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Prefect of Egypt

Also known as Praefectus Aegypti

The prefect of Egypt (praefectus Aegypti) was the governor of the Roman province of Egypt from its annexation in 30 BCE. Because of Egypt's wealth and grain, Augustus gave the post to equestrians rather than senators, and senators could not enter Egypt without the emperor's permission. The prefect also commanded the legions there and held one of the highest equestrian offices.

Prefect of Egypt
Image: Hatem Moushir · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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Roman EmpireGovernance

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Prefect of Egypt. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/prefect-of-egypt
MLA
“Prefect of Egypt.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/prefect-of-egypt. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Prefect of Egypt.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/prefect-of-egypt.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Prefect of Egypt’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/prefect-of-egypt (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