Julia Cornelia Paula

Julia Cornelia Paula was the first wife of the Roman emperor Elagabalus, who reigned 218-222.

About Iulia Paula little is known, as in the narrative sources it is mentioned only briefly. As the contemporary historian Herodian reports that she was of very noble birth. It was probably related to the lawyer Julius Paul, maybe she was his daughter. Elagabalus, who had attained the imperial dignity 218 in Syria, they married in the summer of 219, soon after he arrived in Rome. Then it was raised to Augusta. Elagabalus was then only fifteen years old and in Rome a stranger. Probably his grandmother Julia Maesa has arranged the marriage in order to give her grandson in the capital's elite backing. Towards the end of 220 violated the emperor his wife. Then he married Aquilia Severa.

The circumstances of the divorce throw a bright light on the sharp, irreconcilable cultural and religious conflict between the Syrian Elagabalus and the high society of Rome. The grounds for divorce, the Elagabal stated, was a physical blemish iulias. According to Roman feeling a divorce was tyrannical arbitrariness because of a body times. From the perspective of the emperor, however, the dissolution of the marriage was a religious necessity, since he was a priest of the Syrian deity Elagabalus and had a priest 's wife to satisfy his wife also cultic requirements; in his religion proposal implied physical flawlessness.

Iulia Paula retired after the divorce back into private life. From their further fate nothing is handed down.

The appearance Iulia Paula can only see their Münzbildnissen. No plastic around her portrait can be attributed with certainty, or at least very likely.