Julian the Apostate

Three hundred years after the Roman destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Roman Emperor Julian set out to build a new Jewish temple.  Why?  He hated Christianity and wanted to destroy it.  Julian figured rebuilding the temple would reinstitute the Old Covenant sacrifices, and so nullify Matthew 24:1-2.  

The "gates of hell" would prevail.  The temple was never built.  During construction, an earthquake destroyed the structures.  Julian, himself, didn't live long enough to restart again.

Apparently, Julian held a grudge against Christians because Christian emperors killed his father.  As a child, he was educated in Greek philosophical teachings and picked up Greco-Roman polytheism. 

He is known as Julian the Apostate because of his opposition to Christianity.  He was the last pagan emperor.