Early life Julian was the son of a soldier in the army of the
Roman general
David the Armenian and a Syrian woman. Julian grew up in the army with his father, and participated in David's campaign in Mesopotamia, for which he earned the cognomen "the Roman". Whilst in the army, he was part of a Syrian contingent under the command of Titus, which did not take part in the atrocities committed by David's soldiers at Beth Ma'de, and survived the rest of the army's destruction by withdrawing to
Amida. It is suggested that Titus was fabricated by the historian
Dionysius of Tel Mahre, whose work survives in the
Chronicle of
Michael the Syrian, to disassociate Julian from events at Beth Ma'de. After the failure of David's expedition into Mesopotamia, Julian was brought to the monastery of
Qenneshre by his father, where he became a monk and was educated in
Greek. He was regarded as exceptionally handsome.
Patriarch Julian succeeded
Athanasius II Baldoyo as patriarch of Antioch in November 687 (
AG 999), and was consecrated by Athanasius of
Sarug at Amida, according to the histories of Michael the Syrian and
Bar Hebraeus. The
Chronicle of 846 details that he became patriarch at the monastery of Jacob of Cyrrhus. Julian's consecration is placed in 687 (
AG 999) by the
Chronicle of 846 and the histories of Michael the Syrian and Bar Hebraeus, whereas the
Zuqnin Chronicle erroneously gives 703/704 (
AG 1015). Soon after his ascension to the patriarchal office, Julian came into conflict with the archbishop
Jacob of Edessa on the observance of ecclesiastical canons. Jacob had defrocked and expelled clergymen for uncanonical behaviour, but Julian advised him to treat the clergy less severely. In response, Jacob travelled to Julian's residence at the monastery of Qenneshre, where he set fire to a copy of the canon laws, criticised the patriarch for his laxity, and abdicated as
archbishop of Edessa. Julian also clashed with John, archbishop of the
monastery of Saint Matthew, as he had sent an archbishop to replace him upon receiving a letter from the monastery's monks that falsely stated that John had become too old and had abdicated. Eastern bishops (bishops of the former
Sasanian Empire) resented Julian's actions towards John, and six bishops ordained him as
archbishop of Tikrit, the highest-ranking prelate amongst the eastern bishops. Relations between Julian and the eastern bishops remained poor after John's death on 14 January 688, and his succession by Denha on 13 March in the same year. Denha, with John of
Circesium, bishop of
Beth Garmai, and Joseph, bishop of the
Taghlib, demanded the right to ordain suffragan bishops without the patriarch's permission, thus resurrecting the controversy over ordination rights that had predominated the tenure of the Patriarch
Severus II bar Masqeh. Julian restored relations with a number of eastern bishops who opposed Denha's refusal to restore the union with the Church and with the help of the Muslim authorities had Denha brought to his residence at the monastery of Qenneshre by force. Denha was imprisoned at Qenneshre for the remainder of Julian's reign, Joseph was deposed, and Bacchus, bishop of
Aqula, was made responsible for Denha's diocese in his absence. Julian attended the consecration of the church of Saint Theodore at
Nisibis with
Simeon of the Olives, bishop of
Harran, in 706/707. He subsequently died in 708 (
AG 1019). 708 (
AG 1019) as the year of Julian's death is unanimous in the sources, including the histories of
Elijah of Nisibis and Michael the Syrian, the
Chronicle of 846, and the
Zuqnin Chronicle. ==References==