Pro'culus
the jurist.
The fact that Proculus gave his name to the school or sect (Proculiani or Proculeiani, as the name is also written), which was opposed to that of the Sabiniani, shows that he was a jurist of note.
He was a contemporary of Nerva the son [NERVA]. Proculus is often cited, and there are 37 extracts from him in the Digest from his eight books of Epistolae.
He is the second jurist in order of time who is excerpted in the Digest. Labeo is the first.
According to the Florentine Index, he wrote eight hooks of Epistolae; but he wrote at least eleven books. (
Dig. 18. tit. 1. s. 69.)
He appears also to have written notes on Labeo.
It is inferred that Proculus was named Sempronins Proculus, from the case put in the Digest (
31. s. 47); but in that passage Sempronius Proculus asks the opinion of his grandson (nepos), whose name, as the answer shows, was Proculus. If he was a daughter's son, his name would not necessarily be Sempronius. Proculus is called "non levis juris auctor" by the Divi Fratres (
Dig. 37. tit. 14. s. 17.) Some writers suppose that Proculus is the Licinius Proculus, who was Praefectus Praetorio under Otho. (
Tac. Hist. 1.46,
82,
2.39, &c.) Lampridius (
Alex. Severus, 68) makes Proculus one of the consiliarii of Alexander Severus; but that is not the only mistake which Lamp idius commits inl that passage. (Zimmern,
Geschichte des Röm. Privatrechts. [
G.L]
