Un unicum nel Codice Teodosiano: il venerabilis papa di XVI, 5, 62

CTh. 16, 5, 62 is a shorter version of a law, addressed to the prafectus Urbis Romae, of a much longer one addressed by Aquileia, in the summer of the year 425, to the praefectus praetorio Galliarum: the Sirmondiana 6; within this, but not in the text of the previous more extensive document, one can find the only reference to the ‘papa’ — affectionate naming of the Roman bishop — in the Codex Theodosianus. The reasons of the use of such a title, never investigated by the scholars, appear to be dictated by the effort of the very young Valentinian III (in reality by his mother Galla Placidia) of obtaining, as soon as back from his exile in Orient but not yet in Rome, the political benevolentia of the Peter’s successor.