Praetorian prefect - Wikipedia Praetorian prefect From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search High office in the Roman Empire Part of a series on the Military of ancient Rome 753 BCE – 476 CE Structural history Army Unit types and ranks Decorations and punishments Legions Auxilia Generals Navy Fleets Admirals Campaign history Wars and battles Technological history Military engineering Castra Siege engines Triumphal arches Roads Political history   Strategy and tactics Infantry tactics Frontiers and fortifications Limes Limes Britannicus Antonine Wall Hadrian's Wall Saxon Shore Limes Germanicus Alb Limes Lauter Valley Limes Lower Germanic Limes Main Limes Neckar-Odenwald Limes Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes Wetterau Limes Danube–Iller–Rhine Limes Norican Limes Claustra Alpium Iuliarum Pannonian Limes Limes Alutanus Limes Moesiae Trajan's Wall Anastasian Wall Limes Sarmatiae Limes Arabicus Limes Tripolitanus Limes Mauretaniae  Ancient Rome portal •  War portal v t e The praetorian prefect (Latin: praefectus praetorio, Greek: ἔπαρχος/ὕπαρχος τῶν πραιτωρίων) was a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides. Under Constantine I, the office was much reduced in power and transformed into a purely civilian administrative post, while under his successors, territorially-defined praetorian prefectures emerged as the highest-level administrative division of the Empire. The prefects again functioned as the chief ministers of the state, with many laws addressed to them by name. In this role, praetorian prefects continued to be appointed by the Eastern Roman Empire (and the Ostrogothic Kingdom) until the reign of Heraclius in the 7th century AD, when wide-ranging reforms reduced their power and converted them to mere overseers of provincial administration. The last traces of the prefecture disappeared in the Byzantine Empire by the 840s. The term praefectus praetorio was often abbreviated in inscriptions as "PR PR" or "PPO".[1][2] Contents 1 History 1.1 Commander of the Praetorian Guard 1.2 Transformation to administrator 1.3 Germanic era 2 List of known prefects of the Praetorian Guard 2.1 Julio-Claudian dynasty (2 BC – AD 68) 2.2 Year of the Four Emperors (AD 68 – 69) 2.3 Flavian dynasty (AD 69 – 96) 2.4 Five Good Emperors to Didius Julianus (AD 96 – 193) 2.5 Severan dynasty (AD 193 – 235) 2.6 Crisis of the Third Century (AD 235 – 285) 2.7 Tetrarchy to Constantine I (AD 285 – 324) 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References History[edit] Commander of the Praetorian Guard[edit] Under the empire the praetorians or imperial guards were commanded by one, two, or even three praefects (praefecti praetorio), who were chosen by the emperor from among the equites and held office at his pleasure. From the time of Alexander Severus the post was open to senators also, and if an equestrian was appointed he was at the same time raised to the senate. Down to the time of Constantine, who deprived the office of its military character, the prefecture of the guards was regularly held by tried soldiers, often by men who had fought their way up from the ranks. In course of time the command seems to have been enlarged so as to include all the troops in Italy except the corps commanded by the city praefect (cohortes urbanae).[3] The special position of the praetorians made them a power in their own right in the Roman state, and their prefect, the praefectus praetorio, soon became one of the more powerful men in this society. The emperors tried to flatter and control the praetorians, but they staged many coups d'état and contributed to a rapid rate of turnover in the imperial succession. The praetorians thus came to destabilize the Roman state, contrary to their purpose. The praetorian prefect became a major administrative figure in the later empire, when the post combined in one individual the duties of an imperial chief of staff with direct command over the guard also. Diocletian greatly reduced the power of these prefects as part of his sweeping reform of the empire's administrative and military structures. Transformation to administrator[edit] Further information: Praetorian prefecture The insignia of the praetorian prefect of Illyricum, as depicted in the Notitia Dignitatum: the ivory inkwell and pen case (theca), the codicil of appointment to the office on a blue cloth-covered table, and the state carriage.