Smith, William: A smaller dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities (London, 1871)

PRAET0R1A.

309

PRINCIPIA.

was the first in rank. His duties confined
him to Rome, as is implied by the name, and
he could only leave the city for ten days at a
time. It was part of his duty to superintend
the Ludi Apollinares. He was also the chief
magistrate for the administration of justice ;
and to the edicta of the successive praetors
the Roman law owes in a great degree its
development and improvement. Both the
praetor urbanus and the praetor peregrinus
had the jus edicendi, and their functions in
this respect do not appear to have been limi-
ted on the establishment of the imperial
power, though it must have been gradually
restricted, as the practice of imperial con-
stitutions and rescripts became common.
[Edictum.] The chief judicial functions of
the praetor in civil matters consisted in giving
a judex. [Judex.] It was only in the case
of interdicts that he decided in a summary
way. [Ixterdictum.] Proceedings before
the praetor were technically said to be in
jure. The praetors also presided at trials of
criminal matters. These were the quaes-
tiones perpetuae, or the trials for repetundae,
ambitus, majestas, and peeulatus, which,
when there were six praetors, were assigned
to four out of the number. Sulla added to
these quaestiones those of falsum, de sicariis
et vencficis, and de parricidis, and for this
purpose he added two, or, according to some
accounts, four praetors. On these occasions
the praetor presided, but a body of judices
determined by a majority of votes the con-
demnation or acquittal of the accused. [Ju-
dex.] The praetor, when he administered
justice, sat on a sella curulis in a tribunal,
which was that part of the court which was
appropriated to the praetor and his assessors
and friends, and is opposed to the subsellia,
or part occupied by the judices, and others
who were present.

PRAETORIA COHORS. [Praetoriani.]
PRAETORIAXI, sc. militcs, or praetoriae
cohortes, a body of troops instituted by Au-
gustus to protect his person and his power,
and called by that name in imitation of the
praetoria eohors, or select troops which at-
tended the person of the praetor or general of
the Roman army. They originally consisted
of nine or ten cohorts, each comprising a
thousand men, horse and foot. Augustus, in
accordance with his general policy of avoid-
ing the appearance of despotism, stationed
only three of these cohorts in the capital, and
dispersed the remainder in the adjacent
towns of Italy. Tiberius, however, under
pretence of introducing a stricter discipline
among them, assembled them all at Rome in
a permanent camp, which was strongly forti-
fied. Their number was increased by Vitel-

lius to sixteen cohorts, or 16,000 men. The
praetorians were distinguished by double pay
and especial privileges. Their term of ser-
vice was originally fixed by Augustus at
twelve years, but was afterwards increased
to sixteen years ; and when they had served
their time, each soldier received 20,000
sesterces. They soon became the most
powerful body in the state, and, like the
janissaries at Constantinople, frequently de-
posed and elevated emperors according to
their pleasure. Even the most powerful of
the emperors were obliged to court their
favour ; and they always obtained a liberal
donation upon the accession of each sove-
reign. After the death of Pertinax (a. d.
193) they even offered the empire for sale,
which was purchased by Didius Julianus;
but upon the accession of Severus in the
same year they were disbanded, on account
of the part they had taken in the death of
Pertinax, and banished from the city. The
emperors, however, could not dispense with
guards, and accordingly the praetorians were
restored on a new model by Severus, and
increased to four times their ancient number.
Diocletian reduced their numbers and abol-
ished their privileges ; they were still allowed
to remain at Rome, but had no longer the
guard of the emperor's person, as he never
resided in the capital. Their numbers were
again increased by Maxentius ; but after his
defeat by Constantine, a. d. 312, they were
entirely suppressed by the latter, their forti-
fied camp destroyed, and those who had not
perished in the battle between Constantine
and Maxentius were dispersed among the
legions. The commander of the praetorianr
was called Praefectus Praetorio.

PRAETORICM, the name of the gcncral\
tent in the camp, and so called because the
name of the chief Roman magistrate was
originally praetor, and not consul. [Castra.]
The officers who attended on the general in the
praetorium, and formed his council of war,
were called by the same name. The word was
also used in several other significations, which
were derived from the original one. Thus
the residence of a governor of a province was
called the praetorium; and the same name
was also given to any large house or palace.
The camp of the praetorian troops at Rome, and
frequently the praetorian troops themselves,
were called by this name. [Praeioriani.]
PRANDIUM. [Coena, p. 9G, i.J
PRELUM. [Vinum.]
PRIMIPILUS. [Centurio.]
PRIXCEPS JUVEXTUTIS. [Equites.J
PRIXCEPS SEXATUS. [Senatus.]
PRIXCIPES. [Exercitus, p. 168, b.]
PBINCIPIA, PRINCIPALIS VIA. [Castra.]