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The praetorian prefecture of Italy ( la, Praefectura praetorio Italiae, in its full form (until 356) ) was one of four praetorian prefectures into which the Late
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
was divided. It comprised the Italian peninsula, the Western Balkans, the Danubian provinces and parts of North Africa. The Prefecture's seat moved from Rome to Milan and finally, Ravenna.


Structure and history

The prefecture was established in the division of the Empire after the death of Constantine the Great in 337, and was made up of dioceses. Initially these were the Diocese of Africa, the
Diocese of Italy Roman Italy (called in both the Latin and Italian languages referring to the Italian Peninsula) was the homeland of the ancient Romans and of the Roman empire. According to Roman mythology, Italy was the ancestral home promised by Jupiter to A ...
, the Diocese of Pannonia, the
Diocese of Dacia The Diocese of Dacia ( la, Dioecesis Daciae) was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, in the area of modern western Bulgaria, central Serbia, Montenegro, northern Albania and northern North Macedonia. It was subordinate to the Praetorian prefect ...
and the
Diocese of Macedonia The Diocese of Macedonia ( la, Dioecesis Macedoniae; el, Διοίκησις Μακεδονίας) was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, forming part of the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum. Its administrative centre was Thessaloniki. Histo ...
(the last two were until c. 327 united in the Diocese of Moesia). Eventually the Diocese of Italy was split in two, the
Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy Roman Italy (called in both the Latin and Italian languages referring to the Italian Peninsula) was the homeland of the ancient Romans and of the Roman empire. According to Roman mythology, Italy was the ancestral home promised by Jupiter to ...
(''Italia suburbicaria'': "Italy under the City", also referred to as "Diocese of the City of Rome") and the
Diocese of Annonarian Italy Roman Italy (called in both the Latin and Italian languages referring to the Italian Peninsula) was the homeland of the ancient Romans and of the Roman empire. According to Roman mythology, Italy was the ancestral home promised by Jupiter to ...
(''Italia annonaria'': "provisioning Italy"). In 347, the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum was established, comprising the dioceses of Pannonia, Dacia and Macedonia. Vulcaius Rufinus was the prefect, 347–352. The new prefecture was abolished in 361 by Julian and reestablished in 375 by Gratian. Its territory was contested between the two halves of the Empire, until the final partition in 395, when the Diocese of Pannonia was split off from the Illyricum and joined to the Western Empire and the prefecture of Italy as the Diocese of Illyricum. Despite the end of the Western Empire in 476, the Germanic successor states under Odoacer and Theodoric the Great continued to use the Roman administrative machinery, as well as being nominal subjects of the
Eastern emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, to its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as l ...
at Constantinople. The Prefecture thus survived, and came again into Roman hands after
Justinian Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized '' renov ...
's Gothic War. However, with the Lombard invasion in 568, Roman rule became reduced to fragmented and isolated territories, and the Prefecture gave its place to the Exarchate of Ravenna, established by the emperor Maurice. Prefects continue however to be attested until well into the 7th century. The last attested holder occurs in 639, and a couple of seals bearing the title ''eparchos'' ("prefect" in Greek) survive from the late 7th century, although it has been suggested that they are a misprint for ''exarchos'' (" exarch").


List of known ''praefecti praetorio Italiae et Africae''

* Aemilianus (328) *
Lucius Papius Pacatianus Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...
(334-335) * Aconius Catullinus Philomathius (341) * Marcus Maecius Memmius Furius Baburius Caecilianus Placidus (342-344) *
Vulcacius Rufinus Vulcacius Rufinus (died 368) was a Roman politician, related to the Constantinian dynasty. Biography A pagan, Rufinus was the brother of Neratius Cerealis, Galla (the mother of Constantius Gallus), and the mother of Maximus. He was '' ponti ...
(first time, 344–347) *
Gaius Ceionius Rufius Volusianus Lampadius Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius * Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius P ...
(355) *
Taurus Taurus is Latin for 'bull' and may refer to: * Taurus (astrology), the astrological sign * Taurus (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac * Taurus (mythology), one of two Greek mythological characters named Taurus * ''Bos tauru ...
(356-361) *
Claudius Mamertinus Claudius Mamertinus (fl. mid-late 4th century AD) was an official in the Roman Empire. In late 361 he took part in the Chalcedon tribunal to condemn the ministers of Constantius II, and in 362, he was made consul as a reward by the new Emperor Jul ...
(361-365) *
Vulcacius Rufinus Vulcacius Rufinus (died 368) was a Roman politician, related to the Constantinian dynasty. Biography A pagan, Rufinus was the brother of Neratius Cerealis, Galla (the mother of Constantius Gallus), and the mother of Maximus. He was '' ponti ...
(second time, 365–368) * Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus (first time, c. 368–375) * Decimius Hilarianus Hesperius (378-380) *
Afranius Syagrius Afranius Syagrius ( 345–382) was a Roman politician and administrator. Life Afranius was a member of the Roman aristocratic family of the Syagrii, which originated in Lyon.Flavius Hypatius (382-383) * Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus (second time, 383) *
Nonius Atticus Nonius Atticus (''floruit'' 383 – 397) was a politician of the Roman Empire. Life Nonius belonged to the senatorial aristocracy, and was a Christian, even if he was a friend of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus.Nonius received Symmachus' letters ...
(383-384) * Vettius Agorius Praetextatus (384) *
Neoterius Flavius Neoterius (''fl''. 365–393) was a politician of the Roman Empire. He served as Praetorian prefect of the East, of Italy, and of Gaul. In 390 he was co-consul with Valentinian II. Life Probably born in Rome, he was ''notarius'' unde ...
(385) * Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus (third time, 387) *
Virius Nicomachus Flavianus Virius Nicomachus Flavianus (334–394 AD) was a grammarian, a historian and a politician of the Roman Empire. A pagan and close friend of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, he was Praetorian prefect of Italy in 390–392. Under the usurper Eugenius (3 ...
(390-392)


