS EXERCI-TVS ROMANORVM / ANTЄ Roman soldier advancing right, head to left, holding trophy over his left shoulder and dragging bound captive with his right. Depeyrot 15/2. RIC 202. Very rare. An attractive example with a very distinct Antiochian portrait. Good extremely fine.


This coin shows the distinct Antiochian portrait of Julian, with a very prominent long philosopher's beard. Julian's facial hair was part of his political and philosophical agenda: it marked a break with his Christian predecessors and aligned him with 3rd century Neoplatonism and the 2nd century philosopher emperors Marcus Aurelius and Hadrian. The contemporaries often made fun of the emperor's disheveled appearance, in particular the inhabitants of Antiochia, where the Julian resided since summer 362 to prepare for the upcoming campaign against the Sasanids. In reaction to the scorn poured on him by the local Christian population at the New Year's festival of 363, the emperor wrote his famous satirical essay Misopogon ('Beard-hater') in January-February of the same year, in which he mocked his own appearance while also condemning the hypocrisy and degeneracy of the Antiochians.