List of governors of Roman Egypt
During the Roman Empire, the governor of Roman Egypt (praefectus Aegypti) was a prefect who administered the Roman province of Egypt with the delegated authority (imperium) of the emperor.
Egypt was established as a Roman province in consequence of the Battle of Actium, where Cleopatra as the last independent ruler of Egypt and her Roman ally Mark Antony were defeated by Octavian, the adopted heir of the assassinated Roman dictator Julius Caesar. Octavian then rose to supreme power with the title Augustus, ending the era of the Roman Republic and installing himself as princeps, the so-called "leading citizen" of Rome who in fact acted as an autocratic ruler. Although senators continued to serve as governors of most other provinces (the senatorial provinces), especially those annexed under the Republic, the role of Egypt during the civil war with Antony and its strategic and economic importance prompted Augustus to ensure that no rival could secure Aegyptus as an asset. He thus established Egypt as an imperial province, to be governed by a prefect he appointed from men of the equestrian order.
A prefect of Egypt usually held the office for three or four years.[1] An equestrian appointed to the office received no specialized training, and seems to have been chosen for his military experience and knowledge of Roman law and administration.[1] Any knowledge he might have of Egypt and its arcane traditions of politics and bureaucracy—which Philo of Alexandria described as "intricate and diversified, hardly grasped even by those who have made a business of studying them from their earliest years"—was incidental to his record of Roman service and the emperor's favor.[1]
Prefects during the Principate[]
Unless otherwise noted, governors from 30 BC to AD 299 are taken from Guido Bastianini, "Lista dei prefetti d'Egitto dal 30a al 299p", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 17 (1975), pp. 263-321, 323-328
- 30–26 BC: Gaius Cornelius Gallus
- 26–24 BC: Aelius Gallus
- 24–22 BC: Gaius Petronius or Publius Petronius
- 13–12 BC:
- 7–4 BC: Gaius Turranius
- AD 2–3:
- 3–10: Quintus Ostorius Scapula
- 10–11: Gaius Julius Aquila
- 11–12: Lucius Antonius Pedo
- 12–14: Marcus Magius Maximus
- circa 15: Lucius Seius Strabo
- circa 15: Aemilius Rectus
- 16–32: Gaius Galerius
- circa 32: Vitrasius Pollio (died in office)
- circa 32: Hiberus (Vice prefect)
- 33–38: Aulus Avilius Flaccus
- circa 38: Quintus Naevius Cordus Sutorius Macro
- 38–41: Gaius Vitrasius Pollio
- 41–42: Lucius Aemilius Rectus
- between 42 and 45: Marcus Heius
- 45–48: Gaius Julius Postumus
- 48–52: Gnaeus Vergilius Capito
- circa 54: Lucius Lusius Geta
- 55–59: Tiberius Claudius Balbillus Modestus
- 60–62: Lucius Julius Vestinus
- 63–66: Gaius Caecina Tuscus
- 66–69: Tiberius Julius Alexander
- 70: Lucius Peducaeus Colo(nus?)
- 71–73: Tiberius Julius Lupus
- circa 74: Gaius Valerius Paulinus
- 75–76: [S]ept[imius?] Nu[...]
- 76/77 or 77/78:[2] Lucius Julius Ursus
- 78–79: Gaius Aeterius Fronto
- 80–82: Gaius Tettius Cassianus Priscus
- 83–84: Lucius Laberius Maximus
- 85–88: Gaius Septimius Vegetus
- 89–92: Marcus Mettius Rufus
- 92–93: Titus Petronius Secundus
- 94–98: Marcus Junius Rufus
- 98–100: Gaius Pompeius Planta
- 100–103: Gaius Minicius Italus
- 103–107: Gaius Vibius Maximus
- 107–112: Servius Sulpicius Similis
- 113–117: Marcus Rutilius Lupus
- 117–119: Quintus Rammius Martialis
- 120–124: Titus Haterius Nepos
- 126: Petronius Quadratus[3]
- 126–133: Titus Flavius Titianus
- 133–137: Marcus Petronius Mamertinus
