Pannonia Prima

Roman province (296 - mid-5th century)

Provincia Pannonia Primaprovince of the Roman Empire296–5th century

CapitalSavariaHistory

• Established

296

• Disestablished

5th century

Preceded by

Succeeded by

Pannonia Superior

Hunnic Empire

Today part ofHungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia

Pannonia Prima was an ancient Roman province. It was formed in the year 296, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Previously, it was a part of the province of Pannonia Superior, which, along with Pannonia Inferior, was gradually divided into four administrative units: Pannonia Prima, Pannonia Secunda, Valeria, and Savia. This transition was completed by the time of Constantine.^[1] According to the Notitia Dignitatum, Pannonia Prima was governed by a Praeses.

Geography

Pannonia Prima included parts of present-day Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Its capital was Savaria (modern Szombathely), a city built during the reign of Claudius. This city was located on an important junction between the Amber Road connecting Italy with Hungary and the road between Treveris and Sirmium.^[2] Other important cities were Vindobona (modern Vienna; Wien in German), and Scarbantia (modern Sopron).^[3] The city of Sirmium in Pannonia Secunda had administrative oversight over all of the newly created Diocese of Pannonia, along with Dalmatia and Noricum.^[4]

Pannonia Prima was the northwestern quadrant of the four subdivisions of Pannonia. It was bordered on the west by the Alps, which stretch from the Danube River to the Adriatic Sea, and belonged to the provinces of Noricum.^[5] It is bordered on the north by the Danube and on the south by the Drava river. In the east, it is divided from Valeria by an arbitrary north-south border which is tangent to the east end of lacus Pelso (Lake Balaton).^[6] On the other hand, was the fort of Valcum (modern Fenékpuszta), close to the Sirmium-Savaria road. This fort is dated to the Constantian era, and is a center of imperial latifundia. The only Pannonian frontier border was that of the Danube, and it was easily defensible; thus, there were few forts lining that border.^[7]

Decline and Fall

Emperor Gratian (367-383) began settling Huns as foederati in Pannonia.^[8] Roman money had ceased circulating in all Pannonia north of the Drave (including Pannonia Prima) by 375, indicating that little Roman influence remained in the area. The foederati and Visigothic and Hunnic barbarians caused trouble, and the situation in Pannonia was described by Claudian as "a continual siege" in 399. Pannonia Prima held out under Generidus, but was eventually assimilated into the Huns' territory by 427. Rome would never regain effective control of this area, but nominally remained a Roman province, until the fall of the Ostrogothic Kingdom in 553.^[9]

References

^ Mocsy, A: "Pannonia and Upper Moesia", pp. 272-3. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1974
^ Poczy, K: "Pannonian Cities", in "The Archaeology of Roman Pannonia", eds. Radan, G.T.B. and A. Lengyel, p. 243. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1980.
^ Mocsy, A: "Pannonia and Upper Moesia", fig. 59. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1974
^ Barkoczi, L: "History of Pannonia", in "The Archaeology of Roman Pannonia", eds. Radan, G.T.B. and A. Lengyel, p. 109. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1980.
^ Strabo's Geography, Section VII, Chapter 5, Section 3
^ Mocsy, A: "Pannonia and Upper Moesia", fig. 59. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1974
^ Mocsy, A: "Pannonia and Upper Moesia", pp. 302-307. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1974
^ Salamon, A, and A. Cs. Sos: "Pannonia - Fifth to Ninth Centuries", in "The Archaeology of Roman Pannonia", eds. Radan, G.T.B. and A. Lengyel, p. 397. Budapest: Akademiai Kiado, 1980.
^ Mocsy, A: "Pannonia and Upper Moesia", pp. 342-349. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1974

Literature

Mócsy, András (2014) [1974]. Pannonia and Upper Moesia: A History of the Middle Danube Provinces of the Roman Empire. New York: Routledge.
Várady, László (1969). Das Letzte Jahrhundert Pannoniens (376–476). Amsterdam: Verlag Adolf M. Hakkert.
Wozniak, Frank E. (1981). "East Rome, Ravenna and Western Illyricum: 454-536 A.D." Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 30 (3): 351–382.

