THE REAPPEARANCE OF THE SUPRA - PROVINCIAL COMMANDS IN THE LATE SECOND AND EARLY THIRD CENTURIES C.E.: CONSTITUTIONAL AND HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS Frederik J. Vervaet Introduction This paper aims at examining and explaining the nature of some spec- tacular extraordinary commands from the reign of Marcus Aurelius to the reign of Philippus Arabs (161–249 C.E.). Although the initial plan was to focus primarily on the third century proper, the period between the reigns of Philippus Arabs (244–249) and Diocletian (284–305) is so chaotic that it becomes very hard to distinguish between the ordi- nary and the exceptional. After a brief denition of what will be con- sidered an extraordinary command in this paper, we will rst have to survey a number of relevant precedents from the preceding centuries. Indeed, the extant source material for the attested extraordinary com- mands from the period discussed is so limited that this gradual approach is the only means to develop a number of plausible explanations con- cerning the commands scrutinized in this paper, namely those held by C. Avidius Cassius in 169–175 and by C. Iulius Priscus in 244–249. A matter of denition Under the Empire, the only ofcial distinction between provincial com- manders was that between the governors of the public provinces, on the one hand, and the governors of the provinciae Caesaris, on the other hand. Whereas the rst category of governors were all praetorians or consul- ars and all carried the title of proconsul, the rank and ofcial titles of the latter category varied greatly. All but one of the most important imperial provinces were governed by praetorian or consular ofcials who held the title of legatus Augusti pro praetore. The key position of prae- fectus Aegypti and the ever increasing number of procuratorships, both