Lucius Sergius Paullus

Lucius Sergius Paullus was a Roman senator, who was active during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. He was twice consul: the first time attested 23 September of an unknown year as suffect consul with [? Lucius Nonius Calpurnius] Torquatus Asprenas as his colleague; and as consul ordinarius for 168 as the colleague of Lucius Venuleius Apronianus Octavius Priscus. Paullus was from the Roman colony of Antioch in Pisidia. It is possible he was the great-grandson of the identically named proconsul of Cyprus in the AD 40s. Career Direct information about the first part of his life up to and including his first consulate is missing. Previously it was thought to have been around AD 151. Werner Eck suggests that Seregius Paullus was suffect consul "in the last years of Hadrian's reign"; currently there are gaps in the consular record for the years 136 through 139. Two recently published military diplomas attest that he was governor of Pannonia Superior in the years 139 and 140; Eck dates his tenure in that province from 139 to 142. A third military diploma attests that he was governor of Syria 19 March 144. On the basis of this third military diploma, Eck identifies Sergius Paullus with the "philosophically educated Senator" who, as governor of Syria, heard a case the author Lucian brought a charlatan named Peregrinus Proteus. Lucian does not name the governor. He hoped Peregrinus would be convicted; however the governor declined to pass judgment on him, understanding that "he would well accept death in order to leave glory; and so he released him, not deeming him worthy of any punishment."