Which emperor attempted to restore paganism and is known as 'the Apostate'? (r. 361-363 AD)

The story behind the answer

Julian (r. 361–363) is called “the Apostate” because he abandoned the Christianity in which he was raised and tried to revive traditional Greco-Roman pagan worship. He reopened temples, restored sacrifices, reduced privileges for Christian clergy, and promoted Neoplatonic philosophy, aiming to roll back the Christian favoritism introduced after Constantine. Christian writers branded him “apostate” for renouncing the faith.

Context tip: Julian’s short reign sits between Christian emperors—Constantius II before him and Theodosius I after—making his pagan revival a brief countercurrent. Memory hook: “Julian” sounds like “Jupiter” and “July,” evoking the old gods; “Apostate” = “a-post-Constantine,” the emperor who tried to turn back the clock after Constantine’s pro-Christian shift.