Western Empire

* Nummius Aemilianus Dexter (395) *Eusebius (395-396) *
Mallius Theodorus Flavius Mallius Theodorus ( c. 376–409) was a Roman politician and author of an extant treatise on metres, ''De metris'', one of the best of its kind (H. Keil, ''Grammatici Latini'', vi.). He also studied philosophy, astronomy and geometry, and w ...
(397-399) *Valerius Messala Avienus (399-400) *Rufus Synesius Hadrianus (400-405) *Flavius Macrobius Longinianus (1st time, 406) *Curtius (407-408) *Flavius Macrobius Longinianus (2nd time, 408) *
Mallius Theodorus Flavius Mallius Theodorus ( c. 376–409) was a Roman politician and author of an extant treatise on metres, ''De metris'', one of the best of its kind (H. Keil, ''Grammatici Latini'', vi.). He also studied philosophy, astronomy and geometry, and w ...
(408-409) *Caecilianus (409) *Jovius (409) *Melitius (410-412) * Seleucus (prefect for Africa, 412) *Ioannes (412-413) *Rufus Synesius Hadrianus (413-414) * Seleucus (414-415) *
Junius Quartus Palladius Junius Quartus Palladius ( 408–421) was a politician of the Western Roman Empire, who held the Praetorian prefecture of Italy, Illyricum and Africa for six years and was also consul in 416. Life Palladius come from a noble family,. This stat ...
(416-421) * Anicius Auchenius Bassus (possibly, 426) * Anicius Auchenius Bassus (435) *
Anicius Acilius Glabrio Faustus Anicius Acilius Glabrio Faustus ( 425–443) was an aristocrat of the later Roman Empire. He was Urban prefect three times before 437, consul in 438, and briefly Praetorian prefect of Italy in 442. Faustus was selected to promulgate the ''Theodosia ...
(c. 438) *
Petronius Maximus Petronius Maximus ( 39731 May 455) was Roman emperor of the West for two and a half months in 455. A wealthy senator and a prominent aristocrat, he was instrumental in the murders of the Western Roman ''magister militum'', Aëtius, and the ...
(439) * Caecina Decius Aginatius Albinus (443-448) *
Caecina Decius Basilius Caecina Decius Basilius ( 458–468) was a politician of the Western Roman Empire, roman consul, Consul and twice Praetorian prefect of Italy. Biography Basilius belonged to the Italian nobility, and was member of the influential Caecinia gens, ' ...
(458) *
Caelius Aconius Probianus Caelius Aconius Probianus (''fl.'' 461–471) was a politician of the Western Roman Empire. He was Praetorian prefect of Italy under Emperors Leo I and Libius Severus; considering that his successor Caecina Decius Basilius was in office in 463, Pr ...
(461-463) *
Caecina Decius Basilius Caecina Decius Basilius ( 458–468) was a politician of the Western Roman Empire, roman consul, Consul and twice Praetorian prefect of Italy. Biography Basilius belonged to the Italian nobility, and was member of the influential Caecinia gens, ' ...
(463-465) * Felix Himelco (473)


Germanic rule

Under Odoacer: * Nar. Manlius Boethius (between 480 and 486) (he served as consul in 487) *
Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius ( 480–483), was a Roman politician. He was the first consul appointed under Odoacer's rule (480), and afterwards was Praetorian prefect of Italy.John Moorhead"The Decii under Theoderic" '' Historia: Zeitschrift f ...
(483) (he had served as consul in 480) *
Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius ( 486–510) was a Roman politician under Odoacer's rule. He was consul and ''Praefectus urbi'' of Rome in 486 and Praetorian prefect of Italy from 486 to 493. Life Decius was the son of Caecina Decius Basilius ...
(486-493) (he served as consul in 486) Under the Ostrogoths: * Liberius (494-500) * Flavius Albinus (?500-503) (he had served as consul in 493) *Cassiodorus the Elder (500-?) *
Anicius Probus Faustus Anicius Probus Faustus Niger (''floruit'' 490–512) was a politician of the Western Roman Empire who served as consul in 490 and as praetorian prefect of Italy from 509 to 512. Life Faustus was the son of Gennadius Avienus, a member of an an ...
iunior (509-512) (he had served as consul in 490) *
Rufius Magnus Faustus Avienus Rufius Magnus Faustus Avienus was a politician of the Western Roman Empire. He was appointed consul for 502 with Flavius Probus as his colleague. His father was Anicius Probus Faustus, who was the leading supporter of Pope Symmachus in the Laure ...
(527-528) (he had served as consul in 502) *Faustus (521/522) or 529
Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire ''Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire'' (abbreviated as ''PLRE'') is a work of Roman prosopography published in a set of three volumes collectively describing many of the people attested to have lived in the Roman Empire from AD 260, the date ...
, II, P452
* Cassiodorus the Younger (533-537) (he had served as consul in 514) *Fidelis (537-538) * Reparatus (538-539)


East Roman rule

*
Athanasius Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...
(539-542) *Maximinus (c. 542) * Narses (554-568) *Longinus (568-575)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Italy Praetorian prefecture 4th century in the Byzantine Empire 5th century in the Byzantine Empire 6th century in the Byzantine Empire Ancient Italian history Byzantine North Africa History of the Mediterranean 4th century in Italy 5th century in Italy 6th century in Italy 337 establishments