Dioceses of the Roman Empire

The dioceses of the Roman Empire (of the Greek grc '' διοίκησις '' Latin ized in lat '' dĭœcēsis '' or lat '' dĭocēsis '', administration, province ) are a geographical division of the Empire suitable for the Low Empire gathering several provinces under the authority of a Vicaire. The system of the Diocèse S was set up by Dioclétien which also operated a generalized contracting of the size of the majority of the provinces. The primitive goal of the dioceses was to facilitate the management of the Empire by each tétrarques .

Brief and historical presentation of the function

The word vicar (Latin: vicarius ) indicates one substitute of somebody ; here the vicar replaced originally the Préfet of the court - under Dioclétien the Préfecture of the court was not yet regionalized : it remains centralized until Constantin {{Ier}}. At the first times of the reign of Dioclétien of the vice præfectorum praetorio ( vice-prefects of the court ) were named exceptionally to help the prefects of the court in their tasks. Their competences of extended to a delimited territory, of variable size. They precede the vicars, who are a systematization of this first reform.

The Vicaire is of row equestrian, it depends directly on the emperor. Today still it is not obvious that the equestrian Vicaire had authority on the provincial governors of senatorial row . The proconsuls of Asia, Africa and Achaïe were them independent of the Vicaire S.

Attributions of the Vicaire S under Dioclétien were numerous: they had thus the responsibility of control and supervise the governors of provinces, to distribute the taxes, to strengthen the border when they have one of them, they were judges of call for the private, administrative and municipal Procès (and out of legal matter only the emperor could break their decisions).

It should be noted that the organization of Dioclétien does not have anything systematic: it is an empirical construction and patient installation to answer specific problems. It is not in addition a territorial division of the Empire but a territorial distribution, like theaters of operation entrusted to commanders, César or Auguste.

After Constantin Large the, their importance decreased for two primary reasons: Constantin created large regional prefectures of the court, whose chief, the prefect of the court, represented the emperor, and it was accustomed to sending in the provinces of the committees ( counts ) higher than the Vicaire S, which played the part of the Missi dominici of Charlemagne, fulfilling various missions - counts, or companions of the emperor , were in addition divided into several classes: count of first class, second, etc It arrived that the counts assisted or even replaced the vicars, according to the gropings of the empirical administrative reforms. Thereafter it remains of these counts only the count of Orient, which played the part of vicar of the diocese of the East.

They preserve after the creation of the regional prefectures of the court the responsibility to join together and convey the tax, like their independence compared to the prefects of the court: they always return accounts only to the emperor, and they are always judges of call in the name of the emperor. Constantin {{Ier}} makes them clarissimes , i.e. Senator S, and they become then, under Constance II, of the spectabiles , i.e. senators of second level (higher in the hierarchy).

List dioceses of them 305

In 305 the system tetrarchic, patiently built, reached full sound development, crowned by the voluntary abdication of Dioclétien, which forces his/her colleague Maximien to do as much of it.

Under the Tétrarchie the Roman Empire is managed jointly by two Augustes, which takes to assist them two Césars. There is no territorial division, the primus Augustus (Dioclétien then Galère) remains the single Master of the Empire, but there is attribution of zones of privileged operations: in order to facilitate the defense of the Empire, its territory is divided into several theaters of operations entrusted to various sovereigns - purple at that time had become the top of a military career, the emperor is a war leader and either a pseudo-magistrate as under Auguste. This attribution of territory does not have anything final.

The Préfecture of the court is not concerned with the reform of Dioclétien: it remains collegial (held by two men at the same time), which ensures the unit of the Empire. This is why this list does not mention it. Let us specify that the purpose of the reform of Dioclétien was also to weaken the Préfecture of the court.

The dioceses are entrusted to vicars of the prefect of the court. It seems that, initially, the Vicaire S received in addition to the know-enumerated functions of the military functions: it would have been responsible for the defense of its diocese, quickly withdrawn attribution.

There are in 305 twelve Diocèse S, five for the Occident and seven for the East.

