Giuliano Imperatore e il culto delle immagini sacre: un esempio di techne telestike?

This paper examines selected writings of the Emperor Julian «The Apostate» with a view to understanding his philosophical-religious creed. Particular attention is devoted to his stance on the subject of theurgy, of cult images, and of telestic myths (or. 7, 216c, 222d; or. 8, 159d-161a; ep. 89b, 293a-94d). References to telestike techne found in Iamblichean and post-Iamblichean works (e.g., Iambl. myst. V 23, 233, 11-234, 4; Sal. diis XV 3), which were developed further in subsequent centuries, mainly by Proclus (in Tim. III 155, 18-22; Hier. 150, 19), are taken into account as a possible influence on Julian’s theoretical reflections as well as on his political-religious action. This analysis leads to a more detailed understanding of the neoplatonic speculation about the theurgical power of statues (eikones, agalmata), while also providing a detailed historical and philosophical framework for some of Julian’s cogitations, referring to IV century Pagan-Christian debates as needed.