The self-image of the Roman emperor in Julian the apostate's Misopogon

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  • ユリアヌス帝の意識のなかのローマ皇帝像--『ひげぎらい』における法律意識の分析を中心に
  • ユリアヌステイ ノ イシキ ノ ナカ ノ ローマ コウテイゾウ ヒゲギライ ニ オケル ホウリツ イシキ ノ ブンセキ オ チュウシン ニ

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Abstract

Since the time of Th. Mommsen, the emperor of the Later Roman Empire has been generally depicted as dominus or a despot. In spite of recent developments in the study of Late Antiquity, this interpretation still dominates in academic society. The autocratic image of the Roman emperor, however, has been mainly depicted from the view point of the people living in the Empire. In other words, the despotic image of the emperor belongs to the Roman people's mind. What, then, is the self-image of the Roman emperor? The main purpose of this article is to reveal the self-image of Julian the Apostate as a Roman emperor, focusing on his stance on the law in his satire Misopogon. Was the Roman emperor above the law or subject to it? According to my analyses of the Misopogon, Julian thought that the Roman emperor had to be subject to the law. He regarded himself as one of the guardians of the law, but not the only guardian. This also suggests the existence of followers who participated in the imperial government. In sum, the image of the Roman emperor in Julian's mind is very different from one of a despot who is above the law. Moreover, this image reflects the actual circumstances surrounding Julian.

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