{{Short description|Roman military headquarters structure}} {{Hatnote|"praetorium" was also the Roman name for Trebnje in Slovenia and for a site in the county of East Yorkshire, England.}} {{Italic title}} {{RomanMilitary}} The Latin term '''''praetorium''''' (also '''{{lang|la|prætorium}}''' and '''{{lang|la|pretorium}}''') originally identified the tent of a general within a Roman ''castrum'' (encampment), and derived from the title praetor, which identified a Roman magistrate.<ref name="Smith">Smith, William. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, 2 ed., s.v. "Praetorium". London: John Murray, 1872.</ref> Originally, praetor ("leader") was the title of the ranking civil servant in the Roman Republic, but later identified a rank of office below the rank of consul.
The war-council meetings held in the tent of a general gave administrative and juridical meanings to the term ''praetorium'', a usage continued into the Byzantine Empire, where the term {{lang|la|praitōrion}} identified the residence of the governor of a city. The term also designated the headquarters of the Roman emperor,<ref name="Smith"/> as well as the camp of the Praetorian Guard stationed in Rome.<ref name="Smith"/>
== Description == Due to the number of uses for the word ''praetorium'', it is difficult to describe; a ''praetorium'' could be a large building, a permanent tent, or in some cases even be mobile.
=== Exterior === Since the ''praetorium'' originated as the officer's quarters it could be a tent, but was often a large structure. The important design aspect of the ''praetorium'' is not symmetry, but rather proportion of one element to another.<ref>Evans, Edith . "Military Architects and Building Design in Roman Britain". Britannia 25 (1994): 159–161.</ref> The ''praetorium'' was constructed around two open courts, which correspond to the atrium and peristyle of the Roman house. Most ''praetoriums'' had areas surrounding them delegated for exercise and drills conducted by the troops. The area ahead of the camp would be occupied by the tents housing the commander's soldiers.<ref>Shipley, F. W. "The Saalburg Collection". The Classical Weekly Vol. 2. No. 13 (1909): 100–102.</ref><ref>Frere, S. S., M. W. C. Hassall, and R. S. O. Tomlin. "Roman Britain in 1988". Britannia Vol. 20 (1989): 257–345.</ref><ref>Walthew, C. V. "Modular Planning in First-Century A.D. Romano-British Auxiliary Forts". Britannia Vol. 36 (2005): 301.</ref> They were made with brick, covered in plaster, with many arches and columns. right|thumb|Segments of a ''sportulae'' inscribed in a stone tablet
=== Interior ===
Within the ''praetorium'' Roman officers would be able to conduct official business within special designed and designated areas.<ref>Magness, Jodi. "Masada 1995: Discoveries at Camp F". The Biblical Archaeologist Vol. 59. No. 3 (1996): 181.</ref> A ''praetorium'' would normally display information regarding the ''sportulae'' (schedule of fees and taxes) of its region carved directly into the walls of its main public areas. This would often be located near the office of the financial procurator.<ref>De Segni, L., J. Patrich, and K. Holum. "A Schedule of Fees (Sportulae) for Official Services from Caesarea Maritima, Israel". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 145 (2003): 273–300.</ref>
== Biblical reference == In the New Testament, ''praetorium'' refers to the palace of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judea.<ref name=":0" /> It is believed to have been in one of the residential palaces built by Herod the Great for himself in Jerusalem, which at that time was also the residence of his son, king Herod II.<ref name=":0">Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome. ''The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700'', Oxford University Press (5th edition): New York (2008), p. 23. {{ISBN|978-0-19-923666-4}}.</ref> According to the New Testament, this is where Jesus Christ was tried and condemned to death.<ref>Burrows, Millar. "The Fortress Antonia and the Praetorium". The Biblical Archaeologist 1. No. 3 (1938): 17–19.</ref> ''Praetorium'' is variously translated as "common hall", "governor's house", "judgment hall", "Pilate's house", or "palace".{{efn|See Gospel of John 18:28, Mark 15:16}} Additionally, Paul was held in Herod's Praetorium.<ref>Acts 23:35, New American Standard Bible.</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Modell Praetorium, Cologne.JPG | Model of the ''praetorium'' in Roman Cologne File:Praetoriumreal.jpg | Outer view of the supposed praetorium at Musmiye, Syria, demolished in 1890 </gallery>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.odysseyadventures.ca/articles/hadrian-wall/article_hadrianswall-housesteads-praet.htm Praetorium at Housesteads along Hadrian's Wall] * [http://bibleencyclopedia.com/praetorium.htm International Standard Bible Encyclopedia] * [https://www.livius.org/ga-gh/germania/praetorium_agrippinae.html Praetorium Agrippinae (Valkenburg)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224171916/http://www.livius.org/ga-gh/germania/praetorium_agrippinae.html |date=2014-02-24 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120330220902/http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20001026.htm Bible Study - The Praetorium]
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Category:Latin political words and phrases Category:New Testament places Category:New Testament Latin words and phrases Category:Roman fortifications