Paulus Catena facts for kids
Paulus Catena, whose nickname meant 'the Chain' or 'the Fetter', was an important Roman official around the year 350 AD. He worked for Emperor Constantius II as an investigator and a special helper called a notary. Paulus is mostly known from the writings of a historian named Ammianus Marcellinus. Other writers like Libanius and Julian the Apostate also mention him. Marcellinus said Paulus was very cruel and good at making up false accusations against people.
Contents
Who Was Paulus Catena?
Paulus's Early Life and Reputation
Not much is known about where Paulus came from or his family. He was born in Spain. The historian Marcellinus described him as having a "smooth countenance," meaning he looked calm or innocent. Before he became an imperial helper, he managed the emperor's food.
It's not fully clear what his exact job title was. Many sources call him a notarius (notary), which was a kind of secretary or clerk. Other sources called him a clerk. No matter his title, Paulus had many roles. He was a special investigator and judge for cases where people were suspected of betraying the emperor. He also helped remove supporters of defeated rebellions.
Ancient writers did not like Paulus. Emperor Julian said Paulus was famous for making up false charges. Julian also said people "detested" him, meaning they hated him, even when he was powerful. Libanius also accused him of bringing false charges. He wrote that Paulus "deserved to die thousands of times" because of his actions. Marcellinus's writings are especially negative about Paulus. Marcellinus is also the only one who mentions Paulus's nickname 'Catena'. He gives two reasons for the name. One is that Paulus was skilled at difficult questioning. The other is that he was good at creating lies.
Paulus's Work and Actions
Investigating in Britain (353 AD)
In 353 AD, Emperor Constantius sent Paulus to Britain. His job was to arrest people who had supported a rebel leader named Magnentius. Magnentius had been defeated earlier that year.
However, once Paulus arrived, he started arresting other people too. He made up charges against them. Marcellinus wrote that Paulus's methods were so extreme and unfair that a Roman official in Britain, Flavius Martinus, stepped in. Martinus was loyal to the emperor. He threatened to quit his job. He tried to convince Paulus to free the innocent prisoners. He also asked Paulus to slow down his investigations.
Paulus refused. Instead, he turned on Martinus. Paulus falsely accused Martinus and other senior officers in Britain of betraying the emperor. He threatened to take them to the emperor's court in chains. Martinus became desperate or angry. He attacked Paulus with a sword.
Involvement with Constantius Gallus (354 AD)
Paulus seems to have been involved in the downfall of Constantius Gallus in 354 AD. Gallus was a cousin of the emperor. Or perhaps Paulus was just involved in the trials that followed. One source says Paulus "had often displayed particular hostility to Gallus." This means Paulus had often acted in a very unfriendly way towards Gallus.
Hunting Rebels in Gaul (355 AD)
According to Marcellinus, Paulus was in Gaul in 355 AD. There, he was looking for people who supported another rebel leader named Silvanus. Paulus reportedly had several important officials killed. He also treated at least one person very harshly.
Paulus in Julian's Court (355-359 AD)
We don't know where Paulus was between 355 and 359 AD. However, some modern historians think he spent some or all of this time in Emperor Julian's court. It's not known if he was spying for Constantius or just a regular court official.
We know he was there from two sources. First, Julian wrote that Constantius "hired [Paulus] to attack me." Second, in 358 AD, Libanius wrote a letter to Paulus. Libanius thanked Paulus for encouraging Julian to write to him.
Investigations in the Roman East (359 AD)
In 359 AD, Paulus was sent to the Roman East. He was with another official named Modestus. They had general orders to find traitors. They also had broad power to hold trials. Marcellinus adds that Paulus was especially interested in some parchment scrolls. These scrolls were left in the temple of an oracle (a place where people sought advice from gods) in Besa. The scrolls contained prayers and wishes from people.
The historian suggests the real scrolls were harmless. But they were very easy to fake. This gave Paulus a way to accuse and convict anyone. Paulus set up a court in Scythopolis. He tried several people there. He tried and convicted Aristophanes of Corinth of money-related crimes. Aristophanes was a friend of Libanius. After Julian became emperor in 361 AD, Libanius asked Julian to help Aristophanes. Julian pardoned Aristophanes. Julian said Aristophanes was cleared of all "the malicious charges of Paul."
On June 23, 359 AD, Paulus was in Alexandria. He used his imperial authority to punish those who opposed Bishop George of Cappadocia. A historical text describes him publishing an imperial order. This shows how much power he had at that time.
Paulus's Death (361/362 AD)
In late 361 or early 362 AD, Julian became emperor. Paulus was then sentenced to death by a special court called the Chalcedon tribunal. He was executed. It's possible that Julian himself ordered this sentence. One source says Julian "sent Paulus to Chalcedon, where he exacted satisfaction from [him]." This means Julian made Paulus pay for his actions.
Paulus's Legacy
Paulus remains a less important figure in the history of the Constantinian dynasty. Many historians, like Edward Gibbon, see him as an example of Emperor Constantius's worried and suspicious rule. They believe Constantius was ultimately responsible for Paulus's unfair actions.
Few historical events can be directly linked to Paulus's actions. However, historian Thomas Wright suggests that Paulus's actions in Britain made the Roman government there weaker. This might have allowed hostile groups like the Picts and Scots to invade and rob Roman settlements.
Sources
Ancient Sources
- Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae
- Anonymous Annalist, Historia Acephala
- Julian, Letter to the Senate and People of Athens, Letters
- Libanius, Orations, Letters
- Philostorgius, Church History
Modern Sources
- Jones, A.H.M., J.R. Martindale, J. Morris, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire Volume 1: A.D. 260–395 (1971)
- Gibbon, Edward, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776–1789)
- Seeck, Otto, Die Briefe des Libanius Zeitlich Geordnet (1906)
- Seeck, Otto, Geschichte des Untergangs der Antiken Welt, Vol. IV (1911)
- Smith, William, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, Volume III (1872)
- Williams, Sean Robert, Ammianus and Constantius: The Portrayal of a Tyrant in the Res Gestae (2009)
- Wright, Thomas, The Celt, the Roman, and the Saxon: A History of the Early Inhabitants of Britain, Second Edition (1861)