Late Roman and early Byzantine provinces (4th–7th centuries AD)

History
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.

History

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.

Western Roman Empire (395–476)

Praetorian prefecture
of Gaul

Diocese of Gaul	Alpes Poeninae et Graiae Belgica I Belgica II Germania I Germania II Lugdunensis I Lugdunensis II Lugdunensis III Lugdunensis IV Maxima Sequanorum
Diocese of Vienne¹	Alpes Maritimae Aquitanica I Aquitanica II Narbonensis I Narbonensis II Novempopulania Viennensis
Diocese of Spain	Baetica Balearica Carthaginensis Gallaecia Lusitania Mauretania Tingitana Tarraconensis
Diocese of the Britains	Britannia I Britannia II Flavia Caesariensis Maxima Caesariensis Valentia (?)

Praetorian prefecture
of Italy

Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy	Apulia et Calabria Campania Corsica Lucania et Bruttii Picenum Suburbicarium Samnium Sardinia Sicilia Tuscia et Umbria Valeria
Diocese of Annonarian Italy	Alpes Cottiae Flaminia et Picenum Annonarium Liguria et Aemilia Raetia I Raetia II Venetia et Histria
Diocese of Africa²	Africa proconsularis (Zeugitana) Byzacena Mauretania Caesariensis Mauretania Sitifensis Numidia (divided as Cirtensis and Militiana during the Tetrarchy) Tripolitania (Roman province)

Eastern Roman Empire (395–c. 640)

Praetorian prefecture
of Illyricum

Diocese of Pannonia³	Dalmatia Noricum mediterraneum Noricum ripense Pannonia I Pannonia II Savia Valeria ripensis
Diocese of Dacia	Dacia Mediterranea Dacia Ripensis Dardania Moesia I Praevalitana
Diocese of Macedonia	Achaea Creta Epirus Nova Epirus Vetus Macedonia Prima Macedonia II Salutaris Thessalia

Praetorian prefecture
of the East

Diocese of Thrace⁵	Europa Haemimontus Moesia II⁴ Rhodope Scythia⁴ Thracia
Diocese of Asia⁵	Asia Caria⁴ Hellespontus Islands⁴ Lycaonia (370) Lycia Lydia Pamphylia Pisidia Phrygia Pacatiana Phrygia Salutaris
Diocese of Pontus⁵	Armenia I⁵ Armenia II⁵ Armenia Maior⁵ Armenian Satrapies⁵ Armenia III (536) Armenia IV (536) Bithynia Cappadocia I⁵ Cappadocia II⁵ Galatia I⁵ Galatia II Salutaris⁵ Helenopontus⁵ Honorias⁵ Paphlagonia⁵ Pontus Polemoniacus⁵
Diocese of the East⁵	Arabia Cilicia I Cilicia II Cyprus⁴ Euphratensis Isauria Mesopotamia Osroene Palaestina I Palaestina II Palaestina III Salutaris Phoenice I Phoenice II Libanensis Syria I Syria II Salutaris Theodorias (528)
Diocese of Egypt⁵	Aegyptus I Aegyptus II Arcadia Augustamnica I Augustamnica II Libya Superior Libya Inferior Thebais Superior Thebais Inferior

Other territories
Taurica Quaestura exercitus (536) Spania (552)

¹ Later the Septem Provinciae
² Re-established after reconquest by the Eastern Empire in 534 as the separate Prefecture of Africa
³ Later the Diocese of Illyricum
⁴ Placed under the Quaestura exercitus in 536
⁵ Affected (i.e. boundaries modified, abolished or renamed) by Justinian I's administrative reorganization in 534–536