Sextus Aelius Paetus Catus
Encyclopedia
Sextus Aelius Paetus Catus (fl.
198-194 BC) or Sextus Aelius Q.f. Paetus Catus (or "the clever one"), was a Roman Republic
an consul
, elected in 198 BC. Today, he is best-known for his interpretation of the laws of the Twelve Tables
, which is known to us only through the praise of Cicero
. Paetus Catus came from a prominent plebeian noble family; his father was a praetor
, and his elder brother was another consul, Publius Aelius Paetus
.
in August 216 BC. Other members of the gens Aelia who rose to high office included Publius Aelius Paetus, who was consul in 337 BC, and Gaius Aelius Paetus, consul in 286 BC.http://web.genealogie.free.fr/Les_dynasties/Antiquite/Rome_et_Constantinople/Gentes/A_Gentes.htm. Both earlier consuls may have been ancestors, or collateral kinsmen, but the connection is not mentioned by the Roman historian Livy
.
Paetus's elder brother became Master of the Horse
in 202 BC, and consul in the following year. Other members of the family, including Publius's son, succeeded to the consulship in later years.
of "Catus". Livy mentions that he was curule aedile in 200 BC, when he imported grain from Africa.
According to an Oxford dictionary of Roman jurists, Paetus Catus's rapid rise from curule aedile to the consulship and censorship was not due to his father's death or his elder brother's successes, but his aptitude for the law. He was apparently nicknamed “catus” meaning
“clever” or "the clever one" in recognition of his legal skills. Catus may have given up other aspects of his public career (he is not mentioned in any military action by Livy) to devote his time to the study of law. The Oxford dictionary believes that he may have been the first professional jurist in the history of Rome. (It is not clear if earlier jurists were not professional, or were part-timers, but a Roman paterfamilias of rank and status, or his grown sons, would be expected to defend his family's clients in legal matters. Perhaps the Punic war meant that too many such patrons were away from Rome, and unable to handle legal matters).
His brother Publius Aelius Paetus
had been consul three years earlier in 201 BC, and was elected censor 199 BC. Publius's success may have helped Sextus to the consulship in 198 BC, but he was overshadowed by his younger and eventually more famous patrician colleague, Titus Quinctius T.f. Flamininus, then aged only thirty.
Sextus did not distinguish himself militarily during his consulship, with all honours, including the Macedonian/Greek campaigns, going to his much younger colleague Flaminius. His own efforts in his assigned province were not marked with much success. However, he was still elected censor in 194 BC with Gaius Cornelius Cethegus
, possibly out of respect for his skills as a jurist, possibly out of respect for his elder brother, a former censor.
, provides a commentary, and then discusses a relevant action-at-law for each provision. Another work called Ius Aelianum discussed actions-at-law only. The former work was praised by no less a judge than Cicero
, and was evidently extant during the lifetime of his friend Titus Pomponius Atticus
who refers to it. When the work disappeared is unknown.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
198-194 BC) or Sextus Aelius Q.f. Paetus Catus (or "the clever one"), was a Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
an consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
, elected in 198 BC. Today, he is best-known for his interpretation of the laws of the Twelve Tables
Twelve Tables
The Law of the Twelve Tables was the ancient legislation that stood at the foundation of Roman law. The Law of the Twelve Tables formed the centrepiece of the constitution of the Roman Republic and the core of the mos maiorum...
, which is known to us only through the praise of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
. Paetus Catus came from a prominent plebeian noble family; his father was a praetor
Praetor
Praetor was a title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to men acting in one of two official capacities: the commander of an army, usually in the field, or the named commander before mustering the army; and an elected magistratus assigned varied duties...
, and his elder brother was another consul, Publius Aelius Paetus
Publius Aelius Paetus (consul 201 BC)
Publius Aelius Paetus , otherwise known as Publius Aelius Q.f. Paetus, was an Roman consul of the late 3rd century BC...
.
Family
Sextus Aelius Paetus was apparently the younger surviving son of Quintus Aelius Paetus, a praetor who was one of the many Roman senators killed at CannaeBattle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War, which took place on August 2, 216 BC near the town of Cannae in Apulia in southeast Italy. The army of Carthage under Hannibal decisively defeated a numerically superior army of the Roman Republic under command of the consuls Lucius...
in August 216 BC. Other members of the gens Aelia who rose to high office included Publius Aelius Paetus, who was consul in 337 BC, and Gaius Aelius Paetus, consul in 286 BC.http://web.genealogie.free.fr/Les_dynasties/Antiquite/Rome_et_Constantinople/Gentes/A_Gentes.htm. Both earlier consuls may have been ancestors, or collateral kinsmen, but the connection is not mentioned by the Roman historian Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
.
