Tra Tiro e Roma. Una nota biografica su Ulpiano

Cnaeus Domitius Ulpianus was born around 165 AD in an aristocratic Tyre family (Syria Phoenicia). He took the first steps in studying law in Berytus or – more likely – in Rome. After he had served as adsessor of the praefectus praetorio Aemilius Papinianus, he began his own equestrian cursus honorum. It’s not likely that he has succeded Papinian as procurator a libellis between 205 and 209 AD. Maybe he held that position later, between 213 e il 217 AD. Forbidden by Elagabalus to have any kind of power, Ulpian became, at the end of march 222, praefectus annonae and, at the latest on the first december of the same year, praefectus praetorio, thus seizing, with the support of Julia Mamaea mother of Alexander, the reins of power. The jurist was killed by pretorians, with all probability in september 223 AD. His assasination turned the desire to reform Rome and the empire into nothing more but wishful thinking. Since then, Alexander and his officers resorted to living day by day.