Aemilius Papinianus
Roman jurist (142-212) · Lawyers · Lived 142 to 211 · aged 69
The Roman jurist whose legal opinions carried more weight than any other - even centuries after his death. When the empire needed to settle law, Papinian's word broke the tie.
Aemilius Papinianus is read about 53 times a day, in 39 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 10 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 109 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?People around Aemilius
Close ties
Media & music
Photos 8
Aemilius Paulus Papinianus
1030642712 FerrariSusanneStresaCanonica7
Beheading of the Roman Judge Papinian LACMA M.88.91.354f.JPG?width=1200)
Bucuresti, Romania, Facultatea de Drept, UNIVRSITATEA Bucuresti, B-II-m-A-19003 (detaliu 2).JPG?width=1200)
Bucuresti, Romania, Facultatea de Drept, UNIVRSITATEA Bucuresti, B-II-m-A-19003 (detaliu 3).jpg?width=1200)
Estatua de Papiniano-Tribunal Supremo (Madrid).jpg?width=1200)
Flickr - USCapitol - Papinian (c. 146-212)%2C_BI-1893-3554-6.jpg?width=1200)
Onthoofding van de Romeinse rechter Papinianus Thronus Justitiae duodecim pulcherrimis tabulis artificiosissime aeri incisis illustratus (serietitel), BI-1893-3554-6About this person
Aemilius Papinianus rose through Rome's legal apparatus in the second century CE, serving as magister libellorum and attorney general before becoming praetorian prefect in 205 CE following the death of Gaius Fulvius Plautianus. His contemporaries called him "the Asylum of Right and Treasurer of the Laws," and third-year law students earned the title "Papinianistae" - those worthy to study him. The Law of Citations in 426 CE named him one of five jurists whose recorded views carried binding authority, with a crucial provision: whenever the other four disagreed, Papinian's opinion prevailed. His writings became primary sources for both the Codex Theodosianus and Corpus Juris Civilis. He was killed in 212 CE, but his legal reasoning outlasted the empire itself.