PRAEFECTUS ANNŌNAE, the praefect of the provisions, especially of the
corn-market, was not a regular magistrate under the republic, but
was only appointed in cases of extraordinary scarcity, when he seems
to have regulated the prices at which corn was to be sold. Augustus
created an officer under the title of _Praefectus Annonae_, who had
jurisdiction over all matters appertaining to the corn-market, and,
like the _Praefectus Vigilum_, was chosen from the equites, and was
not reckoned among the ordinary magistrates.