Helena (wife of Julian) - Empress

Empress

By 360, Julian had restored peace to Gaul and reached a ceasefire with the Alamanni in particular. This secured the local borders for a while. Meanwhile Constantius was involved in a conflict against Shapur II of the Sassanid Empire, another phase of the Roman–Persian Wars. He took advantage of the peace achieved by Julian, sending orders that would transfer many officers and units from Gaul to the Persian borders. The Petulantes, one of the units ordered to the eastern border, revolted and proclaimed Julian to be their Augustus. Soon their cause was joined by the rest of the Gallic troops. Julian accepted his proclamation with some initial reluctance. The exact date of his proclamations in unknown, estimated to February or March, 360. Helena served as his Empress consort. She is mentioned being alive at the time of his proclamation in Julian's "Letter To The Senate And People of Athens".

The Letter was written in 361. At the time Julian and his forces were marching east to face Constantius. Julian took the time to write a series of public letters which explained and justified his course of action. These letters were addressed to several cities of the empire which Julian was attempting to win over, including (at least) Athens, Corinth, Rome and Sparta. The letter to Athens happens to be the only one preserved to modern times. Among other subjects, Julian narrates the conditions of his proclamation to the throne by army revolt:"He had ordered all the flower of the army, without exception, to be withdrawn from Gaul, charging Lupicinus and Gintonius with this commission, and commanding me in no respect to oppose them."

"In what words shall I now relate the works of the Gods? It was my intention, they can witness, divesting myself of all regal slate and magnificence, to rest in peace, and never more to act in public. I only waited the return of Florentius and Lupicinus, the one being in Britain, and the other at Vienne. In the meantime, a great disturbance was raised among the natives and soldiers, an anonymous libel being dispersed in a neighbouring town, among the Petulants and the Celts (the legions so named) filled with invectives against Constantius, and with complaints of his having betrayed the Gauls. And the author of that paper no less lamented my disgrace. This being circulated, a general disaffection ensued, and those who were most in the interest of Constantius used their utmost endeavours to persuade me to detach the troops as soon as possible, before the like libels were dispersed among the rest of the army. (Not one of my friends was then present). They were Nebridius, Pentadius and Decentius, the latter of whom Constantius had dispatched for that purpose".

"My reply that we ought to wait for Lupicinus and Florentius, was totally disregarded, they all insisting that the opposite plan should be pursued; unless I meant to confirm and corroborate former suspicions. Besides, they added, the detaching the troops will now be deemed your measure;but when those ministers return, Constantius will impute it not to you, but to them, and consequently will reprobate your contact. Thus I was persuaded, or rather compelled, to write to him. For he may be said to act by persuasion, who has the liberty of refusing. But those who can be compelled it is needless to persuade, as they act not by choice but necessity. There being two roads, it was next debated which should be taken. I proposed one but they compelled me to adopt the other;lest my opposition should excite some tumult and disorder in the army, and when a disturbance was once begun, a general confusion might ensue. An apprehension this, which seemed by no means groundless".

"The legions approached. I, as usual, went out to the city to meet them, and urged them to pursue their march. They halted one day, till when I was a stranger to what they had been concerting. Jupiter, the Sun, Mars, Minerva, and all the Gods know, that I had not the least suspicion of their intentions till the evening of that day, when at sunset they were disclosed to me. on a sudden, the palace was invested and a universal shout was raised, while in the meantime I was deliberating with measures to pursue but without forming any determination. Though my wife was then living, I happened to sleep alone in an adjoining upper chamber from which, there being an opening in the wall, I paid my adoration to Jupiter. The clamour increasing and a general tumult prevailing throughout the palace, I intreated that God to give me a sign. This he immediately shewed me, commanding me firmly to confide in it and not oppose the resolution of the army. Though I had received these omens, I did not however yield without reluctance but resisted as much as possible, nor would I admit on the salutation or the diadem. But not being able singly to oppose so many and the Gods, whose will it was, strongly animating them and at the same time, composing my spirits, at length in the third hour some soldier, I know not whom, giving me a collar, put it on, and then reentered the palace groaning, as the Gods can witness, from the bottom of my heart. For though the confidence which the former sign had given me in God could not but inspire me in fortitude, I was ashamed and abashed at not seeming to obey Constantius faithfully to the last."

"A great dejection prevailing in the palace, the friends of Constantius endeavoured to improve that opportunity of forming a conspiracy against me, and distributed money among the soldiers, hoping to alienate some of them, so at least as to make a division between us if not to persuade them openly to attack me. One of the officers who attended my wife in public, hearing what they were clandestinely transacting, disclosed it to me.But finding that I disregarded it, with the frenzy of an enthusiast, he loudly exclaimed in the marketplace: Soldiers, foreigners, and natives, do not betray the Emperor. The minds of the troops being thus inflamed, they all ran armed to the palace. Finding me there alive and unhurt, and rejoicing like friends who meet unexpectedly, they embraced me, clasped me in their arms and bore me on their shoulders. It was indeed a most pleasant sight, seeming like inspiration. Surrounding me on all sides, they then insisted that every friend of Constantius should be put to death. The strenuous endeavours that I used to save them, all the Gods know."

"After this, what was my contact towards Constantius? In my letters to him, even to the present hour, I have never assumed the title which the Gods have given me, only styling myself Caesar; and I prevailed on the soldiers to swear to me that they would attempt nothing farther, if he would suffer me to dwell peaceably in the Gauls and ratify all that had been done. Add to this, the legions that were with me sent him a united letter, urging a reconciliation between us. In return he spirited the Barbarians against us, proclaimed to be a public enemy and bribed them to ravage the Gallic provinces. He wrote also to them who were in Italy and warned them to guard against those who came from the Gauls. In the towns bordering the Gallic frontier, he ordered magazines to be formed. In particular, one of six hundred thousand quarters of flour at Brigantia and another of as many more at the foot of the Cottian Alps, that he might be enabled to march an army against me. All these things were not only said but done. For the letters which he sent to spirit the Barbarians I intercepted, and all the provisions which he had ordered to be collected I seized and also the letters of Taurus". Taurus was the prefect of the Praetorian prefecture of Italy at the time. "Besides this he addressed me still as Caesar and declared that he would never be reconciled to me. He sent however one Epictetus, a Gallic bishop, to assure me of my safety. And in all his letters he intimates that he will spare my life, but as to my honour he is silent. In regard to his oaths, I think, as the proverb says, they should be written in ashes, so little do they deeserve belief. Julian was attempting to convince his audience that Constantius was to blame for their conflict, not himself. His narrative suggests Helena was alive early in his new reign, attended by soldiers and in close proximity to her husband at Gaul. As an officer of her guard was able to contact Julian with no prolonged journey mentioned. He does however claim to have slept alone without stating a reason. Her role in the conflict between her husband and brother is left unmentioned.