Praetorium

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The Latin term praetorium (also prætorium and pretorium) originally identified the tent of a general within a Roman castrum (encampment), and derived from the title praetor, which identified a Roman magistrate.^[1] 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 praitōrion identified the residence of the governor of a city. The term also designated the headquarters of the Roman emperor,^[1] as well as the camp of the Praetorian Guard stationed in Rome.^[1]