Why did Julian write Misopogon, or Beard Hater?

Julian wrote the Misopogon, or "Beard Hater," as a satirical response to the citizens of Antioch.1

While Julian was preparing for a military campaign against the Persians, the people of Antioch openly mocked him for his personal conduct, his religious beliefs, and his philosophical pretensions—specifically his choice to wear a rough, pointed beard. In the pamphlet, Julian assailed the Antiochenes for this ridicule, defending his own austerity and his identity as a philosopher. The work ultimately served to express his frustration with the city's inhabitants, who were incensed by his priggish behavior and his attempts to impose his values upon them.1