- 137–142: Gaius Avidius Heliodorus
- 142–143: Gaius Valerius Eudaemon
- 144–147: Lucius Valerius Proculus
- 147–148: Marcus Petronius Honoratus
- 150–154: Lucius Munatius Felix
- 154–159: Marcus Sempronius Liberalis
- 159–160: Titus Furius Victorinus
- 161: Lucius Volusius Maecianus
- 161–164: Marcus Annaeus Syriacus
- 164–167: Titus Flavius Titianus
- 167–168: Quintus Baienus Blassianus
- 168–169: Marcus Bassaeus Rufus
- 170–176: Gaius Calvisius Statianus
- 176: Gaius Caecilius Salvianus (Vice prefect)
- 176–179[4] Titus Pactumeius Magnus
- 179–180: Titus Aius Sanctus
- circa 181: Titus Flavius Piso
- 181–183: Decimus Veturius Macrinus
- circa 184:
- 185: Titus Longaeus Rufus
- 185–187:
- 188: Marcus Aurelius Verrianus
- circa 188: Marcus Aurelius Papirius Dionysius
- 189–190: Quintus Tineius Demetrius
- 190:
- 192: Larcius Memor
- 192–194:
- 195–196:
- 197–200: Quintus Aemilius Saturninus
- 200–203: Quintus Maecius Laetus
- 203–206: Claudius Julianus
- 206–211:
- 212–213: Lucius Baebius Aurelius Juncinus
- 214–215:[5] (executed by Caracalla)
- 216: (vice prefect)
- 216–217: Lucius Valerius Datus
- 218: Julius Basilianus
- 218–219: Callistianus
- 219–221: Geminius Chrestus
- 222:
- 222–223:
- 224:
- 224–225:
- 229–230:
- 231:
- 232–237:
- circa 240:
- 241–242: Gnaeus Domitius Philippus
- 242–245:
- 245–248: Gaius Valerius Firmus
- 249–250: Aurelius Appius Sabinus
- 251–252: Faltonius Restitutianus
- 252–253:
- 253: Septimius [...][6]
- 253:
- 253–256:
- 257–258:
- circa 258:
- 258–262: Lucius Mussius Aemilianus
- 262–263: Aurelius Theodotus
- circa 264:
- 266: Cussonius I[...]
- 267:
- 270: Tenagino Probus
- 271:
- 271–273: Statilius Ammianus
- 273:
- 280–281:
- 283: Celerinus
- 283–284: Pomponius Januarianus
- circa 284:
- 285:
- circa 286: Peregrinus
- 287–290:
- 291–292:[7]
- 292–293:
- 297:
- 297: Aurelius Achilles
- 298: Aemilius Rusticianus
- 298–299:
- 299–300: Heraclius
- between 303 and 311: Apollonius
- c. 303: Eustratius (?)
- 303–306:
- 307: Sossianus Hierocles[8]
- 308: Valerius Victorinus
- 308–309: Aelius Hyginus
- c. 310: Titinnius Clodianus
- 312: Aurelius Ammonius
- before 328: Aurelius Apion
Later Roman Diocese (330 – 395)[]
Prefects of the province of Egypt. Names and dates taken from the Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, vol. 1, pp. 1084–1085.
- Magnilianus (330)
- Florentius (331)
- Hyginus (331–332)
- Paterius (333–335)
- Philagrius I (335–337)
- Antonius Theodorus ([337?–]338)
- Philagrius II (338–340)
- Longinus (341–343)
- Palladius (344)
- Nestorius (345–352)
- Sebastianus (353–354)
- Maximus (355 – 11 Feb. 356)
- Catafronius (10 Jun. 356 – 357)
- Parnassius (357–359)
- Italicianus (3 months in 359)
- Faustinus (359–361)
- Hermogenes (uncertain, before 361?)
- Himerius (early–mid 4th century?)
- Gerontius (30 Nov. 361 – 4 Feb. 362)
- Ecdicius Olympus (Oct. 362 – 16 Sep. 363)
- Hierius (364)
- Maximus (364)
- Flavianus (364 – 21 Jul. 366)
- Proclianus (366–367)
- Anonymous (between 367 and 375)
- Eutolmius Tatianus (27 Jan. 367 – 6 Oct. 370)[9]
- Olympius Palladius (370–371)
- Aelius Palladius (371–374)
- ??Publius (376?)
- ??Bassianus (379)
- ??Hadrianus (379)
- Julianus (17 Mar. 380)
- ??Antoninus (381[–382?])
- Palladius (14 May 382)
- Hypatius I (29 Apr. – 8 May 383)
- Optatus (4 Feb. 384)
- Florentius (20 Dec. 384 – 16 Jun. 386)
- Paulinus (25 Jul. – 30 Nov. 386)
- Eusebius (387)
- Ulpius Erythrius (30 Apr. 388)
- Alexander (388 – 18 Feb. 390)
- Evagrius (16 Jun. 391)
- Hypatius II (Apr. 392)
- Potamius (5 May – 30 Jul. 392)
- Damonicus (uncertain, late 4th century?)
