Praetorian prefecture of the East

Infobox Former Subdivision
native_name = aut|Praefectura praetorio Orientis
Ἔπαρχότητα της ἀνατολῆς
conventional_long_name = Praetorian prefecture of the East
common_name = Prefecture of Oriens
continent = Europe, Asia, Africa
subdivision = Praet. Prefecture
nation = the East Roman Empire
era = Late Antiquity
capital = Constantinople|
year_start = 337
year_end = 7th century
event_end = reorganization into "themata"
political_subdiv = Diocese of Thrace Diocese of Asia Diocese of Pontus Diocese of the East Diocese of EgyptThe praetorian prefecture of the East or of Oriens (Latin: praefectura praetorio Orientis, _el. ἔπαρχότητα/ὑπαρχία τῶν πραιτωρίων τῆς ἀνατολῆς) was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided. As it comprised the larger part of the Eastern Roman Empire, and its seat was at Constantinople, the praetorian prefect was the second most powerful man in the East, after the Emperor, often serving as his first minister.

Structure

The Prefecture was established after the death of Constantine the Great in 337, when the empire was split up among his sons and Constantius II received the rule of the East, with a praetorian prefect as his chief aide. The part alloted to Constantius encompassed four (later five) dioceses, each in turn comprising several provinces. The authority of the prefecture stretched from the Eastern Balkans, grouped into the Diocese of Thrace, to Asia Minor, divided into the dioceses of Asiana and Pontus, and the Middle East, with the dioceses of Oriens and Egypt.

List of known "praefecti praetorio Orientis"

* Maternus Cynegius (ca. 316)
* Flavius Philippus (344-351)
* Sallustius (361-363)
* Domitius Modestus (369-377)
* Flavius Eutolmius Tatianus (388-392)
* Flavius Rufinus (392-395)
* Flavius Caesarius (1st time, 395-397)
* Flavius Eutychianus (1st time, 397-399)
* Aurelianus (1st time, 399)
* Flavius Eutychianus (2nd time, 399-400)
* Flavius Caesarius (2nd time, 400-403)
* Flavius Eutychianus (3rd time, 404-405)
* Flavius Anthemius (405-414)
* Flavius Monaxius (1st time, 414)
* Aurelianus (2nd time, 414-416)
* Flavius Monaxius (2nd time, 416-420)
* Flavius Eustathius (420-422)
* Asclepiodotus (423-425)
* Aetius (425)
* Hierius (1st time, 425-428)
* Flavius Florentius (1st time, 428-430)
* Antiochus (430-431)
* Rufinus (431-432)
* Hierius (2nd time, 432)
* Flavius Taurus (1st time, 433-434)
* Flavius Anthemius Isidorus (435-436)
* Darius (436-437)
* Flavius Florentius (2nd time, ca. 438-439)
* Flavius Taurus Seleucus Cyrus (439-441)
* Thomas (442)
* Apollonius (442-443)
* Zoilus (444)
* Hermocrates (444)
* Flavius Taurus (2nd time, 445)
* Flavius Constantinus (447)
* Antiochus (448)
* Flavius Florentius Romanus Protogenes (448-449)
* Hormisdas (449-450)
* Palladius (450-455)
* Flavius Constantinus (456 & 459)
* Flavius Vivianus (459-460)
* Amasius (ca. 469)
* Matronianus (491)
* Hierius (494-496)
* Euphemius (496)
* Polycarpus (498)
* Constantine (1st time, 502)
* Appion (503)
* Leontius (503-504)
* Constantine (2nd time, 505)
* Eustathius (505-506)
* Zoticus (511-512)
* Marinus (1st time, ca. 512)
* Sergius (517)
* Marinus (2nd time, 519)
* Demosthenes (520-524)
* Archelaus (524-527)
* Basilides (ca. 527)
* Atarbius (ca. 528)
* Iulianus (530-531)
* John the Cappadocian (1st time, 531-532)
* Phokas (533)
* John the Cappadocian (2nd time, 533-541)
* Flavius Comitas Theodorus Bassus (ca. 541) as John's deputy
* Flavius Comitas Theodorus Bassus (ca. 548)
* Addaeus (ca. 551)
* Hephaestus (551-552)
* Areobindus (ca. 553)
* Diomedes (ca. 572)
* Georgius (ca. 598)
* Constantinus Lardys (ca. 602)

References

Sources

* The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire (PLRE), Vols. I-III: (Vol. II, pp. 1250-1252;)