[4] In addition to his military functions, the praetorian prefect came to acquire jurisdiction over criminal affairs, which he exercised not as the delegate but as the representative of the emperor. By the time of Diocletian he had become a kind of grand-vizier as the emperor's vice-regent and 'prime minister.' Constantine removed active military command in 312. The prefect remained as chief quarter-master general responsible for the logistical supply of the army. The prefect was the chief financial officer whose office drew up the global imperial budget. His office drew up the state liturgical obligations laid on the richer inhabitants of the Empire. He ceased to be head of administration which had to be shared with the master of the offices attached to the palace. Constantine in 331 confirmed that from the sentence of the praetorian praefect there should be no appeal. A similar jurisdiction in civil cases was acquired by him not later than the time of Septimius Severus. Hence a knowledge of law became a qualification for the post, which under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, but especially from the time of Severus, was held by the first jurists of the age, (e.g. Papinian, Ulpian, Paulus) and, under Justinianus, John the Cappadocian, while the military qualification fell more and more into the background.[3] The tetrarchy reform of Diocletian (c. 296) multiplied the office: there was a praetorian prefect as chief of staff (military and administrative)—rather than commander of the guard—for each of the two Augusti, but not for the two Caesars. Each praetorian prefect oversaw one of the four quarters created by Diocletian, which became regional praetorian prefectures for the young sons of Constantine ca 330 A.D. From 395 there two imperial courts, at Rome (later Ravenna) and Constantinople, but the four prefectures remained as the highest level of administrative division, in charge of several dioceses (groups of Roman provinces), each of which was headed by a Vicarius. Under Constantine I, the institution of the magister militum deprived the praetorian prefecture altogether of its military character but left it the highest civil office of the empire.[3] Germanic era[edit] The office was among the many maintained after the Western Roman Empire had succumbed to the Germanic invasion in Italy, notably at the royal court of the Ostrogothic king Theoderic the Great, who as a nominal subject of Constantinople retained the Roman-era administration intact. List of known prefects of the Praetorian Guard[edit] The following is a list of all known prefects of the Praetorian Guard, from the establishment of the post in 2 BC by Augustus until the abolishment of the Guard in 314.[5] The list is presumed to be incomplete due to the lack of sources documenting the exact number of persons who held the post, what their names were and what the length of their tenure was. Likewise, the Praetorians were sometimes commanded by a single prefect, as was the case with for example Sejanus or Burrus, but more often the emperor appointed two commanders, who shared joint leadership. Overlapping terms on the list indicate dual command. Julio-Claudian dynasty (2 BC – AD 68)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Publius Salvius Aper 2 BC – ?? Augustus Quintus Ostorius Scapula 2 BC – ?? Augustus Publius Varius Ligur[6] ?? Augustus Lucius Seius Strabo ?? – 15 Augustus, Tiberius Lucius Aelius Sejanus 14 – 31 Tiberius Quintus Naevius Sutorius Macro 31 – 38 Tiberius, Caligula Marcus Arrecinus Clemens 38 – 41 Caligula Lucius Arruntius Stella[7] 38 – 41 Caligula Rufrius Pollio 41 – 44 Claudius Catonius Justus 41 – 43 Claudius Rufrius Crispinus 43 – 51 Claudius Lucius Lusius Geta 44 – 51 Claudius Sextus Afranius Burrus 51 – 62 Claudius, Nero Lucius Faenius Rufus 62 – 65 Nero Gaius Ofonius Tigellinus 62 – 68 Nero Gaius Nymphidius Sabinus 65 – 68 Nero Year of the Four Emperors (AD 68 – 69)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Cornelius Laco 68 – 69 Galba Plotius Firmus 69 Otho Licinius Proculus 69 Otho Publius Sabinus 69 Vitellius Alfenius Varus 69 Vitellius Junius Priscus 69 Vitellius Flavian dynasty (AD 69 – 96)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Arrius Varus 69 – 70 Vespasian Marcus Arrecinus Clemens[8] 70 – 71 Vespasian Tiberius Julius Alexander[9] (?) 