Under the responsibility of the Auguste of Occident

The Auguste of the Western part of the Roman Empire usually resides at Milan. Its zone of operations contains usually the Diocèse S following:
  • Diocese of Pannonies ( diocesis Pannoniarum ) - seven provinces
  • Diocese of Italy ( diocesis Italiciana ) - thirteen provinces (including eleven old Italian areas of less importance)
  • Diocese of Africa ( diocesis Africae ) - six provinces (more Africa proconsulaire escaping the authority of the vicar)

Under the responsibility of César d' Occident

The César of the Western part of the Roman Empire usually resides at Trier. Its zone of operations contains usually the Diocèse S following:
  • Diocese of Hispanies ( diocesis Hispaniarum ) - six provinces
  • Diocese of Vienna ( diocesis Viennensis ) - eight provinces
  • Diocese of Gaules ( diocesis Galliarum ) - seven provinces
  • Diocese of Bretagnes ( diocesis Britanniarum ) - four provinces

Under the responsibility of the Auguste of the East

The Auguste of the oriental party of the Roman Empire usually resides at Nicomédie. It was systematically the primus Augustus ( first Auguste , i.e. the first of the sovereigns). Its zone of operations contains usually the Diocèse S following:
  • Diocese of the East ( diocesis Orientis ) - seventeen provinces
  • Diocese of the Bridge ( diocesis Pontica ) - seven provinces
  • Diocese of Asia ( diocesis Asiana ) - seven provinces (more Asia proconsulaire escaping the authority of the vicar)
  • Diocese of Thrace ( diocesis Thraciae ) - six provinces

Under the responsibility of César d' Orient

The César of the oriental party of the Roman Empire usually resides at Sirmium. Its zone of oparations contains usually the Diocèse according to:
  • Diocese of the Messiahs ( diocesis Moesiarum ) - eight provinces (more Achaïe proconsulaire escaping the authority of the vicar)

List dioceses and their provinces towards 410

The Notitia dignitatum represents a “inventory of fixtures” of the civil and military administration of the Empire in the first years of the 5th century. It gives a very precise statement of the various civil and military functions, and thus of the various levels of administrations, from now on organized strictly in three stages: prefectures of the court (four), dioceses (more than one century before), provinces (they also more).

The list which follows is thus largely an adaptation of the Notitia , of which it follows the order overall, with some modifications due to the character sometimes not very reliable of this document. Indeed, the Notitia dignitatum is often prone to guarantee. For the list which follows the historians who were used as sources were followed, and the Gaulle for example is divided into two distinct Diocèse S.

In the Western part

There is according to the Notitia dignitatum (beginning of the 5th century) six Vicaire S in the Western part of the Empire, divided into two prefectures of the court: that of Italy ( praefectus praetorio per Italiae ) with three dioceses and that de Gaulle ( praefectus praetorio Galliarum ) with three dioceses also. The Notitia allots to the diocese known as of the “Seven Provinces” nearly seventeen provinces (including makes of them the dioceses of the Seven Provinces and Gaules).

There are thus actually seven Diocèse S in Occident.

To note finally that there exists in Occident a proconsul, that of the province of Africa, depending only on the prince.

Prefecture of the court of Italy

The Préfet of the court of Italy resides at Rome.

Diocese of Italy ( diocesis Italiciana )
There is one diocese in Italy but two Vicaire S: one with Milan, the other with Rome. The south of the peninsula, or Italy suburbicaire , is indeed officially under the responsibility of the prefect of the City because its incomes are in theory affected with the maintenance of Rome; a vicar of the prefect of the court of Italy or the prefect of the City is created, and starting from 357 it is systematically a vicar of the prefect of the court which is named.

In the facts one can say that there exist two separate dioceses.

Italy annonaire ( Italia )
Under of the vicar of Italy (capital: Milan) is the following provinces:
  • Emilie, Aemilia
  • the Alps Cottiennes, the Alps cottiae
  • Flaminie and Picenum annonaire, Flaminia and Picenum annonarium
  • Ligurie, Liguria
  • Rhétie first, Raetia preceded
  • Rhétie second, Raetia secunda
  • Venezia and Istrie, Venetia and Histria

Italy suburbicaire ( Regiones suburbicariae )
Under the vicar of the Town of Rome (capital: Rome) is the following provinces:
  • Apulie and Calabria, Apulia and Calabria
  • Campania, Corsica Campania
  • , Corsica
  • Lucanie and Bruttium, Lucania and Bruttii
  • Picenum suburbicaire, Picenum suburbicarium
  • Samnium, Samnium
  • Sardinia, Sardinia
  • Sicily, Sicilia
  • Tuscie and Ombrie, Tuscia and Umbria
  • Valerie, Valeria

Diocese of Illyrie ( diocesis Illyricum )
One calls also this Diocèse diocese of Pannonies ( diocesis Pannoniarum ).

