praefectura Latin · revision 31758

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la faciō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praefectūra''' ''f'' (genitive praefectūrae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The old spelling ⟨praifectura⟩ appears in an inscription (CIL 1.611).^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|praefectus|-ūra|t1=prefect]],^(Wiktionary) the noun of office to [[m|la|praeficiō|t=to put in charge]], from [[m|la|prae-]] and [[m|la|faciō|t=to make, do]].^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus,^(Köbler 2010) whose parasite in the ''Captivi'' jokes that he will go and administer justice to the bacon by virtue of his “command”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is a position of authority or command.^(OLD 2012) From Cicero on it is the office and duties of a ''[[praefectus]]'': in civil administration (Cicero refusing such a post to a man in business), in the army, and as an imperial appointment such as the prefecture of Egypt in Pliny the Elder.^(OLD 2012) It also named an Italian town under Roman jurisdiction where justice was given by a prefect sent from Rome, listed by Cicero beside ''municipium'' and ''colonia'', and land taken from a neighbouring district and added to a colony.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Later it was a territory whose governor bore the title of prefect, and Pliny applies it to districts of foreign countries such as the satrapies of Armenia.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval texts it is the office of the mayor of the palace, of a ''missus dominicus'', a patrician, a prefect or a margrave.^(Niermeyer 1976) Church Latin glosses it “prefecture”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a position of command.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of the office of a prefect and of Italian towns under a prefect.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder of the prefecture of Egypt and of foreign districts.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – The office of the mayor of the palace or of a ''missus dominicus''.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ * mid-15th century – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|prefecture]], partly through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A position of [[m|en|authority]], command.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The office and duties of a ''praefectus'', a [[m|en|prefecture]], [[m|en|superintendence]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An Italian town governed by a prefect sent from Rome; land added to a colony from a neighbouring district.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A territory governed by a prefect; a [[m|en|province]] or district of a foreign country.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The office of a mayor of the palace, a ''missus dominicus'', a patrician or a [[m|en|margrave]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[praefectus]]

+ * [[praeficio|alt=praeficiō]]

+ * [[en|prefecture]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}