69 – ?? Vespasian Titus Flavius Vespasianus[10] 71 – 79 Vespasian Lucius Julius Ursus[11] 81 – 83 Domitian Cornelius Fuscus 81 – 87 Domitian Lucius Laberius Maximus[11] 83 – 84 Domitian Casperius Aelianus 84 – 94 Domitian Titus Flavius Norbanus 94 – 96 Domitian Titus Petronius Secundus 94 – 97 Domitian Five Good Emperors to Didius Julianus (AD 96 – 193)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Casperius Aelianus 96 – 98 Nerva Sextus Attius Suburanus 98 – 101 Trajan Tiberius Claudius Livianus 101 – 117? Trajan Publius Acilius Attianus[12] 117 – 120 Trajan, Hadrian Servius Sulpicius Similis 121 – 123 Trajan, Hadrian Gaius Septicius Clarus 120 – 123 Hadrian Quintus Marcius Turbo 120 – 137 Hadrian Marcus Petronius Mamertinus 138 – 143 Hadrian, Antoninus Pius Marcus Gavius Maximus 138 – 158 Hadrian, Antoninus Pius Gaius Tattius Maximus 158 – 160 Antoninus Pius Sextus Cornelius Repentinus 160 – 166/7 Antoninus Pius Titus Furius Victorinus 159 – 168 Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius Titus Flavius Constans c. 168 Marcus Aurelius Marcus Macrinius Vindex 168 – 172 Marcus Aurelius Marcus Bassaeus Rufus 168 – 177 Marcus Aurelius Publius Tarrutenius Paternus by 179 – 182 Marcus Aurelius, Commodus Sextus Tigidius Perennis 180 – 185 Commodus Pescennius Niger c. 185 Commodus Marcius Quartus 185 Commodus Titus Longaeus Rufus 185 – 187 Commodus Publius Atilius Aebutianus 185 – 187 Commodus Marcus Aurelius Cleander 187 – 189 Commodus Lucius Julius Vehilius Gratus Julianus 188 – 189 Commodus Regillus 189 Commodus Motilenus 190 Commodus, Pertinax, Didius Julianus Quintus Aemilius Laetus 192 – 193 Commodus, Pertinax, Didius Julianus Titus Flavius Genialis 193 Didius Julianus Tullius Crispinus 193 Didius Julianus Severan dynasty (AD 193 – 235)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Flavius Juvenalis 193 – 197? Didius Julianus, Septimius Severus Decimus Veturius Macrinus 193 – 197? Didius Julianus, Septimius Severus Gaius Fulvius Plautianus 197 – 205 Septimius Severus Quintus Aemilius Saturninus 200 Septimius Severus Marcus Aurelius Julianus c. 200/205 Septimius Severus, Caracalla Marcus Flavius Drusianus c. 204/204 Septimius Severus, Caracalla Aemilius Papinianus 205 – 211 Septimius Severus, Caracalla Quintus Maecius Laetus 205 – 215? Septimius Severus, Caracalla Valerius Patruinus 211? – 212 Caracalla Gnaeus Marcius Rustius Rufinus 212 – 217 Caracalla Marcus Oclatinius Adventus 215 – 217 Caracalla Marcus Opellius Macrinus[13] 214 – 217 Caracalla Ulpius Julianus 217 – 218 Macrinus Julianus Nestor 217 – 218 Macrinus Julius Basilianus 218 Elagabalus Publius Valerius Comazon 218 – 221 Elagabalus Flavius Antiochianus 221 – 222 Elagabalus Flavianus 222 – ?? Alexander Severus Geminius Chrestus 222 – ?? Alexander Severus Gnaeus Domitius Annius Ulpianus 222 – 223/228 Alexander Severus Lucius Domitius Honoratus 223 – ?? Alexander Severus Marcus Aedinius Julianus 223 – ?? Alexander Severus Marcus Attius Cornelianus c. 230 Alexander Severus Julius Paulus 228 – 235 Alexander Severus Crisis of the Third Century (AD 235 – 285)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Vitalianus 238 Maximinus Thrax Annullinus ?? – 238 Maximinus Thrax Pinarius Valens 238 Pupienus; Balbinus Domitius before 240 – ?? Gordian III Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus 241 – 244 Gordian III Gaius Julius Priscus 242 – 246 Gordian III; Philip the Arab Philip the Arab 243 – 244 Gordian III Maecius Gordianus 244 Gordian III Quintus Herennius Potens 249 – 251 Decius? Successianus 254 – 255/260 Valerian Silvanus ?? – c. 260 Gallienus Lucius Petronius Taurus