Under the vicar of Illyrie (capital: Sirmium) is the following provinces:

  • Dalmatie, Dalmatia
  • Norique Mediterranean, Noricum mediterraneum
  • Norique bordering, Noricum ripense
  • Pannonia first, Pannonia preceded
  • Pannonia second, Pannonia secunda
  • Savie, Savia
  • Valerie, Valeria , different from the Valerie suburbicaire

Diocese of Africa ( diocesis Africae )
Under the vicar of Africa (capital: Carthage) is the following provinces:

Prefecture of the court of Gaules

The Préfet of the court of Gaules resides at Trier then with Arles starting from 407.

Diocese of Hispanie ( diocesis Hispaniae )
Under the vicar of Hispanie (capital: Merida) is the following provinces:

Diocese of the Seven Provinces ( diocesis Septem provinciae )
Under the vicar of the Seven Provinces (capital: Bordeaux) is the following provinces:
  • the Alpes-Maritimes, the Alps maritimae
  • Aquitanian first, Aquitanica preceded or Aquitania preceded
  • Aquitaine second, Aquitanica secunda or Aquitania secunda
  • Narbonnaise first, Narbonensis preceded
  • Narbonnaise second, Narbonensis secunda
  • Novempopulanie, Novem populi
  • Viennoise, Viennensis

By a edict of the April 17th 418 (received with Arles the May 23rd) Honorius chooses Arles as place where must be held the provincial assembly of the Seven Provinces each year between the August 13rd and the September 13rd, in the presence of the Préfet of the court, the Gouverneur S of the provinces, noble covered official dignities and deputies of the curies. Honorius tried by this edict to make of the assembly a body of government of Gaules; it was a failure.

Diocese of Gaules ( diocesis Galliarum )
Under the vicar of Gaules (capital: Trier) is the following provinces:
  • the Alps pennines and grées, the Alps poeninae and graiae
  • Belgium first, Belgica preceded
  • Belgium second, Belgica secunda
  • Germanie first, Germania preceded
  • Germanie second, Germania secunda
  • Lyonnaise first, Lugdunensis preceded
  • Lyonnaise second, Lugdunensis secunda
  • Lyonnaise third, Lugdunensis tertia
  • Lyonnaise senone, Lugdunensis senonia
  • Maxima of Séquanes, Maxima sequanorum

Diocese of Brittany ( diocesis Britanniae )
Under the vicar of Brittany (capital: London) is the following provinces:
  • Brittany first, Britannia preceded
  • Brittany second, Britannia secunda
  • Flavia Cesarean, Flavia caesariensis
  • Maxima Cesarean, Maxima caesariensis
  • Valentia, Valentia

In the oriental party

The Notitia dignitatum divides the oriental party of the Empire into two prefectures of the court, that of Illyrie ( praefectus praetorio per Illyricum ) and that of the East ( praefectus praetorio per Orientem ), including/understanding the first two Diocèse S and the second five Diocèse S.

Characteristic of the Roman East, it has only four there Vicaire S because the civil servant fulfilling this role in the Diocèse of the East is called Count d' Orient ( Comes Orientis ) and that of the Diocese of Egypt, heir to the equestrian province of Egypt Prefect of Auguste ( Praefectus Augustalis ).

There are thus seven Diocèse S in Orient, as in Occident. The vicariate of Thrace is sometimes counted among in the prefecture of the court of Illyrie, although it belongs according to the Notitia dignitatum to the prefecture of the East.

The town of Constantinople is independent of the vicariate of Thrace and the prefecture of the court of the East since 359 it is managed by a Préfet of the city.

To note finally that there exist two proconsuls depending only on the emperor: that of Achaïe and that of Asia, this last extending its authority on the provinces of the Hellespont ( Hellespontus ) and of the Greek Islands ( Insulae ).

