Julian II, 360-363. Solidus (Gold, 22 mm, 4.47 g, 6 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 / ANTΗ Roman soldier advancing right, head to left, holding trophy in his left hand and dragging bound and kneeling captive with his right. Depeyrot 15/2. RIC 199. Perfectly centered and with a lovely portrait. Very minor die rust and with a thin die break on the obverse and very light doubling on the reverse, otherwise, good extremely fine.



This coin shows the distinct Antiochene portrait of Julian, with a long, prominent philosopher’s beard. Julian’s beard formed part of his political and philosophical program: it marked a break with his Christian predecessors and aligned him with 3rd-century Neoplatonism and with the philosopher-emperors of the 2nd century, Marcus Aurelius and Hadrian. Contemporaries often mocked the emperor’s disheveled appearance, especially the inhabitants of Antioch, where Julian resided from the summer of 362 to prepare for his campaign against the Sasanids. In reaction to the mockery directed at him by the local Christian population during the New Year’s festival of 363, the emperor wrote his famous satirical essay, Misopogon ('Beard-Hater'), in January-February of the same year, mocking his own appearance while at the same time condemning the hypocrisy and decadence of the Antiochenes.