Bury—On the Roman Empire in Fourth Century, A.D. 491 
conduct the civil administration of the empire as governors of four 
large groups of provinces; or was such an enactment made either 
between the death of Constantine (337), and the accession of Arcadius 
and Honorius (395), or in the year 395, when the empire was finally 
divided ? 
Of the co-existence of more than two prefects there is no evidence 
in the Codex Theodosianus before the year 326 (see annexed Table). 
ie the year 326 Constitutions are addressed to four different pre- 
ects :— 
Evagrius, 56 ae February 11 (1X., 3, 2). 
” 56 50 April 25 (DGG 2) 
» Sc $c May 17 (QcagL,, I, 18)p 
Acindynus, .. é0 February 15 (VIIL., 5, 3). 
Ablabius,' 56 66 June 1 CXOViIE 2596) 
5 oe Bi Sept. 18 (CaS 590): 
Secundus, 56 oC June 29 (COVE 3): 
Heenel, in his Series Chron. Const., mentions also three other 
praetorian prefects under this year; Bassus (1., 10, 4); Rufinus 
(xut., 8, 2); Philippus (vur., 7, 3): but the dates of these laws are 
‘doubtful. Godefroy mentions Constantius as praetorian prefect in 
326, but incorrectly ; he was praetorian prefect in 327 (11., 24, 2). 
But we cannot conclude that four praetorian prefects held office simul- 
taneously. The only conclusions that we are entitled to draw literally 
are, that Evagrius and Acindynus were both prefects in February ; 
and that Ablabius and Secundus were both prefects in June. It is 
possible that Evagrius and Acindynus were succeeded by Ablabius and 
Secundus. It is, however, probable, that there were three prefects in 
this year, administering three divisions of the empire: it cannot be 
proven, and there is no reason to suppose it probable, that there were 
four. In the years 328, 331, and 336, the names of three prefects are 
recorded. Thus in the Codex Theodosianus we find no evidence 
either to prove or to disprove Zosimos’ statement. 
On the other hand, we have a piece of evidence conflicting with 
Zosimos’ assertion. A passage in Ammianus Marcellinus proves 
that no definite measure as to four prefects had been made before 
365 a.D. In that year Valentinian succeeded Jovian, and chose his 
brother Valens to share the Imperial throne. The brothers met at 
Sirmium, and divided the empire, as is recorded by Ammianus, thus 
(xxvi., 5, 4) :— 
‘‘ Ht post haee cum ambo fratres Sirmium introissent diviso palatio 
1 This is the correct spelling: see C. I. L. m1., 352, aletter of Ablabius, and 
two rescripts of Constantine and his sons to Ablabius, of which the second is dated 
331; the first is probably to be assigned to 380. 
