List of Late Roman provinces
This article presents a list of
Praetorian prefecture of Gauls
In Latin, Gallia was also sometimes used as a general term for all
Diocese of Gallia
Gallia covered about half of the Gallic provinces of the early empire:
- in what is now northern and central France, roughly the part north of the Loire (called after the capital Lugdunum, modern Lyon)
- Belgica II
- LugdunensisI
- Lugdunensis II
- Lugdunensis III
- Lugdunensis IV Senonia
- in Belgium, Luxembourg, part of present-day Netherlands (below the Rhine), on the left bank (west) of the Rhine
- Germania II
- Belgica II
- in what are now parts of France and Germany on the western bank of the Rhine
- Belgica I
- Belgica II
- Germania I
- Germania II
- in what are now parts of France and Switzerland:
- Alpes Poeninae et Graiae
- Maxima Sequanorum
Diocesis Viennensis
The diocese ov Vienna was named after the city of Vienna (now
- Viennensis
- Alpes Maritimae
- Aquitanica I
- Aquitanica II
- Novempopulana
- Narbonensis I
- NarbonensisII
In the fifth century, Viennensis was replaced by a diocese of Septem Provinciae ('7 Provinces') with similar boundaries.
Diocese of Hispania
Hispania was the name of the whole Iberian Peninsula. It covered Hispania and the westernmost province of Roman Africa:
- Baetica
- Hispania Balearica (the Mediterranean islands)
- Carthaginiensis
- Tarraconensis
- Gallaecia
- Lusitania
- Mauretania Tingitana or Hispania Nova, in North Africa
Diocese of Britannia
Praetorian prefecture of Italy and Africa (western)
Originally there was a single diocese of
Diocese of Italia suburbicaria
Suburbicaria indicates proximity to Rome, the Urbs (capital city). It included the islands, which were previously considered outside Italy.
- Campania
- Tuscania et Umbria
- Picenum Suburbicarium
- Apulia et Calabria
- Bruttia et Lucania
- Samnium
- Valeria
- Corsica
- Sicilia
- Sardinia
Diocese of Italia annonaria
Annonaria refers to a reliance on the area for the provisioning of Rome. It encompassed northern Italy and Raetia.
- Venetia et Histria
- Aemilia
- Liguria
- Flaminia et Picenum Annonarium
- Alpes Cottiae
- Raetia I
- Raetia II
Diocese of Africa
Africa included the central part of Roman North Africa:
- Africaor Zeugitana
- Byzacena
- Mauretania Caesariensis
- Mauretania Sitifensis
- Numidia
- Tripolitania
Praetorian Prefecture of Illyricum
The Prefecture of Illyricum was named after the former province of
Diocese of Pannonia
Pannonia was one of the two dioceses in the eastern quarters of the Tetrarchy not belonging to the cultural Greek half of the empire (the other was Dacia); It was transferred to the western empire when Theodosius I fixed the final split of the two empires in 395.
- Dalmatia
- Noricum Mediterraneum
- Noricum Ripense
- Pannonia Prima
- Pannonia Secunda
- Savia
- Valeria Ripensis
Diocese of Dacia
The Dacians had lived in the Transylvania area, annexed to the Empire by Trajan. However, during the invasions of the third century Dacia was largely abandoned[why?]. Some inhabitants evacuated from the abandoned province settled on the south side of the Danube. They renamed their new homeland Dacia to diminish the impact that abandoning the original Dacia had on the Empire's prestige. The diocese was transferred to the western empire in 384 by Theodosius I, probably in partial compensation to the empress Justina for his recognition of the usurpation of Magnus Maximus in Britannia, Gaul and Hispania.
Diocese of Macedonia
The Diocese of Macedonia was transferred to the western empire in 384 by Theodosius I, probably in partial compensation to the empress Justina for his recognition of the usurpation of Magnus Maximus in Britannia, Gaul and Hispania.
- Macedonia Prima
- Macedonia Salutaris(or Macedonia Secunda)
- Thessalia
- Epirus vetus
- Epirus nova
- Achaea
- Creta
Praetorian Prefecture of Oriens
As the rich home territory of the eastern emperor, the Oriens ("East") prefecture would persist as the core of the Byzantine Empire long after the fall of Rome. Its praetorian prefect would be the last to survive, but his office was transformed into an essentially internal minister, stripped of its original military function.
Diocese of Thrace
Thrace was the easternmost corner of the Balkans (the only part outside the Illyricum prefecture) and the European hinterland of Constantinople.
- Europa
- Thracia
- Haemimontus
- Rhodope
- Moesia II
- Scythia
Diocese of Asia
Asia (or Asia Minor) in Antiquity stood for Anatolia. This diocese (the name means 'the Asian ones') centred on the earlier Roman province of Asia, and only covered the rich western part of the peninsula, mainly near the Aegean Sea.
- Asia
- Hellespontus(i.e. near the Sea of Marmara, so closest to Greece)
- Pamphylia
- Caria
- Lydia
- Lycia
- Lycaonia
- Pisidia
- Phrygia I Pacatiana · Phrygia II Salutaris
- the adjoining Insulae
Diocese of Pontus
Pontus is the Latinized form of Greek Pontos, the name of a Hellenistic kingdom, which in turn is derived from the Euxine Pontus, the Greco-Roman name of the Black Sea.
It mainly contains parts of Asia minor near those coasts (as well as the mountainous centre), but also includes the north of very variable border with Rome's enemy Parthia/Persia.
- Bithynia
- Galatia I · Galatia II Salutaris
- Paphlagonia
- Honorias
- Cappadocia I · Cappadocia II
- Helenopontus
- Pontus Polemoniacus
- Armenia I · II, III · IV added at the time of Justinian
Diocese of Oriens
The Eastern diocese shared its geographic name with the prefecture it belonged to, even after it lost its richest part, Egypt, becoming a separate diocese; but militarily crucial on the Persian (Sassanid) border and unruly desert tribes.
It comprised mainly the modern Arabic
- Arabia
- Palaestina I
- Palaestina II
- Palaestina Salutaris
- Syria I
- Syria II
- Phoenice I · Phoenice II Libanensis
- Euphratensis
- Osroene
- Mesopotamia
Further it contained the southeastern coast of Asia Minor and the close island of Cyprus
Diocese of Aegyptus
This diocese, comprising northeastern Africa—mainly Egypt, the rich granary and traditional personal domain of the emperors—was the only diocese that was not under a vicarius, but whose head retained the unique title of
All but one, the civilian governors were of the modest rank of Praeses provinciae.
- Aegyptus (in a narrow sense) came to designate Lower Egypt around Alexandria. Originally it was named Aegyptus Iovia (from Jupiter, for the Augustus Diocletian). Later it was divided into two provinces.
- Augustamnica was the remainder of Lower Egypt, together with the eastern part of the Nile delta (13 'cities') – the only Egyptian province under a Corrector, a lower ranking governor. Originally it was named Aegyptus Herculia (for Diocletian's junior, the Caesar; with ancient Memphis). Later it was divided in two provinces
- Thebaiswas Upper Egypt. Nubia south of Philae had been abandoned to tribal people. Later it was divided into two provinces, Superior and Inferior.
- Arcadia (also Arcadia Ægypti; not to be confused with Arcadiain Greece)
Apart from modern Egypt, Aegyptus also comprised the former province of Cyrenaica, being the east of modern Libya (an ancient name for the whole African continent as well). Cyrenaica was split into two provinces, each under a praeses:
- Libya Superior
- Libya Inferior
See also
References
- [1] Map of the Roman state according to the Compilation 'Notitia Dignitatum'