Julian Part 1: Caesar

In Gaul, surrounded by a largely loyal populace and his army, Julian was relatively safe. He spent 360 in campaigns against the Franks. By winter, Julian had moved his headquarters from Paris to Vienne, closer to Italy. Constantius gave orders to prepare his troops for confrontation with Julian. provisions were stored near the Gallic border for an upcoming invasion. Julian however seized those same provisions and made use of them for his army. With the Imperial Italian troops rendered impotent by the loss of their supplies, Constantius secretly enlisted the German king Vadomar to raid across the Rhine and keep Julian too occupied to move east. Constantius's plot was uncovered and Vadomar, who continued to pose as an ally of Rome and friend to Julian was arrested at a banquet to which Julian had invited him. Vadomar's Germans were then taken by surprise and crushed.

In 361 Julian moved east. Constantius had disengaged from the Persian front and was preparing to move west to confront Julian. Julian was confident as he had consulted with sooth-sayers who predicted favorable results, and the troops who had been reluctant to cross the Alps at Constantius's orders now followed Julian east.

Julian did face problems though. His Western forces were negligible when compared to those Constantius could mobilize. To counter this Julian planned to move swiftly and establish himself in control of Italy and the Danube before Constantius could react. With the need to keep Gaul garrisoned and protect Britain, Julian could only afford to bring 23,000 troops east. Fearing the force would appear too small to be taken seriously enough to win support along the way, Julian imitated Alexander the Great and divided it into three separate columns to create the impression of a much larger force.

Nevitta, one of the cavalry commanders took 10,000 men on a middle route between the Alps and the Danube. Jovinus and Jovius, two more cavalry commanders took 10,000 more via northern Italy. Julian with the remaining 3,000 marched through the Black Forest, to the upper Danube, and then down the Danube via boat where navigable.

Julian gathered the troops in Paris to send them east. Protests arose from the men but Julian 'insisted' that the Augustus Constantius must be obeyed. (But while the men were gathered, anonymous leaflets and rumors circulated vindicative and highly critical of Constantius - whether Julian had a part in the circulation is unknown.) While Julian dined the troops surrounded his residence. They demanded Julian's presence and in the charged atmosphere cries of "Julianus Augustus!" grew. Julian appeared and at least outwardly to try to calm his men, but eventually gave in to the masses and allowed them to proclaim him Augustus. While the history of the late Roman Empire includes examples of co- Augusti, the ever watchful Constantius was not one to accept such a threat to his sole authority.

Julian Part 1: Caesar