andrewcriddle wrote:The mention of Serapis instead of Bacchus/Dionysus here seems unique to Julian's version.
This sort of construction reminds me of Ephesians 4:5:Julian the Emperor, Hymn to King Helios Dedicated to Sallust, Oration IV, 136a wrote:Εἷς Ζεύς, εἷς Ἀίδης, εἷς Ἥλιός ἐστι Σάραπις
one Lord, one faith, one baptism (εἷς κύριος, μία πίστις, ἓν βάπτισμα)
Obviously there are differences (three different words for "one") but there is a thematic connection between lord=faith=baptism.
Regardless, if he considers Serapis the supreme manifestation of the godhead (like A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada thinks of Krishna), there could be some truth to the material from the Historia Augusta in which he says Christians and Jews all actually worshipped Serapis.
DCH