Papinian

Papinian (Aemilius Pāpiniānus), d. AD 212, famous Roman jurist during the late second and early third centuries, the ‘classical’ period of jurisprudence. His origins are unknown: he may have come from Syria or Africa. He accompanied the emperor Severus to Britain and took part in the imperial tribunals held at York. In 203 he became praetorian prefect (see PRAEFECTUS PRAETORIO), assisted by the equally brilliant jurists Paulus and Ulpian. After the death of Severus the latter's son Caracalla succeeded to the throne; it is said that, having murdered his brother Geta, he asked Papinian to defend his action before the senate. Papinian replied that parricide was not so easy to defend as to commit, whereupon Caracalla put him to death. His principal works were thirty-seven books of Quaestionēs (discussions of hypothetical or actual cases), and nineteen books of Responsa (collections of opinions); there are many excerpts from them in the Digest of Justinian.