A pair of Roman silver Julian II siliqua c. 360 - 363 CE set as earrings

Aulate mint. A pair of Julian II siliqua, the obverse depicting a pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Julian II facing right, DN FL CL IVLI to the left, ANVS  PF AVG to the right, the reverse depicting VOT/X/MVLT/XX in four lines surrounded by a wreath.  Set in delicate gold earrings with twisted rope decoration.

Also known as Julian the Apostate, Jullian II was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek.  A member of the Constantinian dynasty, Julian became Caesar over the western provinces by order of Constantius II in 355, campaigning successfully against the Alamanni and Franks.   A man of unusually complex character: he was "the military commander, the theosophist, the social reformer, and the man of letters". He was the last non-Christian ruler of the Roman Empire, and he believed that it was necessary to restore the Empire's ancient Roman values and traditions in order to save it from dissolution. He purged the top-heavy state bureaucracy and attempted to revive traditional Roman religious practices at the expense of Christianity. Julian also forbade the Christians from teaching classical texts and learning. His rejection of the Christianity imposed on him in his youth, and his promotion of Neoplatonic Hellenism in its place caused him to be remembered as Julian the Apostate by the church.

Dimensions: Diameter: 3/4 inch (1.9 cm), Weight: 4.1 g

Condition: Intact and in very good condition, extra fine.

Provenance: Ex. private collection of S.H., Washington state