- Theodorus (late 4th century)
First Byzantine Period (395 – 616)[]
Names and dates taken from John Stewart's African States and Rulers (2006).[10]
Titles:
- Charmosynus (395 - 5 February 396)
- Gennadius (also known as Torquatus) (5 February 396 - 30 March 396)
- Remigius (30 March 396 - 17 June 397)
- Archelaus (17 June 397 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 403)
- Pentadius (403 - 404)
- Euthalius (404 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 415)
- Orestes (415 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 422)
- Callistus (422 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 435)
- Cleopater (435 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 442)
- Charmosinus (442 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 451)
- Theodorus (451 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 453)
- Florus (453 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 468)
- Alexander (468 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 476)
- Boethus (476 - 477)
- Anthemius (477 - 478)
- Theoctistus (478 - 479)
- Theognostus (479 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 482)
- Pergamius (482 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 485)
- Eutrechius (485 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 487)
- Theodorus (487)
- Arsenius (487 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 501)
- Eustathius (501 - ?)
- Unknown (? - c. 510)
- Theodosius (c. 510 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 520)
- Licinius (520 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 527)
- Hephaestus (527 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 535)
- Dioscorus (535 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 537)
- Rhodon (537 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 539)
- Petrus Marcellinus Felix Liberius (539 - 542)
- Ioannes Laxarion (542 - ?)
- Unknown (? - c. 560)
- Flavorinus (c. 560 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 566)
- Iustinus (566 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 582)
- Ioannes (582 - ?)
- Unknown (? - c. 585)
- Paulus (c. 585 - ?)
- Unknown (? - c. 588)
- Ioannes (c. 588 - ?)
- Unknown (? - c. 592)
- Constantinus (c. 592 - ?)
- Unknown (? - c. 595)
- Menas (c. 595 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 600)
- Petrus (also known as Iustinus) (600 - 603)
- Unknown (603 - c. 606)
- Ioannes (c. 606 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 614)
- Nicetas (614 - ?)
- Unknown (? - 616)
Sassanian Occupation[]
# | Governor | Start | End | Termination |
---|---|---|---|---|
- | Benjamin (Patriach-Prefect)[10] |
616 | 628 | |
1 | Shahrbaraz | 618 | before 621 | |
2 | Sahralanyozan | ca. 621 | 625? | |
3 | Shahrbaraz | ca. 626? | ca. 628 | Egypt recorded as being under Shahrbaraz's control when he concluded his agreement with Heraclius on withdrawal of Persian troops |
Second Byzantine Period (628-642)[]
# | Governor | Start | End | Title as governor | Termination |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Unknown[10] | 628[10] | 629[10] | Military Prefect[10] | - |
2 | Anastasius[10] | 629[10] | 641[10] | Military Prefect[10] | - |
Cyrus of Alexandria | 630s | 630s | Patriarch and Pope | recalled by the emperor | |
3 | Theodorus[10] | 641[10] | 17 September 642[10] | Military Prefect[10] | - |
Cyrus of Alexandria | 630s | 642 | Patriarch and Pope | surrendered to Umar |
References[]
- ^ a b c Alan K. Bowman, Egypt After the Pharaohs 332 BC-AD 642: From Alexander to the Arab Conquest (University of California Press, 1986, 1996), p. 66.
- ^ Following here Magioncalda Andreina, "La carriera di l. Iulius Ursus e le alte prefetture equestri nel I sec. D.C.", Cahiers du Centre Gustave Glotz, 23 (2012), pp. 118f
- ^ O.W. Reinmuth disagrees, dating Quadratus between 180 and 190. ("A Working List of the Prefects of Egypt, 30 B.C. to 299 A.D.", in Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists, 4 (1967), p. 104)
- ^ Guido Bastianini ("Lista dei prefetti d'Egitto dal 30a al 299p: Aggiunte e correzioni", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 38 (1980), p. 83) found a document from his term dated to 179
- ^ Bastianini ("Lista dei prefetti d'Egitto dal 30a al 299p: Aggiunte e correzioni", p. 86) found a document from his term dated to 214
- ^ Added from Bastianini, "Lista dei prefetti d'Egitto dal 30a al 299p: Aggiunte e correzioni", pp. 75-89
- ^ Guido Bastianini ("Lista dei prefetti d'Egitto dal 30a al 299p: Aggiunte e correzioni", p. 86) found a document from his term dated to 291
- ^ However, John R. Martindale dates his tenure to 310 ("Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Addenda et Corrigenda to Volume I", Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, 23 (1974) p. 248)
- ^ First governor to be styled "Augustal prefect". PLRE 1, p. 876
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Stewart, John (2006). African States and Rulers (Third ed.). London: McFarland. p. 84-85. ISBN 0-7864-2562-8.
Further reading[]
- : Der Praefectus Aegypti von Diokletian bis zum Ende der römischen Herrschaft. Filser, München-Pasing 1952.
- : The Prefect of Egypt from Augustus to Diocletian. Leipzig 1935.
- Arthur Stein: Die Präfekten von Ägypten in der römischen Kaiserzeit. Francke, Bern 1950.
- Roman governors of Egypt
- Roman Egypt
- Lists of Roman governors
- Lists of rulers of Egypt
- Lists of equites
- Byzantine Egypt