Aurelia Paulina

Aurelia Paulina was a local prominent noblewoman in Anatolia who lived in the late 2nd century, early 3rd century in the Roman Empire. She was a contemporary to the rule of Roman Emperor Commodus (reigned 180–192) and the Severan dynasty. She emigrated to Perga the capital of the Roman province of Pamphylia in Anatolia. Paulina married an Anatolian noble called Aquilus from Sillyon. Sometime after, Paulina and Aquilus received Roman citizenship from Commodus, thus receiving and adding the name Aurelius to their names.

An extant portrait statue survives of Paulina. She is shown in Syrian dress: wearing heavy jewelry covering her chest and her long chain ending in a large shell pendant. The extant dress of Paulina in this statue is a typical female portrait of Syrian women from this period. Some scholars suggest that Paulina wants to emphasize her links with Julia Domna, who was also Syrian.

Over the large arch of the nymphaeum, there is a pediment with a relief of a distinctively feminine symbolism depicting the deities Eros, Artemis, and Dionysus. Between the three deities depicts a priestess with a large shell pendant, perhaps resembling Paulina.