Julia Cornelia Paula or Julia Paula was a distinguished Roman noblewoman who lived in the 3rd century. Paula was a member of the gens Cornelia of ancient Rome. She was a Syrian woman of Roman descent and her family was a distinguished family from Syria. Paula’s father, Julius Cornelius Paulus was a prefect of the Praetorian Guard in Rome; however, his ancestry is not known. Paula was well educated and was a charming person.
In 219, Julia Maesa (eldest sister of Roman Empress Julia Domna), had arranged for Julia Cornelia Paula to marry her grandson, Rome’s new emperor Elagabalus. Their wedding ceremony was a lavish ceremony that occurred in Rome. Paula became a Roman empress, as Elagabalus’ first wife and was given the honorific title of Augusta.
In early 220, Elagabalus ended his marriage to Paula. They had no children. Elagabalus divorced Paula to marry the Vestal Virgin Julia Aquilia Severa. His marriage to Severa was considered as scandalous because she was still a Vestal. Apart from falling in love with Severa, Elagabalus married Severa as a part of the religious process of worshipping the Syrian Sun God El-Gabal and integrating El-Gabal into Roman religion.
After the divorce, Elagabalus removed Paula's Augusta title. She withdrew from public life and her fate afterwards is unknown.
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