praetorium Latin · revision 31550

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la praetor}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praetōrium''' ''n'' (genitive praetōriī or praetōrī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|praetor|-ium|t1=praetor; general]],^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) which the OLD derives from the adjective [[praetōrius|t=of a praetor or general]].^(OLD 2012) De Vaan explains ⟨praetor⟩ as ⟨*prai-itōr⟩, “one who goes before”, from [[prae|t=before]] and [[eō|t=to go]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cicero and Caesar have it for the general's headquarters in camp:^(OLD 2012) Cicero tells of a man sacrificing in front of the ''praetōrium''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the general's tent it passed to the council of officers held there, as in Livy's “the council was dismissed”,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and to the headquarters of a provincial governor, as in Cicero's speeches against Verres.^(OLD 2012) Inscriptions use it for rest houses built along the military roads for travelling officials.^(OLD 2012) Under the Empire it named the imperial bodyguard, the Praetorian Guard, from Pliny the Elder and Tacitus on.^(OLD 2012) Juvenal and Suetonius use it for a grand country mansion: Juvenal's rich owe their gardens and palaces to crime.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin has it for a palace, a governor's hall and a court of judgment.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin uses it for a manor or castle and for a hall of justice.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a general's and a governor's headquarters.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–AD 17 – Livy of a council of war.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of the Praetorian Guard.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 67–c. 127 AD – Juvenal of a grand mansion.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 528–534 AD – The Code of Justinian.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A general's [[m|en|headquarters]] or tent; a council of war held there; a governor's residence.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A rest house for travelling officials.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The [[m|en|Praetorian Guard]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A large [[m|en|mansion]], [[m|en|palace]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' A judgment hall, [[m|en|courtroom]].^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A manor, castle.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[praetōriānus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[praetor]]

+ * [[praetōrius]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}