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{{Short description|High office in the Roman Empire}}{{RomanMilitary}}The praetorian prefect (; }}) 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".Lesley and Roy Adkins. Handbook to life in Ancient Rome.Oxford University Press, 1993. {{ISBN|0-19-512332-8}}. page 241M. C. J. Miller. Abbreviations in Latin.Ares Publishers, inc., 1998. {{ISBN|0-89005-568-8}}. Pages xxcii and xcvi, sub vocibus.

History

Commander of the Praetorian Guard

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).{{EB1911 |wstitle=Praefect |volume=22 |pages=241–242 |inline=1}}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.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Transformation to administrator

{{further|Praetorian prefecture}}File:Notitia dignitatum - insignia praefecti praetorio per illyricum.jpg|thumb|right|200px|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.BOOK, Ruling the later Roman Empire, Christopher, Kelly, Harvard University Press, 2004, 978-0-674-01564-7,weblink 41, )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.The tetrarchy reform of Diocletian ({{circa|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 were 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.

Post-imperial era

With the fall of the western part of the Empire into the hands of warlords, these, in order to have support in their new domains, recognized the supremacy of the emperor of the eastern part, reuniting at least de iure the Empire under him, the prefectures were maintained as a way of delimiting the new viceroyalties:

• First Flavius Odoacer and later Flavius Theodoricus were granted the prefecture of Italy;
• Louis I was recognized as the prefect of Gaul (which served him as a pretext to seize the Visigoths' territories in Gaul);
• the Visigoths were recognized for their dominion over the prefecture of Hispania;
• and the Vandals theirs over Africa.

This recognition would be maintained until the rise of Justinian I, who ended the Ostrogothic and Vandal domains, but continued to recognize the Franks (as they were both Catholics) and the Visigoths (due to the lack of strength to continue the Recuperatio Imperii, but managing to establish a pro-Byzantine king, Athanagild, and the conquest of Spania).

List of known prefects of the Praetorian Guard

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.Dates from 2 BC to AD 260 based on Guy de la Bédoyère, Praetorian (New Haven: Yale Press, 2017), pp. 280-282 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) {| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! style="width:46%;"| Prefect! style="width:14%;"| Tenure! style="width:40%;"| Emperor served| Publius Salvius Aper

2 BC – ??| Augustus

| Quintus Ostorius Scapula

2 BC – ??| Augustus

| Publius Varius LigurThe 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. 35.

?? | Augustus

| Lucius Seius Strabo

?? – 15| Augustus, Tiberius

Sejanus>Lucius Aelius Sejanus	14 – 31| Tiberius

Naevius Sutorius Macro>Quintus Naevius Sutorius Macro	31 – 38| Tiberius, Caligula

Marcus Arrecinus Clemens (praetorian prefect under Caligula)>Marcus Arrecinus Clemens	38 – 41| Caligula

Lucius Arruntius Stella (prefect 38)>Lucius Arruntius StellaWISEMAN > FIRST = TIMOTHY PETER	YEAR = 1991	NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY PRESS > ISBN = 978-0-85989-356-5, 59, 62,	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

Faenius Rufus>Lucius Faenius Rufus	62 – 65 | Nero

Tigellinus>Gaius Ofonius Tigellinus	62 – 68| Nero

Nymphidius Sabinus>Gaius Nymphidius Sabinus	65 – 68| Nero

">

Year of the Four Emperors (AD 68 – 69) {| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! style="width:46%;"| Prefect! style="width:14%;"| Tenure! style="width:40%;"| 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) {| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! style="width:46%;"| Prefect! style="width:14%;"| Tenure! style="width:40%;"| Emperor served| Arrius Varus

69 – 70| Vespasian

Marcus Arrecinus Clemens (consul)>Marcus Arrecinus ClemensSon of Marcus Arrecinus Clemens, who was Praetorian prefect under emperor Claudius	70 – 71| Vespasian

Tiberius Julius AlexanderWhether 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	TITLE = TIBERIUS JULIUS ALEXANDER	ACCESS-DATE = 2020-04-24, (?)	69 – ??| Vespasian

