The praetorium of Gortyn. The development of a governor’s seat between the 4th and the 8th century

During Late Antiquity, Gortyn functioned as the administrative centre of Crete, serving successively as the seat of a praeses under Diocletian, a ὑπατικός (consularis) under Constantine, and an ἀνϑύπατος (proconsul) from the reign of Justinian onward1. The continuous presence of the p rovincial g overnor n ot o nly o ffers v aluable e vidence for examining the evolution of praetoria, but also underscores the city’s significance as a paradigmatic case in exploring the interconnection between urban development and institutional structures. This relationship illustrates an ongoing recalibration of internal socio- political dynamics within the local community, shaped in part by natural disasters, such as earthquakes, as well as by broader political and religious transformations.