Since most Latin terms and titles had their Greek equivalents, praetorian prefect of Italy was often titled as praetorian eparch of Italy (Greek: πραιτωριανός έπαρχος της Ιταλίας), and the praetorian prefecture itself was designated as praetorian eparchy (Greek: ἐπαρχότης τῶν πραιτωρίων).
In 347, the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum was established, comprising the dioceses of Pannonia, Dacia and Macedonia. Vulcacius Rufinus was the prefect, 347–352. The new prefecture was abolished in 361 by Julian and reestablished in 375 by Gratian. Its territory was contested between the two halves of the Empire, until the final partition in 395, when the Diocese of Pannonia was split off from the Illyricum and joined to the Western Empire and the prefecture of Italy as the Diocese of Illyricum.
Despite the end of the Western Empire in 476, the Germanic successor states under Odoacer and Theodoric continued to use the Roman administrative machinery, as well as being nominal subjects of the Eastern emperor at Constantinople. The Prefecture thus survived, but with reduced territorial jurisdiction, confined to regions under Odoacer's or Ostrogothic rule.
Praetorian prefecture of Italy: division at the beginning of the Byzantine rule, before the Lombard invasion in 568
During the Gothic War (535–554), entire Italy came under the Byzantine rule, and the Praetorian prefecture of Italy continued to exist, centered in Ravenna, and divided into provinces. However, with the Lombard invasion in 568, Byzantine rule became reduced to fragmented and increasingly isolated territories. Responding to that, remaining territories were grouped into several regions, or eparchies in 580 (Aemilia, Annonaria, Calabria, Campania, Urbicaria), but already by 584 the entire administrative structure was reorganized into the Exarchate of Italy, also centered in Ravenna, and headed by an imperial exarch of Italy, who was both civilian and military governor of Byzantine Italy.[3]
Within the newly established Italian exarchate, praetorian prefects of Italy continue however to be attested, as heads of civilian branch of administration, until well into the 7th century. One of the last attested holders occurs in 639, and a couple of seals bearing the title eparchos ("prefect" in Greek) survive from the late 7th century, although it has been suggested that they are a misprint for exarchos ("exarch").[4]
List of known praefecti praetorio Italiae et Africae
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.
5Affected (i.e. boundaries modified, abolished or renamed) by Justinian I's administrative reorganization in 534–536
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