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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 Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, the Danubian provinces and parts of
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
. The Prefecture's seat moved from
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
to
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...
and finally,
Ravenna Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the c ...
.


Structure and history

The prefecture was established in the division of the Empire after the death of
Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...
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 Pannonia ( la, Dioecesis Pannoniarum, lit. "Diocese of the Pannonias"), from 395 known as the Diocese of Illyricum, was a diocese of the Late Roman Empire. The seat of the ''vicarius'' (governor of the diocese) was Sirmium. Hi ...
, 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 prefectu ...
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. Hist ...
(the last two were until c. 327 united in the
Diocese of Moesia The Diocese of Moesia ( la, Dioecesis Moesiarum, el, Διοίκησις Μοισίας) was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, in the area of modern western Bulgaria, central Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece. Histo ...
). Eventually the Diocese of Italy was split in two, the Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy (''Italia suburbicaria'': "Italy under the City", also referred to as "Diocese of the City of Rome") and the Diocese of Annonarian Italy (''Italia annonaria'': "provisioning Italy"). In 347, the
praetorian prefecture of Illyricum The praetorian prefecture of Illyricum ( la, praefectura praetorio per Illyricum; el, ἐπαρχότης/ὑπαρχία �ῶν πραιτωρίωντοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ, also termed simply the Prefecture of Illyricum) was one of four ...
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 Gratian (; la, Gratianus; 18 April 359 – 25 August 383) was emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 367 to 383. The eldest son of Valentinian I, Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers and w ...
. Its territory was contested between the two halves of the Empire, until the final partition in 395, when the
Diocese of Pannonia The Diocese of Pannonia ( la, Dioecesis Pannoniarum, lit. "Diocese of the Pannonias"), from 395 known as the Diocese of Illyricum, was a diocese of the Late Roman Empire. The seat of the ''vicarius'' (governor of the diocese) was Sirmium. Hi ...
was split off from the Illyricum and joined to the Western Empire and the prefecture of Italy as the
Diocese of Illyricum In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associat ...
. Despite the end of the Western Empire in 476, the Germanic successor states under
Odoacer Odoacer ( ; – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar, was a soldier and statesman of barbarian background, who deposed the child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became Rex/Dux (476–493). Odoacer's overthrow of Romulus August ...
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 la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
. 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 '' renova ...
'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 The Exarchate of Ravenna ( la, Exarchatus Ravennatis; el, Εξαρχάτο της Ραβέννας) or of Italy was a lordship of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in Italy, from 584 to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the ...
, 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 (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 (356-361) * Claudius Mamertinus (361-365) * Vulcacius Rufinus (second time, 365–368) *
Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus ( 358–390) was a leading Roman aristocrat of the later 4th century AD, renowned for his wealth, power and social connections. The son of the consul Petronius Probinus, he married Anicia Faltonia Proba and ha ...
(first time, c. 368–375) * Decimius Hilarianus Hesperius (378-380) * Afranius Syagrius (382) * Flavius Hypatius (382-383) *
Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus ( 358–390) was a leading Roman aristocrat of the later 4th century AD, renowned for his wealth, power and social connections. The son of the consul Petronius Probinus, he married Anicia Faltonia Proba and ha ...
(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 Vettius Agorius Praetextatus (ca. 315 – 384) was a wealthy pagan aristocrat in the 4th-century Roman Empire, and a high priest in the cults of numerous gods. He served as the praetorian prefect at the court of Emperor Valentinian II in 384 unt ...
(384) * Neoterius (385) *
Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus Sextus Claudius Petronius Probus ( 358–390) was a leading Roman aristocrat of the later 4th century AD, renowned for his wealth, power and social connections. The son of the consul Petronius Probinus, he married Anicia Faltonia Proba and ha ...
(third time, 387) * Virius Nicomachus Flavianus (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 (439) * Caecina Decius Aginatius Albinus (443-448) * Caecina Decius Basilius (458) * Caelius Aconius Probianus (461-463) * Caecina Decius Basilius (463-465) * Felix Himelco (473)


Germanic rule

Under
Odoacer Odoacer ( ; – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar, was a soldier and statesman of barbarian background, who deposed the child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became Rex/Dux (476–493). Odoacer's overthrow of Romulus August ...
: * 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 The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the large Gothic populations who ...
: * 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, II, P452 * Cassiodorus the Younger (533-537) (he had served as consul in 514) *Fidelis (537-538) * Reparatus (538-539)


East Roman rule

* Athanasius (539-542) *Maximinus (c. 542) *
Narses , image=Narses.jpg , image_size=250 , caption=Man traditionally identified as Narses, from the mosaic depicting Justinian and his entourage in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna , birth_date=478 or 480 , death_date=566 or 573 (aged 86/95) , allegi ...
(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