(
Decius)
Paulinus (), sometimes referred to as “Paulinus Junior" to distinguish him from Paulinus (consul 498), was a Roman aristocrat and politician. He served as the last
Roman consul of the
Roman Senate, as after his term, consuls would be appointed in the
Byzantine Empire alone.
Life
Paulinus was the son of Basilius Venantius (consul in 508) and brother of Decius (consul in 529), thus making him a member of the
Decia gens. Paulinus is not explicitly given the nomen Decius in any source, but it can be inferred since he belonged to the gens. In September 533, he was appointed consul by
Athalaric, king of the
Ostrogoths, who announced his election to the Senate. He started his term in January 534, his colleague being the Byzantine emperor
Justinian I. Paulinus was the last consul to be appointed in the West.
[Cassiodorus, Variae epistolae, IX, 22]
Further reading