Paetus's elder brother became Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
in 202 BC, and consul in the following year. Other members of the family, including Publius's son, succeeded to the consulship in later years.
Political career
Little is known of Paetus Catus's political career, or how he acquired the additional cognomenCognomen
The cognomen nōmen "name") was the third name of a citizen of Ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. The cognomen started as a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditary. Hereditary cognomina were used to augment the second name in order to identify a particular branch within...
of "Catus". Livy mentions that he was curule aedile in 200 BC, when he imported grain from Africa.
According to an Oxford dictionary of Roman jurists, Paetus Catus's rapid rise from curule aedile to the consulship and censorship was not due to his father's death or his elder brother's successes, but his aptitude for the law. He was apparently nicknamed “catus” meaning
“clever” or "the clever one" in recognition of his legal skills. Catus may have given up other aspects of his public career (he is not mentioned in any military action by Livy) to devote his time to the study of law. The Oxford dictionary believes that he may have been the first professional jurist in the history of Rome. (It is not clear if earlier jurists were not professional, or were part-timers, but a Roman paterfamilias of rank and status, or his grown sons, would be expected to defend his family's clients in legal matters. Perhaps the Punic war meant that too many such patrons were away from Rome, and unable to handle legal matters).
His brother Publius Aelius Paetus
Publius Aelius Paetus (consul 201 BC)
Publius Aelius Paetus , otherwise known as Publius Aelius Q.f. Paetus, was an Roman consul of the late 3rd century BC...
had been consul three years earlier in 201 BC, and was elected censor 199 BC. Publius's success may have helped Sextus to the consulship in 198 BC, but he was overshadowed by his younger and eventually more famous patrician colleague, Titus Quinctius T.f. Flamininus, then aged only thirty.
Sextus did not distinguish himself militarily during his consulship, with all honours, including the Macedonian/Greek campaigns, going to his much younger colleague Flaminius. His own efforts in his assigned province were not marked with much success. However, he was still elected censor in 194 BC with Gaius Cornelius Cethegus
Gaius Cornelius Cethegus
Gaius Cornelius Cethegus was a consul of the Roman Republic in 197 BC, from the Cethegus branch of the gens Cornelia .He became proconsul in Spain in 200 BC and was elected aedile in absentia. In this office he arranged magnificent plays...
, possibly out of respect for his skills as a jurist, possibly out of respect for his elder brother, a former censor.
Paetus, the jurist
Aelius Paetus and his brother Publius Aelius Paetus (consul 201 BC) were both apparently jurists. Sextus was author of a work Commentaria tripartita or tripertita , which systematically sets out each provision of the Twelve TablesTwelve Tables
The Law of the Twelve Tables was the ancient legislation that stood at the foundation of Roman law. The Law of the Twelve Tables formed the centrepiece of the constitution of the Roman Republic and the core of the mos maiorum...
, provides a commentary, and then discusses a relevant action-at-law for each provision. Another work called Ius Aelianum discussed actions-at-law only. The former work was praised by no less a judge than Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, and was evidently extant during the lifetime of his friend Titus Pomponius Atticus
Titus Pomponius Atticus
Titus Pomponius Atticus, born Titus Pomponius , came from an old but not strictly noble Roman family of the equestrian class and the Gens Pomponia. He was a celebrated editor, banker, and patron of letters with residences in both Rome and Athens...
who refers to it. When the work disappeared is unknown.
Sources
- Information on the career and works of Sextus Aelius Paetus from an Oxford University site (accessed via Google cache). Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- Livy. History of Rome.
- German Wikipedia entry on Sextus Aelius Paetus, consul 198 BC, which cites
- Livius 32, 7
- Pomponius Dig. 1,2,2,38
- Cicero de Rep. I, 18
Further reading
- A. H. J. Greenidge. "The Authenticity of the Twelve Tables" English Historical Review. 1905; XX: 1-21. Available online (subscription required)http://ehr.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/XX/LXXVII/1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Aelius+Paetus&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT. Reference retrieved 30 May 2007.
External links
- http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Jus_Aelianum.html presents a different view of Catus's works, making two works one and the same. William Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, published 1875, provides scanty details about this lost work. Little more information is to be found in this site's article about the Twelve Tables. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
- Genealogy (somewhat uncertain, should be used with care). Retrieved 30 May 2007.