Aemilius Papinianus

Aemilius Papinianus (142–212), also known as Papinian, was a celebrated Roman jurist, magister libellorum and, after the death of Gaius Fulvius Plautianus in 205, praetorian prefect. Little is known about Papinianus. He was perhaps of Syrian birth and a native of Emesa, for he is said to have been a kinsman of Septimus Severus' second wife, Julia Domna. A dubious passage in the Augustan History claims that he studied law with Severus under Quintus Cervidius Scaevola. Papinianus was an intimate friend of the emperor Severus and accompanied him to Britain. Before his death, the emperor commended his two sons Caracalla and Geta into his charge. Papinian tried to keep peace between the brothers, but with no better result than to encourage...