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{{Short description|Roman jurist (142–212 CE)}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Papinian
|image=Aemilius Paulus Papinianus.jpg
|caption=Statue by [[Silvio Sbricoli]], [[Palace of Justice, Rome|Palace of Justice of Rome]]
|birth_name=Aemilius Paulus Papinianus
|birth_date=142 CE
|death_date=212 CE (aged 69–70)
|birth_place=[[Homs|Emesa]], [[Roman Syria]]
|death_place=[[Rome]]
|allegiance=[[Roman Empire]]
|serviceyears=205 CE–212 CE
|rank=[[Praetorian prefect]]
|unit=[[Praetorian Guard]]
|commands=
|battles=
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
'''Aemilius Papinianus''' ({{IPA|la|ae̯ˈmɪliʊs paːpɪniˈaːnʊs}}; {{langx|grc|Αἰμίλιος Παπινιανός}};<ref>{{cite book|lang=el|author=Ζαρζαμπίδης, Κωνσταντίνος|title=Απειρώνυμον|volume=4|year=2012|location=Athens|url=http://apeironymon.gr/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/4os-TOMOS-Π-Ω.pdf}}</ref> 142 CE&ndash;212 CE), simply rendered as '''Papinian''' ({{IPAc-en|p|ə|ˈ|p|ɪ|n|i|ə|n}})<ref>{{Cite Dictionary.com|Papinian}}</ref> in English, was a celebrated Roman [[jurist]], ''magister libellorum'', attorney general (''advocatus fisci'') and, after the death of [[Gaius Fulvius Plautianus]] in 205 CE, [[praetorian prefect]].
Papinian was one of the most revered jurists in ancient Rome, as third year law students were given the title "''Papinianistae''" (meaning "they that are worthy to study Papinian"). In his time, he had been called "the Asylum of Right and Treasurer of the Laws".<ref name="Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun  "/> Along with [[Gaius (jurist)|Gaius]], [[Paul (jurist)|Paulus]], [[Modestinus]] and [[Ulpian]], he was made one of the five jurists whose recorded views were considered decisive by the [[Law of Citations]] of 426 CE; their views would later be considered the only suitable ones to be cited as primary sources for the ''[[Codex Theodosianus]]'' and the ''[[Corpus Juris Civilis]]'', provided that Papinian's views prevailed whenever those of the four other jurists were not congruent. The 16th century French jurist [[Jacques Cujas]] wrote that "there was never such a great lawyer before, nor ever will be after him".<ref name="Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun  "/>
==Life==
[[File:Papinian bas-relief in the U.S. House of Representatives chamber.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Relief by [[Laura Gardin Fraser]], [[US House of Representatives]] chamber]]
Little is known about Papinian. He was  of [[Syrian]] origin and birth and a native of [[Homs|Emesa]], for he is said to have been a kinsman of [[Septimius Severus]]' second wife, [[Julia Domna]],<ref name="Hitti2002">{{cite book|last=Hitti|first=Philip K.|author-link=Philip Hitti|title=[[History of Syria: including Lebanon and Palestine]]|year=2004|publisher=Gorgias Press LLC|isbn= 1-59333-119-3 |page=326}}</ref> who was a member of the [[Emesene dynasty]].
One source shows him as a follower of the [[casuistry]] of [[Quintus Cervidius Scaevola]],<ref name= " New Haven Law Book Co  " >{{cite book |  url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3uQ2AAAAIAAJ |author=Charles Phineas Sherman|title = Roman law in the modern world, Volume 1  |year=1922|  publisher = New Haven Law Book Co., 1922 |  access-date = 2012-04-08 }}</ref> another shows him to have been his pupil.<ref name="Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun  "/><ref name="William Smith">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ek_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA118|author=William Smith|title=Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Volume 3|year=1849|  publisher = C. C. Little and J. Brown, 1849 |  access-date = 2012-04-08 }}</ref>  A concurring (but dubious) passage in the ''[[Augustan History]]'' claims that he studied law with Severus under Scaevola.