Titus>Titus Flavius VespasianusSon of Vespasian, the later emperor Titus	71 – 79| Vespasian

| Lucius Julius UrsusSyme (1980), 66

81 – 83| Domitian

| Cornelius Fuscus

81 – 87| Domitian

| Lucius Laberius Maximus

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) {| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! style="width:45%;"| Prefect! style="width:20%;"| Tenure! style="width:35%;"| Emperor served| Casperius Aelianus

96 – 98| Nerva

| Sextus Attius Suburanus

98 – 101| Trajan

| Tiberius Claudius Livianus

101 – 117?| Trajan

| Publius Acilius AttianusSyme (1980), 67

117 – 120| Trajan, Hadrian

| Servius Sulpicius Similis

112 – 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 (praetorian prefect)>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

Tigidius Perennis>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 (praetorian prefect)>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) {| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! style="width:46%;"| Prefect! style="width:14%;"| Tenure! style="width:40%;"| 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

{{circa|200}}/205| Septimius Severus, Caracalla

| Marcus Flavius Drusianus

{{circa|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

Macrinus>Marcus Opellius MacrinusThe later emperor Macrinus.	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 (praetorian prefect)>Flavius Antiochianus	221 – 222| Elagabalus

Flavianus (3rd century)>Flavianus	222 – ??| Alexander Severus

| Geminius Chrestus

222 – ??| Alexander Severus

Ulpian>Gnaeus Domitius Annius Ulpianus	222 – 223/228| Alexander Severus

| Lucius Domitius Honoratus

223 – ??| Alexander Severus

| Marcus Aedinius Julianus

223 – ??| Alexander Severus

| Marcus Attius Cornelianus

{{circa|230}} | Alexander Severus

| Julius Paulus

228 – 235| Alexander Severus

">

Crisis of the Third Century (AD 235 – 285){| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! style="width:46%;"| Prefect! style="width:14%;"| Tenure! style="width:40%;"| Emperor served

Vitalianus (praetorian prefect)>Vitalianus	238| Maximinus Thrax

| Annullinus

?? – 238| Maximinus Thrax

| Pinarius Valens

238 | Pupienus; Balbinus

Domitius (praetorian prefect)>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 (emperor)>Valerian

Silvanus (praetorian prefect)>Silvanus	?? – {{circa|260}}| Gallienus

| Lucius Petronius Taurus VolusianusThe 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

{{circa|260}}| Gallienus

| Callistus Ballista

260 – 261	Macrianus Minor>Macrianus, Quietus

Aurelius Heraclianus>Marcus Aurelius Heraclianus	268| Gallienus

Placidianus>Julius Placidianus	{{circa|270}}| Aurelian

| Marcus Annius Florianus

275 – 276	Marcus Claudius Tacitus>Tacitus

Carus>Marcus Aurelius Carus	276 – 282	Marcus Aurelius Probus>Probus

| Lucius Flavius Aper

284| Numerian

Sabinus Julianus>Marcus Aurelius Sabinus Julianus	{{circa	284}}| Carinus

| Titus Claudius Aurelius Aristobulus

285| Carinus; Diocletian

">

Tetrarchy to Constantine I (AD 285 – 324) {| class"wikitable" style"width:100%;"

! 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

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

{{reflist}}

References

• BOOK, Bingham, Sandra J., The praetorian guard in the political and social life of Julio-Claudian Rome, 1997,weblink PDF, 2007-05-23, 1999, National Library of Canada, Ottawa, 0612271064,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170301081225weblink">weblink 2017-03-01, dead,
• BOOK, Howe, Laurence Lee, The Pretorian Prefect from Commodus to Diocletian (AD 180–305), 1942, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois,
• BOOK, Miller, M. C. J., Abbreviations in Latin, 1998, Ares Publishers, inc., Chicago, Illinois,
• JOURNAL, Rossignol, Benoît, Les préfets du prétoire de Marc Aurèle, Cahiers du Centre Gustave Glotz, 18, 2007, 141–177, 10.3406/ccgg.2007.1648,weblink
• JOURNAL, Syme, Ronald, Ronald Syme, Guard Prefects of Trajan and Hadrian, Journal of Roman Studies, 70, 1980, 64–80, 10.2307/299556, 299556, 162498865,