The Collaborative International Dictionary
Praetorian \Pr[ae]*to"ri*an\, a. See Pretorian.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
early 15c., from Latin praetorianus "belonging to a praetor," from praetor (see praetor). Praetorian Guard is from cohors praetoria, the bodyguard troop of a Roman commander or emperor. Hence modern figurative use for "defenders of an existing order."
Wiktionary
a. 1 Of or pertaining to a praetor 2 Corruptly mercenary and venal alt. 1 Of or pertaining to a praetor 2 Corruptly mercenary and venal n. A praetor
WordNet
adj. of or relating to a Roman praetor; "praetorial powers" [syn: praetorial, pretorian, pretorial]
characteristic of Praetorian soldiers in respect to corruption or political venality; "a large praetorian bureaucracy filled with ambitious...and often sycophantic people makes work and makes trouble"- Arthur M.Schlesinger Jr. [syn: pretorian]
Wikipedia
Praetorian is an adjective derived from the ancient Roman office of praetor. It may refer to:
- Praetorian Guard, a special force of skilled and celebrated troops serving as the personal guard of Roman Emperors
- Praetorian legate, the title of a high military rank in the Roman Empire
- Praetorian prefect, the title of a high office in the Roman Empire
-
Praetorian prefecture, the largest administrative division of the late Roman Empire, above the mid-level dioceses and the low-level provinces
- Praetorian prefecture of Africa, division of the Eastern Roman Empire established after the reconquest of northwestern Africa from the Vandals
- Praetorian prefecture of Gaul, included Gaul, Upper and Lower Germany, Roman Britain, Spain and Mauretania Tingitana in Africa
- Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, included, in its greatest expanse, Pannonia, Noricum, Crete and most of the Balkan peninsula except Thrace
- Praetorian prefecture of Italy, included the Italian peninsula, the Western Balkans, the Danubian provinces and parts of North Africa
- Praetorian prefecture of the East, included the larger part of the Eastern Roman Empire
- Praetorian Palace, a 14th-century Venetian palace in the city of Koper, Slovenia
- Praetorian Building, one of the first high-rise buildings to be constructed in Dallas, Texas
- Praetorians Roma, an Italian rugby union team scheduled to begin play in the Magners League in 2010
- Praetorians (video game), a 2003 real-time strategy computer game
- Praetorians (album), a 2008 black metal album by Naer Mataron
- Praetorian (novel), book by Simon Scarrow
- Pax Praetoriana, refers to the relative stability of modern South Africa and its encouragement of democratic governments in other African states
- Praetorian (business), A provider of IT risk assessment and advisory services headquartered in Austin, TX
- The Praetorian, a conservative newspaper at the University of California, Riverside
Praetorian (2011) is the eleventh book in the Eagle series by Simon Scarrow.
Usage examples of "praetorian".
Praetorian guard, dominated by Alawites, whose sole responsibility was protecting the Assad regime from its domestic opponents.
Tigellinus surrounded him with a triple guard of only his trusted minions, while he garrisoned the walls of Rome with praetorian cohorts, occupying even the coastlands and river banks.
Peripherally, he became aware of movement at the bridges, of Corvus crossing the upper bridge behind Galba, riding in a knot of prefects and tribunes, of the Praetorian Guard preparing to cross the central bridge on foot surrounding the mounted dazzle of gold and white that was the emperor.
I am sure you are also sensitive to the extremely delicate relationships between the civil structure, which you represent, the Praetorian Guard, which Faenus Rufus and I command, and the secret service, which the Emperor has put under my charge.
I will ask the Praetorians to inspect the place informally from time to time but Falco, I rely on you!
Two Praetorians died before they even had time to open fire, and then Limbu fell.
Gaudenzi remarks that the addresses of the laws in the Code of Justinian forbid us to suppose that Heliodorus was Praetorian Praefect for eighteen years.
Either in the year 500 or soon after, he received from Theodoric the highest mark of his confidence that the Sovereign could bestow, being raised to the great place of Praetorian Praefect, which still conferred a semi-regal splendour upon its holder, and which possibly under a Barbarian King may have involved yet more participation in the actual work of reigning than it had done under a Roman Emperor.
For instance, the King had reason to complain that Faustus, the Praetorian Praefect, was dawdling over the execution of an order which he had received for the shipment of corn from the regions of Calabria and Apulia to Rome.
Praetorian Praefect, amid various changes in the fortunes of the State, from 533 to 538, or perhaps a year or two longer.
Upon the whole, it seems probable that during the greater part of this time Cassiodorus was, to the best of his power, keeping the civil administration together by virtue of his own authority as Praetorian Praefect, without that constant reference to the wishes of the Sovereign which would have been necessary under Theodoric and his daughter.
But if this was the arrangement then, it must have been altered before the time of Cassiodorus, who certainly appears as Praetorian Praefect to have wielded authority over the greater part of Italy.
Praetorian Praefect, whose office had been at first a purely military one, had now for centuries been chiefly concerned in civil administration, and as Judge over the highest court of appeal in the Empire.
Princeps as serving under the Praetorian Praefect in the treatise of Lydus.
Officia of the Praetorian Praefect and the Magister Officiorum was intense.