Marcus Aurelius and the Lost Edict of Julian

Marcus Aurelius: Rome's Philosopher King — Fexingo History · Oct 25, 2026 · 6m · transcript

While Marcus Aurelius is famous for his stoic meditations and military campaigns, his legal legacy is often overshadowed by the great jurists of his time. This episode explores the life and work of Salvius Julianus, the praetor whose Edictum Perpetuum standardized Roman law, but specifically focuses on a lesser-known figure: Aulus Iulius Paulus, a third-century jurist who attempted to codify Julian's principles into a digest that would influence civil law for millennia. We examine how the chaotic transition from the Antonine dynasty to the Crisis of the Third Century threatened these…