Editing Prefecture (section)

===Antiquity===
''Prefecture'' originally referred to several distinct administrative structures in ancient Rome.

In the [[Roman Republic]] and early Empire, a '''[[Praefectura (Roman settlement)|praefectura]]''' was a town or community lacking full civic autonomy and administered by a Roman-appointed [[Praefectus]]. These praefecturae were common in Italy before the extension of Roman citizenship and typically occupied a lower legal status than a [[municipium]] or [[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]].

Later, during the [[Tetrarchy]], Emperor [[Diocletian]] reorganized the Roman Empire into four major administrative divisions known as '''praetorian prefectures'''. Each was composed of several [[diocese]]s and governed by a senior official called a ''[[Praetorian prefect]]''. This structure persisted into the [[Byzantine Empire]] and influenced later forms of territorial governance.