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praefectus
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`*`!Praefectus`!`*, often with a further qualification, was the formal title of many, fairly low to high-ranking, military or civil officials in the `F33f`_`[Roman Empire`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Roman_Empire]`_`f, whose authority was not embodied in their person (as it was with elected Magistrates) but conferred by delegation from a higher authority. They did have some authority in their prefecture, such as controlling prisons and in civil administration.
>>Contents
• `F0af`_`[Praetorian prefects`#praetorian-prefects]`_`f
• `F0af`_`[Police and civil prefects`#police-and-civil-prefects]`_`f
• `F0af`_`[Military prefects`#military-prefects]`_`f
• `F0af`_`[Prefects as provincial governors`#prefects-as-provincial-governors]`_`f
• `F0af`_`[Religious prefects`#religious-prefects]`_`f
• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f
-─
>>Praetorian prefects
The `F33f`_`[Praetorian prefect`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praetorian_prefect]`_`f (`*Praefectus praetorio`*) began as the military commander of a general's guard company in the field, then grew in importance as the `F33f`_`[Praetorian Guard`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praetorian_Guard]`_`f became a potential kingmaker during the Empire. From the Emperor `F33f`_`[Diocletian`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Diocletian]`_`f's `F33f`_`[tetrarchy`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Tetrarchy]`_`f (c. 300) they became the administrators of the four `F33f`_`[Praetorian prefectures`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praetorian_prefecture]`_`f, the government level above the (newly created) dioceses and (multiplied) `F33f`_`[provinces`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Roman_province]`_`f.
>>Police and civil prefects
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus urbi`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_urbi]`_`f`*, or `*`F33f`_`[praefectus urbanus`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_urbanus]`_`f`*: city prefect, in charge of the administration of Rome.
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus vigilum`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_vigilum]`_`f`*: commander of the `*`F33f`_`[Vigiles`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Vigiles]`_`f`* (firemen and police).
• `*Praefectus aerarii`*: nobles appointed guardians of the state treasury.
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus aerarii militaris`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Aerarium_militare]`_`f`*: prefect of the military treasury.
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus annonae`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_annonae]`_`f`*: official charged with the supervision of the grain supply to the city of Rome.
>>Military prefects
• `*Praefectus alae`*: commander of a cavalry unit.
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus castrorum`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_castrorum]`_`f`*: camp commandant.`:cite-ref-berger-1-0[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-berger-1]`_`f]
• `*Praefectus cohortis`*: commander of a `F33f`_`[cohort`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Cohort_(military_unit)]`_`f (constituent unit of a legion, or analogous unit).
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus classis`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_classis]`_`f`*: fleet commander.`:cite-ref-berger-1-1[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-berger-1]`_`f]
• `*Praefectus equitatus`*: cavalry commander.
• `*Praefectus equitum`*: cavalry commander.
• `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus fabrum`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Roman_military_engineering]`_`f`*: officer in charge of `*fabri`*, i.e. well-trained engineers and artisans.`:cite-ref-berger-1-2[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-berger-1]`_`f]
• `*Praefectus legionis`*: equestrian legionary commander.`:cite-ref-berger-1-3[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-berger-1]`_`f]
• `*Praefectus legionis agens vice legati`*: equestrian acting legionary commander.
• `*Praefectus orae maritimae`*: official in charge with the control and defense of an important sector of `F33f`_`[sea coast`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Sea_coast]`_`f.`:cite-ref-berger-1-4[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-berger-1]`_`f]
• `*Praefectus socium (sociorum)`*: Roman officer appointed to a command function in an `*ala sociorum`* (unit recruited among the `*socii`*, Italic peoples of a privileged status within the empire).
For some auxiliary troops, specific titles could even refer to their peoples:
• `F33f`_`[Praefectus Laetorum`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_Laetorum]`_`f (Germanic, notably in Gaul)
• Praefectus Sarmatarum gentilium (from the `F33f`_`[steppes`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Steppe]`_`f, notably in Italy)
>>Prefects as provincial governors
Roman provinces were usually ruled by high-ranking officials. Less important provinces though were entrusted to prefects, military men who would otherwise only govern parts of larger provinces. The most famous example is `F33f`_`[Pontius Pilate`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Pontius_Pilate]`_`f, who governed `F33f`_`[Judaea`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Iudaea_Province]`_`f at a time when it was administered as an annex of `F33f`_`[Syria`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Syria_(Roman_province)]`_`f.
As Egypt was a special imperial domain, a rich and strategic granary, where the Emperor enjoyed an almost `F33f`_`[pharaonic`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Pharaoh]`_`f position unlike any other province or diocese, its head was styled uniquely `*`F33f`_`[Praefectus Augustalis`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Praefectus_Augustalis]`_`f`*, indicating that he governed in the personal name of the emperor, the "Augustus". `F33f`_`[Septimius Severus`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Septimius_Severus]`_`f, after conquering `F33f`_`[Mesopotamia`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Mesopotamia]`_`f, introduced the same system there too.
After the mid-1st century, as a result of the `F33f`_`[Pax Romana`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Pax_Romana]`_`f, the governorship was gradually shifted from the military prefects to civilian fiscal officials called `F33f`_`[procurators`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Procurator_(Roman)]`_`f, Egypt remaining the exception.`:cite-ref-2[`F5bf`_`[2`#cite-note-2]`_`f]
>>Religious prefects
• `*Praefectus urbi`*: a prefect of the republican era who guarded the city during the annual sacrifice of the `*`F33f`_`[Feriae Latinae`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Feriae_Latinae]`_`f`* on Mount Alban in which the `F33f`_`[consuls`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Roman_consul]`_`f participated. His former title was "`*custos urbi`*" ("guardian of the city").`:cite-ref-3[`F5bf`_`[3`#cite-note-3]`_`f]
>>References
`:cite-note-berger-1`!1.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-berger-1-0]`_`f `:citerefberger2002`aBerger, Adolf (2002). `*Encyclopedic Dictionary of Roman Law`*. The Lawbook Exchange. p. 643. `F33f`_`[ISBN`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=ISBN_(identifier)]`_`f 1-58477-142-9.
`:cite-note-2`!2.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-2]`_`f "Provincial governors (Roman)". `*Livius.org`*. Jona Lendering. Archived from the original on 2015-05-04. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
`:cite-note-3`!3.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-3]`_`f `:citerefsmith1875`aSmith, William (1875). `*Praefectus Urbi - in A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities`*. London: John Murray. pp. 953–954. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
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