Prefecture of the court of the East

The prefect of the court of the East resides at Antioche.

Diocese of Egypt ( diocesis Aegypti )
Under the Prefect augustal (capital: Alexandria) is the following provinces:
  • Egypt, Aegyptus
  • Arcadia, Arcadia
  • Augustamnique, Augustamnica
  • higher Libya, Libya superior
  • lower Libya, Libya inferior
  • Thébaïde, Thebais

Diocese of the East ( diocesis Orientis )
Under the count of Orient (capital: Antioche) is the following provinces:
  • Arabia, Arabia
  • Cilicie, Cilicia
  • Cilicie second, Cilicia
  • Cyprus, Cyprus
  • Eufratène, Eufratensis
  • Phénicie, Foenice or Phoenice
  • Phénicie Lebanese, Foenise libanensis or Phoenice libanensis
  • Isaurie, Isauria
  • Mésopotamie, Mesopotamia
  • Osroène, Osrohena
  • Palestine, salutary Palestina
  • Palestine, Palestina salutaris
  • Palestine second, Palestina secunda
  • Syria, salutary Syria
  • Syria, Syria salutaris

Diocese of Asia ( diocesis Asiana )
Under the vicar of Asia (capital: Éphèse) is the following provinces:
  • Decay, Decayed
  • Phrygie pacified, Frygia pacatina or salutary Phrygia pacatina
  • Phrygie, Frygia salutaris or Phrygia salutaris
  • Lycaonie, Lycaonia
  • Lycie, Lycia
  • Lydie, Lydia
  • Pamphylie, Pamfylia
  • Pisidie, Pisidia

Diocese of the Bridge ( diocesis Pontica )
Under the vicar of the Bridge (capital: Nicomédie) is the following provinces:
  • Arménie first, Armenia preceded
  • Arménie second, Armenia secunda
  • Bithynie, Bithynia
  • Cappadoce first, Cappadocia preceded
  • Cappacode second, Cappadocia secunda
  • Galatie, salutary Galatia
  • Galatie, Galatia salutaris
  • Helénopont, Helenopontus or Hellenopontus
  • Honoriade, Honoria
  • Paphlagonie, polémoniaque Paflagonia
  • Pont, Pontus polemoniacus

Other sources give a different list in certain points; thus Paul Petit quotes moreover:

  • Arménie major, Armenia maior
  • Arzanène, Arzazena
The other provinces are identical, with this close which it removes the Honoriade ( Honoria ). Another source, cartographic it, gives to the Arzazène the name of Sophène.

Diocese of Thrace ( diocesis Thraciae )
Under the vicar of Thrace (capital: Constantinople) is the following provinces:
  • Europe, Europa
  • Hemimontus, Haemimontus or Haemus
  • Messiah second, Moesia secunda
  • Rhodope, Rhodopa
  • Scythie, Scythia
  • Thrace, Thracia

Prefecture of the court of Illyrie

The prefect of the court of Illyrie resides at Sirmium.

Diocese of Macedonia ( diocesis Macedoniae )
Under the vicar of Macedonia (capital: Thessalonique) is the following provinces:
  • Crete, Creta
  • Épire old news, Epirus nova
  • Épire, Epirus vetus
  • Macedonia, Macedonia
  • Thessalie, Thessalie

Diocese of Dacie ( diocesis Daciae )
Under the vicar of Dacie (capital: Serdica) is the following provinces:
  • Dacie Mediterranean, Dacia mediterranea
  • Dacie bordering, Dacia ripense
  • Dardanie, Dardania
  • Messiah first, Moesia preceded
  • Prévalitane, Praevalitana

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • detailed Chart of the Empire towards 400
  • English Translation of Notitia dignitatum

Sources

  • P. Petit, general History of the Roman Empire , T. 3, " Bas-Empire" , editions of the Threshold, collection " Points Histoire' (ISBN 2020049716)
  • A. Piganiol, Christian Empire , university editions Presses of France, collection " Hier" (ISBN 2130321259 )
  • G. Duby, world Historic atlas , editions Larousse (ISBN 2744146927)
  • R. Rémondon, the Crisis of the Roman Empire , university editions Presses of France, collection " Clio news, History and its problèmes" (ISBN 2130310869)

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