Papinian was an intimate friend of Emperor Severus and accompanied him to [[Roman Britain|Britain]] during 207 CE, where he served in "the forum of York"<ref name= "  George Spence, Henry Maddock " >{{cite book |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=iyYzAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA2 |author1=[[George Spence (MP)|George Spence]] |author2=[[Henry Maddock]] |title = The equitable jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery: comprising its rise, progress and final establishment; to which is prefixed, with a view to the elucidation of the main subject, a concise account of the leading doctrines of the common law in regard to civil rights; with an attempt to trace them to their sources; and in which the various alterations made by the legislature down to the present day are noticed, Volume 1 |year=1846 |  publisher = Lea and Blanchard, 1846  |  access-date =2012-04-08  }}</ref>  in response to an uprising by [[Scottish Highlanders]].<ref name= "  Joseph J. Reed " >{{cite book |  url = https://books.google.com/books?id=St8-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA149|author=Joseph J. Reed |  title = Outlines of universal history: in three parts; with a copious index to each part, showing the correct mode of pronouncing every name mentioned ...  |year=1862 |  publisher =J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1862|  access-date = 2012-04-08 }}</ref>   He was at some time made an attorney general (''advocatus fisci''), master of petitions (requests), ''magister libellorum'', by Severus.<ref name="New Haven Law Book Co   "/>  He also served as Treasurer and Captain of the Guard for the Emperor.<ref name= "  Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun  " >{{cite book |  url = https://books.google.com/books?id=WwFbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA47 |author=Patrick Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun |  title = A summary of the Roman civil law: illustrated by commentaries on and parallels from the Mosaic, Canon, Mohammedan, English and foreign law, with an appendix, map, and general index, Volume 1  |year=1849 |  publisher =V. and R. Stevens and Sons, 1849  |  access-date = 2012-04-08 }}</ref> Before the emperor's death, he commended his two sons [[Caracalla]] and [[Publius Septimius Geta|Geta]] into the lawyer's charge.
==Death==
[[File:Beheading of the Roman Judge Papinian LACMA M.88.91.354f.jpg|thumb|Willem Swanenburgh, after Joachim Anthonisz Wtewael, ''Beheading of the Roman Judge Papinian'', 1606]]
Sharing in the governorship of the Roman Empire with Geta proved unsatisfactory for Caracalla, who decided at some time to usurp his brother. Papinian, trying to keep peace between the brothers, only proved to encourage the hatred of Caracalla, consequently passing an order to have the lawyer beheaded (Spartianus, ''Caracalla''),<ref name="Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun  "/><ref name="Hitti2002"/><ref name="William Smith"/> and his body dragged through the streets of Rome.<ref name= "  A.Chalmers  " >{{cite book |  url = https://books.google.com/books?id=AYfp6fQpz3wC&pg=PA83 |author=Alexander Chalmers |  title = The General Biographical Dictionary: A New Edition|year=1815 |  publisher =Nichols, Son and Bentley 1815|  access-date = 2012-04-08 }}</ref>  His death followed the 212 CE fratricide of Geta, amongst the general slaughter of his friends and those perceived associated with him, according to one source estimated as 20,000 persons.<ref name= " Joseph J. Reed "/>
The author of the 1911 ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' article states that the details of Papinian's death "are variously related, and have undergone legendary embellishment." Papinian's death was the subject of a play by [[Andreas Gryphius]] (1659).
==Works==
Much of his output has been lost, as what we have is small compared to other jurists such as [[Ulpian]] or [[Paul (jurist)|Paul]]. The principal works of Papinian include: ''Quaestiones'' in 37 books (written before 198 CE); nineteen books of <ref name="A systematic and historical exposition of Roman law in the order of a code">{{cite book|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=5HgMAAAAYAAJ&q=Papinian|author=[[William Alexander Hunter]], [[Gaius]]| title=A systematic and historical exposition of Roman law in the order of a code|year=1803| publisher=Sweet & Maxwell, 1803|access-date=April 8, 2012}} Translated by John Ashton Cross (title-subject sourced originally in [https://books.google.com/books?id=X508AAAAIAAJ Pollock & Maitland - The History of English Law, Volume 1])</ref> ''Responsa'' (written sometime between 204 CE and his death); two books,<ref name="A systematic and historical exposition of Roman law in the order of a code"/> the ''Definitiones''<ref name="Charles Sumner Lobingier">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SK-asCnPWn4C&q=Papinian&pg=PA276|author=[[Charles S. Lobingier|Charles Sumner Lobingier]]|title=The Evolution of the Roman Law: From Before the Twelve Tables to the Corpus Juris|year=1987|publisher=Wm. S. Hein Publishing, 1923|isbn=9780837724096|access-date=2012-04-08}}</ref> and ''De adulteriis'', and other works,<ref name="A systematic and historical exposition of Roman law in the order of a code"/>  the shortest of these being Αστυνόμικος (City-Administration) which was a manual on the duties for commissioners of streets and bridges.<ref name="Charles Sumner Lobingier"/>
==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
== External links ==
* {{cite book |last= Clark|first= Edwin Charles |chapter= PAPINIAN |editor1= Macdonell, John  |editor1-link = John Macdonell (judge)|editor2= Manson, Edward William Donoghue  |title= Great Jurists of the World |place= London |publisher=  John Murray |year=  1913 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.13326/page/n30 17]-31 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.13326|access-date= 9 March 2019  |via= Internet Archive}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Papinian}}
[[Category:142 births]]
[[Category:212 deaths]]
[[Category:Ancient Roman jurists]]
[[Category:Severan dynasty]]
[[Category:Aemilii]]
[[Category:2nd-century Romans]]
[[Category:3rd-century Romans]]
[[Category:2nd-century writers]]
[[Category:3rd-century writers]]
[[Category:Praetorian prefects]]
[[Category:People from Homs]]
[[Category:Syrian jurists]]