The praetorian prefecture of the East, or of the Orient (
Latin: praefectura praetorio Orientis,
Greek: ἐπαρχότης/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, in essence 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 allotted 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
Orient and
Egypt.[1]
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 After massive territorial losses in the 7th century, the remaining provinces were superseded by the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.