praetōrĭus, a, um, adj. [praetor].
I Of or belonging to the praetor or praetors , praetorian : jus, proceeding from the praetor , consisting of his decisions , Cic. Off. 1, 10, 33: comitia, the election of praetor , Liv. 10, 22: potestas, the office of a praetor , Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 69: turba, to be found about the praetor , accustomed to wait upon him , id. Verr. 2, 1, 52, § 137: jus praetorium, quod praetores introduxerunt adjuvandi, vel supplendi, vel corrigendi juris civilis gratiā: quod et honorarium dicitur, Dig. 1, 1, 7; Gai. Inst. 4, 34: pignus, Dig. 35, 2, 32: tutor, a guardian appointed by the praetor Urbanus , Gai. Inst. 1, 184.—
B Subst.: praetōrĭus , ii, m.
α One who has been praetor , an expraetor , Cic. Att. 16, 7, 1.—
β One of praetorian rank , Plin. Ep. 1, 14, 5.—
II Of or belonging to the propraetor , propraetorian : domus deferebantur, his official residence in a province , Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 56, § 145: exercitus, Flor. 3, 19, 11.—
III Of or belonging to a general : praetoria cohors, the cohort or body-guard attached to every general , a praetorian cohort , Caes. B. G. 1, 40; cf.: praetoria cohors est dicta, quod a praetore non discedebat. Scipio enim Africanus primus fortissimum quemque delegit, qui ab eo in bello non discederent et cetero munere militiae vacarent et sesquiplex stipendium acciperent, Paul. ex Fest. p. 223 Müll.—Hence, derisively: scortatorum cohors praetoria, Cic. Cat. 2, 11, 24.—The emperors especially had cohorts as a body-guard: castra, the camp of the praetorians , Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 67; Suet. Tib. 37; Tac. A. 4, 2: cohortes navis, the flag-ship , the admiral's ship , Liv. 26, 39: puppis, Flor. 2, 7, 7: imperium, the chief command , Cic. Div. 1, 32, 68: porta, the gate of the camp that opened from before the general's tent directly towards the enemy (opp. the porta decumana, which was on the side farthest from the enemy), Caes. B. C. 3, 94: praetoria porta in castris appellatur, quā exercitus in proelium educitur, quia initio praetores erant, qui nunc consules, et hi bella administrabant, quorum tabernaculum quoque dicebatur praetorium, Paul. ex Fest. p. 223 Müll.