Pre*to"ri*al (?), a. Pretorian. Burke.
Pre*to"ri*an (?), a. [L. praetorians: cf. F. prÈtorien.] Of or
pertaining to a pretor or magistrate; judicial; exercised by, or
belonging to, a pretor; as, pretorian power or authority.
Pretorian bands or guards, or Pretorians (Rom. Hist.), the emperor's
bodyguards, instituted by the Emperor Augustus in nine cohorts of 1,000
men each. -- Pretorian gate (Rom. Antiq.), that one of the four gates
in a camp which lay next the enemy. Brande & C.
Pre*to"ri*an, n. A soldier of the pretorian guard.
||Pre*to"ri*um (?), n. [L. praetorium, fr. praetor.] 1. The general's
||tent in a Roman camp; hence, a council of war, because held in the
||general's tent.
2. The official residence of a governor of a province; hence, a place;
a splendid country seat.