Paulus Catena
Encyclopedia
Paulus was the name of an imperial notary
, or senior civil servant, who served under the Roman Emperor Constantius II
in the middle of the 4th century. He is described by the historian Ammianus Marcellinus
, who probably met him. According to Marcellinus, his cruelty was infamous throughout the Roman world. He was dispatched to Roman Britain
by the Emperor Constantius II
to control subversive elements in 353, after the fall of the Britto-Frankish usurper Magnentius
. So harsh were his measures that he earned the nickname Catena meaning 'The Chain', because he chained many people and dragged them with their chains through the streets.
His brief in Britain was to hunt down known supporters of the recently-defeated usurper
Magnentius
in the army garrisons in Britain. According to Marcellinus, once Paulus arrived, he widened his remit and began arresting other figures, often on apparently trumped-up charges and without evidence.
Paulus' methods were so extreme and the injustices he committed so great, however, that eventually the vicarius
of Britain, Flavius Martinus
, although a loyal supporter of Constantius, felt obliged to end them. He tried to persuade Paulus to release the innocent prisoners he had taken using the threat of his own resignation as leverage. Paulus refused, however, and turned on Martinus, falsely accusing him and other senior officers in Britain of treason
.
In desperation, Martinus attacked Paulus with a sword. However, the attack failed and the vicarius committed suicide.
The emperor then sent him to Egypt
with the excuse that the consultations to and responses from the oracle
of Besa
had displeased him. Paulus set up a kangaroo court
and with near full imperial power delegated to him, he began summarily passing judgement on suspected traitors.
Ammianus Marcellinus tells us that in 355 he was ordered to hunt down the followers of another Frankish
usurper called Claudius Silvanus
. Again he tortured and killed people.
According to Ammianus Marcellinus
, Paulus was condemned to death by the Frank Arbitio
at the Chalcedon tribunal
under Constantius' successor, Julian the Apostate
, in late 361, or early 362. He was burned alive.
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
, or senior civil servant, who served under the Roman Emperor Constantius II
Constantius II
Constantius II , was Roman Emperor from 337 to 361. The second son of Constantine I and Fausta, he ascended to the throne with his brothers Constantine II and Constans upon their father's death....
in the middle of the 4th century. He is described by the historian Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus was a fourth-century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity...
, who probably met him. According to Marcellinus, his cruelty was infamous throughout the Roman world. He was dispatched to Roman Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
by the Emperor Constantius II
Constantius II
Constantius II , was Roman Emperor from 337 to 361. The second son of Constantine I and Fausta, he ascended to the throne with his brothers Constantine II and Constans upon their father's death....
to control subversive elements in 353, after the fall of the Britto-Frankish usurper Magnentius
Magnentius
Flavius Magnus Magnentius was a usurper of the Roman Empire .-Early life and career:...
. So harsh were his measures that he earned the nickname Catena meaning 'The Chain', because he chained many people and dragged them with their chains through the streets.
His brief in Britain was to hunt down known supporters of the recently-defeated usurper
Roman usurper
Usurpers are individuals or groups of individuals who obtain and maintain the power or rights of another by force and without legal authority. Usurpation was endemic during roman imperial era, especially from the crisis of the third century onwards, when political instability became the rule.The...
Magnentius
Magnentius
Flavius Magnus Magnentius was a usurper of the Roman Empire .-Early life and career:...
in the army garrisons in Britain. According to Marcellinus, once Paulus arrived, he widened his remit and began arresting other figures, often on apparently trumped-up charges and without evidence.
Paulus' methods were so extreme and the injustices he committed so great, however, that eventually the vicarius
Vicarius
Vicarius is a Latin word, meaning substitute or deputy. It is the root and origin of the English word "vicar" and cognate to the Persian word most familiar in the variant vizier....
of Britain, Flavius Martinus
Flavius Martinus
Flavius Martinus was a vicarius of Roman Britain c. 353 under Constantius II.He tried to control the violent recriminations following the defeat of Magnentius. Martinus tried to rein in the vengeance of Constantius' notary Paulus Catena who had been sent to Britain to ruthlessly hunt down...
, although a loyal supporter of Constantius, felt obliged to end them. He tried to persuade Paulus to release the innocent prisoners he had taken using the threat of his own resignation as leverage. Paulus refused, however, and turned on Martinus, falsely accusing him and other senior officers in Britain of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
.
In desperation, Martinus attacked Paulus with a sword. However, the attack failed and the vicarius committed suicide.
The emperor then sent him to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
with the excuse that the consultations to and responses from the oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
of Besa
Bes
Bes was an Egyptian deity worshipped in the later periods of dynastic history as a protector of households and in particular mothers and children. In time he would be regarded as the defender of everything good and the enemy of all that is bad...
had displeased him. Paulus set up a kangaroo court
Kangaroo court
A kangaroo court is "a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted".The outcome of a trial by kangaroo court is essentially determined in advance, usually for the purpose of ensuring conviction, either by going through the motions of manipulated procedure or...
and with near full imperial power delegated to him, he began summarily passing judgement on suspected traitors.
Ammianus Marcellinus tells us that in 355 he was ordered to hunt down the followers of another Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
usurper called Claudius Silvanus
Claudius Silvanus
Claudius Silvanus was a Roman general of Frankish descent, usurper in Gaul against Emperor Constantius II for 28 days in 355.- Origin and career :...
. Again he tortured and killed people.
According to Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus was a fourth-century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity...
, Paulus was condemned to death by the Frank Arbitio
Arbitio
Arbitio was a Roman general and Consul who lived in the middle of the 4th century.- In the Reign of Constantius II :...
at the Chalcedon tribunal
Chalcedon tribunal
Shortly after the death of Roman emperor Constantius II, his successor Julian the Apostate held a tribunal at the city of Chalcedon, which was then a suburb of Constantinople...
under Constantius' successor, Julian the Apostate
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
, in late 361, or early 362. He was burned alive.