proludium

A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.

prōlūdĭum, ĭi, n. [proludo],

preliminary exercise , training (late Lat.): cum quasi in proludiis negotium spectaretur, Amm. 28, 1, 10: cotidiana proludia exercitūs, id. 14, 11, 3: disciplinae castrensis, id. 16, 5, 10.