List of governors of Roman Egypt

During the Roman Empire, the governor of Roman Egypt (praefectus Aegypti) was a prefect who administered the Roman province of Egypt with the delegated authority (imperium) of the emperor.

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 were 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 in fact 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 special 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 uniquely Praefectus Augustalis, indicating that he governed in the personal name of the emperor, the "Augustus". The praefectus Aegypti was considered to hold the highest ranking equestrian post during the early empire. Later, the post would fall second to that of 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 seems 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 favor.

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 Gallus

24–22 BC: Gaius Petronius or Publius Petronius

13–12 BC: Publius Rubrius Barbarus

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 Lusius 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 Italus

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 Syriacus

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 Magnus

179–180: Titus Aius Sanctus

circa 181: Titus Flavius Piso

181–183: Decimus Veturius Macrinus

circa 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

circa 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 Pasion

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: Tenagino Probus

271: Julius Marcellinus

271–273: Statilius Ammianus

273: Gaius Claudius Firmus

280–281: Sallustius Hadrianius

283: Celerinus

283–284: Pomponius Januarianus

circa 284: Marcus Aurelius Diogenes

285: Aurelius Mercurius

circa 286: Peregrinus

287–290: Gaius Valerius Pompeianus

291–292: Titius Honoratus

292–293: Rupilius Felix

297: Aristius Optatus

297: Aurelius Achilleus

298: Aemilius Rusticianus

298–299: Aelius Publius

299–300: Heraclius

between 303 and 311: Apollonius

circa 303: Eustratius (?)

303–306: Clodius Culcianus

307: Sossianus Hierocles

308: Valerius Victorinus

308–309: Aelius Hyginus

circa 310: Titinnius Clodianus

312: Aurelius Ammonius

before 328: Aurelius Apion

328: Julius Julianus

Later Roman Diocese (330–395)
Prefects of the province of Egypt. Names and dates 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)

Antonius Theodorus ([337?–]338)

Philagrius II (338–340)

Longinus (341–343)

Palladius (344)

Nestorius (345–352)

Sebastianus (353–354)

Maximus (355 – 11 Feb. 356)

Catafronius (10 Jun. 356 – 357)

Parnassius (357–359)

Italicianus (3 months in 359)

Faustinus (359–361)

Hermogenes (uncertain, before 361?)

Himerius (early–mid 4th century?)

Gerontius (30 Nov. 361 – 4 Feb. 362)

Ecdicius Olympus (Oct. 362 – 16 Sep. 363)

Hierius (364)

Maximus (364)

Flavianus (364 – 21 Jul. 366)

Proclianus (366–367)

Eutolmius Tatianus (27 Jan. 367 – 6 Oct. 370)

Olympius Palladius (370–371)

Aelius Palladius (371–374)

??Publius (376?)

??Bassianus (379)

??Hadrianus (379)

Julianus (17 Mar. 380)

??Antoninus (381[–382?])

Palladius (14 May 382)

Hypatius I (29 Apr. – 8 May 383)

Optatus (4 Feb. 384)

Florentius (20 Dec. 384 – 16 Jun. 386)

Paulinus (25 Jul. – 30 Nov. 386)

Eusebius (387)

Ulpius Erythrius (30 Apr. 388)

Alexander (388 – 18 Feb. 390)

Evagrius (16 Jun. 391)

Hypatius II (Apr. 392)

Potamius (5 May – 30 Jul. 392)

Damonicus (uncertain, late 4th century?)

Theodorus (late 4th century)

First Byzantine Period (395–616)
Names and dates taken from John Stewart's African States and Rulers (2006).

Titles:
 * 1) Prefect (395–539)
 * 2) 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)