During the Roman Empire, the governor of Roman Egypt (praefectus Aegypti) was a prefect who administered the Roman province of Egypt with the Emperor’s delegated authority (imperium). This article provides a list of the Governors of Roman Egypt.
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, was 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 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.
As Egypt was a unique imperial domain, a rich and strategic granary, where the Emperor enjoyed an almost pharaonic position unlike any other province or diocese, its head was styled Praefectus Augustalis uniquely, indicating that he governed in the personal name of the Emperor, the “Augustus”. The praefectus Aegypti held the highest-ranking equestrian post during the early empire. Later, the post would fall second to the praetorian command, but its position remained highly prestigious.
A prefect of Egypt usually held the office for three or four years. An equestrian appointed to the office received no specialized training and seemed to have been chosen for his military experience and knowledge of Roman law and administration. 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 favour.
List of Governors of Roman Egypt
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 the Gaul
- 24–22 BC: Gaius Petronius or Publius Petronius
- 13–12 BC: Publius Rubrius the Barbarian
- 7–4 BC: Gaius Turranius
- AD 2–3: Publius Octavius
- 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 Lucius 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: 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 the Italian
- 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
- 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 of Syria
- 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 Titus Pactumeius the Great
- 179–180: Titus Aius Sanctus
- circa 181: Titus Flavius Piso
- 181–183: Decimus Veturius Macrinus
- about 184: Vernasius Facundus
- 185: Titus Longaeus Rufus
- 185–187: Pomponius Faustinianus
- 188: Marcus Aurelius Verrianus
- circa 188: Marcus Aurelius Papirius Dionysius
- 189–190: Quintus Tineius Demetrius
- 190: Claudius Lucilianus
- 192: Larcius Memor
- 192–194: Lucius Mantennius Sabinus
- 195–196: Marcus Ulpius Primianus
- 197–200: Quintus Aemilius Saturninus
- 200–203: Quintus Maecius Laetus
- 203–206: Claudius Julianus
- 206–211: Tiberius Claudius Subatianus Aquila
- 212–213: Lucius Baebius Aurelius Juncinus
- 214–215: Marcus Aurelius Septimius Heraclitus (executed by Caracalla)
- 216: Aurelius Antinous (vice prefect)
- 216–217: Lucius Valerius Datus
- 218: Julius Basilianus
- 218–219: Callistianus
- 219–221: Geminius Chrestus
- 222: Lucius Domitius Honoratus
- 222–223: Marcus Aedinius Julianus
- 224: Marcus Aurelius Epagatus
- 224–225: Tiberius Claudius Herennianus
- 229–230: Claudius Masculinus
- 231: Marcus Aurelius Zeno Januarius
- 232–237: Maebius Honoratianus
- about 240: Lucius Lucretius Annianus
- 241–242: Gnaeus Domitius Philippus
- 242–245: Aurelius Basileus
- 245–248: Gaius Valerius Firmus
- 249–250: Aurelius Appius Sabinus
- 251–252: Faltonius Restitutianus
- 252–253: Lissenius Proculus
- 253: Septimius […]
- 253: Lucius Titinius Clodianus
- 253–256: Titus Magnius Felix Crescentillianus
- 257–258: Ulpius Passion
- circa 258: Claudius Theodorus
- 258–262: Lucius Mussius Aemilianus
- 262–263: Aurelius Theodotus
- circa 264: Gaius Claudius Firmus
- 266: Cussonius I[…]
- 267: Juvenius Genialis
- 270: Tenaginus Probus
- 271: Julius Marcellinus
- 271–273: Statilius Ammianus
- 273: Gaius Claudius Firmus
- 280–281: Sallustius Hadrianius
- 283: Swift
- 283–284: Pomponius Januarinus
- circa 284: Marcus Aurelius Diogenes
- 285: Aurelius Mercury
- circa 286: Peregrinus
- 287–290: Gaius Valerius Pompeianus
- 291–292: Titius Honoratus
- 292–293: Rupilius Felix
- 297: Aristius Optatus
- 297: Aurelius Achilles
- 298: Aemilius Rusticianus
- 298–299: Aelius Publius
- 299–300: Heraclius
- between 303 and 311: Apollonius
- c. 303: Eustratus (?)
- 303–306: Clodius Culcianus
- 307: Sossianus Hierocles
- 308: Valerius Victorinus
- 308–309: Aelius Hyginus
- c. 310: Titinius Clodianus
- 312: Aurelius Ammonius
- before 328: Aurelius Apion
- 328: Julius Julian
Later Roman Diocese (330 – 395)
Names and dates of the prefects of the province of Egypt are 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)
- Anthony Theodorus ([337?–]338)
- Philagrius II (338–340)
- Longinus (341–343)
- Palladius (344)
- Nestorius (345–352)
- Sebastian (353–354)
- Maximus (355 – 11 February 356)
- Cataphronius (10 June 356 – 357)
- Parnassius (357–359)
- Italian (3 months in 359)
- Faustin (359–361)
- Hermogenes (uncertain, before 361?)
- Himerius (early-mid 4th century?)
- Gerontius (30 November 361 – 4 February 362)
- Ecdicius Olympus (Oct. 362 – 16 September 363)
- Yesterday (364)
- Maximus (364)
- Flavianus (364 – 21 July 366)
- Proklian (366–367)
- Anonymous (between 367 and 375)
- Eutolmius Tatianus (27 Jan. 367 – 6 Oct. 370)
- Olympius Palladius (370–371)
- Aelius Palladius (371–374)
- ??Publius (376?)
- ??Bassianus (379)
- ??Hadrian (379)
- Julian (17 March 380)
- ??Antoninus (381[–382?])
- Palladius (14 May 382)
- Hypatius I (29 April – 8 May 383)
- Optus (4 February, 384)
- Florentius (20 December 384 – 16 June 386)
- Paulinus (July 25 – November 30, 386)
- Eusebius (387)
- Ulpius Erythrius (30 April 388)
- Alexander (388 – 18 February 390)
- Evagrius (16 June 391)
- Hypatius II (Apr. 392)
- Potamius (5 May – 30 July 392)
- Damonicus (uncertain, late 4th century?)
- Theodore (late 4th century)
First Byzantine Period (395 – 616)
Names and dates are taken from John Stewart’s African States and Rulers (2006).
Titles:
- Prefect (395 – 539)
- Dux (539 – 616)
- 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
- Benjamin (Patriach-Prefect) from 616 to 628
- Shahrbaraz 618 before 621
- Sahralanyozan ca. 621 to 625?
- Shahrbaraz ca. 626? to ca. 628
Second Byzantine Period (628-642)
- Unknown from 628 to 629
- Anastasius from 629 to 641
- Theodorus from 641 to 17 September 642
