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Praetorian prefecture of Gaul

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Praetorian prefecture of the GaulsPraefectura praetorio Galliarum
Praet. Prefecture of the Western Roman Empire
337-477
510-536

Praetorian Prefectures of the Roman Empire (395)
CapitalAugusta Treverorum (until 395/407)
Arelate (from 395/407)
Historical eraLate Antiquity
• Established 337
• Conquest of Provence by the Visigoths 477
• Re-established by the Ostrogoths 510
• Fall of Provence to the Franks 536
Political subdivisionsDiocese of Gaul
Diocese of Britain
Diocese of Spain
Diocese of the Seven Provinces

The Praetorian Prefecture of Gaul (Latin: praefectura praetorio Galliarum) was one of four large prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided.

History

The prefecture was established after the death of Constantine I in 337, when the empire was split up among his sons and Constantine II received the rule of the western provinces, with a praetorian prefect as his chief aide. The prefecture comprised not only Gaul, but also of Roman Britain, Spain, and Mauretania Tingitana in Africa Proconsulare. Its territory overlapped considerably with what was once controlled by the short-lived Gallic Empire in the 260s.

After the permanent partition of the Empire in 395 into West and East spheres of control, the prefecture of Gaul continued to belong to the Western Roman Empire. Augusta Treverorum (present-day Trier in Germany) served as the prefecture's seat until 407 (or, according to other estimates, in 395), when it was transferred to Arelate (Arles).

The prefecture continued to function until 477, when the last areas under its control were seized by the Visigoths after the abolition of the Western imperial government of Ravenna in the previous year.

In 510, the Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great re-established the prefecture in the small part of Gaul (the Provence) that he had just conquered, with headquarters again at Arelate. This short lived revival lasted until the area was in turn conquered by the Franks in 536, while the Ostrogoths were occupied by the East Roman invasion of Italy.

List of known praefecti praetorio Galliarum

4th century

5th century

6th century

References

  1. Burns (1994), p. 58

Sources

Late Roman and early Byzantine provinces (4th–7th centuries AD)
History
As found in the Notitia Dignitatum. Provincial administration reformed and dioceses established by Diocletian, c. 293. Permanent praetorian prefectures established after the death of Constantine I. Empire permanently partitioned after 395. Exarchates of Ravenna and Africa established after 584. After massive territorial losses in the 7th century, the remaining provinces were superseded by the theme system in c. 640–660, although in Asia Minor and parts of Greece they survived under the themes until the early 9th century.
Western Roman Empire (395–476)
Praetorian prefecture
of Gaul
Diocese of Gaul
Diocese of Vienne
Diocese of Spain
Diocese of the Britains
Praetorian prefecture
of Italy
Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy
Diocese of Annonarian Italy
Diocese of Africa
Eastern Roman Empire (395–c. 640)
Praetorian prefecture
of Illyricum
Diocese of Pannonia
Diocese of Dacia
Diocese of Macedonia
Praetorian prefecture
of the East
Diocese of Thrace
Diocese of Asia
Diocese of Pontus
Diocese of the East
Diocese of Egypt
Other territories
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