Volusianus[14] c. 260 Gallienus Callistus Ballista 260 – 261 Macrianus, Quietus Marcus Aurelius Heraclianus 268 Gallienus Julius Placidianus c. 270 Aurelian Marcus Annius Florianus 275 – 276 Tacitus Marcus Aurelius Carus 276 – 282 Probus Lucius Flavius Aper 284 Numerian Marcus Aurelius Sabinus Julianus c. 283? – c. 284 Carinus Titus Claudius Aurelius Aristobulus 285 Carinus; Diocletian Tetrarchy to Constantine I (AD 285 – 324)[edit] Prefect Tenure Emperor served Afranius Hannibalianus 286/292 Diocletian Asclepiades 303 (at Antioch) Pomponius Januarianus 285/286 Maxentius Julius Asclepiodotus 290 – 296 Diocletian; Constantius Chlorus Constantius Chlorus ?? – ?? Diocletian Manlius Rusticianus 306 – 310 Maxentius Gaius Ceionius Rufius Volusianus 309 – 310 Maxentius Ruricius Pompeianus ?? – 312 Maxentius Tatius Andronicus 310 Galerius Pompeius Probus 310 – 314 Licinius Petronius Annianus 315 – 317 Constantine I Julius Julianus 315 – 324 Licinius Junius Annius Bassus 318 – 331 Constantine I See also[edit] For praetorian prefects after the reformation of the office by emperor Constantine I, see: Praetorian prefecture of Italy Praetorian prefecture of Gaul Praetorian prefecture of the East Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum A further prefecture was established by emperor Justinian I in the 6th century: Praetorian prefecture of Africa Notes[edit] ^ Lesley and Roy Adkins. Handbook to life in Ancient Rome.Oxford University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-19-512332-8. page 241 ^ M. C. J. Miller. Abbreviations in Latin.Ares Publishers, inc., 1998. ISBN 0-89005-568-8. Pages xxcii and xcvi, sub vocibus. ^ a b c  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Praefect". Encyclopædia Britannica. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 241–242. ^ Kelly, Christopher (2004). Ruling the later Roman Empire. Harvard University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-674-01564-7. ^ Dates from 2 BC to AD 260 based on Guy de la Bédoyère, Praetorian (New Haven: Yale Press, 2917), pp. 280-282 ^ The existence of Varius Ligur is disputed, and is only inferred from a single passage by Cassius Dio, who identifies him as Valerius Ligur. Modern historians suggest that, if Valerius Ligur was a prefect at all, he may have been mistaken for a man named Varius Ligur, who seems to have been a more likely candidate for the office. See Bingham (1997), p. 42. ^ Wiseman, Timothy Peter (1991). Death of an Emperor: Flavius Josephus (Exeter Studies in History). Northwestern University Press. pp. 59, 62. ISBN 978-0-85989-356-5. ^ Son of Marcus Arrecinus Clemens, who was Praetorian prefect under emperor Claudius ^ Whether Tiberius Julius Alexander held the office of Praetorian prefect is disputed, and rests on a fragment from a recovered papyrus scroll. If he did held the post, he may have done so during the Jewish wars under Titus, or during the 70s as his colleague in Rome. See Lendering, Jona. "Tiberius Julius Alexander". Retrieved 2020-04-24. ^ Son of Vespasian, the later emperor Titus ^ a b Syme (1980), 66 ^ Syme (1980), 67 ^ The later emperor Macrinus. ^ The names and dates for the years 260-285 are based on A.H.M. Jones, et alia, Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Volume I (AD 260-395) (Cambridge: University Press, 1971), p. 1047 References[edit] Bingham, Sandra J. (1999) [1997]. The praetorian guard in the political and social life of Julio-Claudian Rome. Ottawa: National Library of Canada. ISBN 0-612-27106-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2007-05-23. Howe, Laurence Lee (1942). The Pretorian Prefect from Commodus to Diocletian (AD 180-305). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Miller, M. C. J. (1998). Abbreviations in Latin. Chicago, Illinois: Ares Publishers, inc. Rossignol, Benoît (2007). "Les préfets du prétoire de Marc Aurèle". Cahiers du Centre Gustave Glotz. 18: 141–177. doi:10.3406/ccgg.2007.1648. Syme, Ronald (1980). "Guard Prefects of Trajan and Hadrian". Journal of Roman Studies. 70: 64–80. doi:10.2307/299556. JSTOR 299556. 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