Career
During his first consulship, Papus successfully warred against the Boii in Northern Italy. In 280 British Columbia he and Fabricius, were amongst the three ambassadors who were sent to Pyrrhus of Epirus. Papus was elected censor in 275 British Columbia, again with Luscinus as his colleague.
According to William Smith, Quintus Aemilius Papus was the grandfather of Lucius Aemilius Papus.
This, however, contradicts information derived from the younger man"s full name which was Lucius Aemilius Q.f. Cn.n. Papus, or Lucius Aemilius, son of Quintus, grandson of Gnaeus (or Cnaieus).
Quintus was thus either father of Lucius Aemilius Papus, or a patrilineal relative. Valerius Maximus, writing much later, said that
there was silver in the homes of Gaius Fabricius and Quintus Aemilius Papus, the leading men of their era.
Each of them had a dish for the gods and a salt cellar, but Fabricius was more elegant because he chose to put a little pedestal of horn under his dish.
Papus behaved rather assertively when he inherited those items, because he decided on account of their religious significance that he would not get rid of them.".