prōvincĭa, ae (old gen. PROVINCIAI, Inscr. Grut. 376, 6) [etym. dub.; perh. contr. for pro-noventia (cf. nuntius), the charge or government of a legate].
I A province , i. e. a territory out of Italy , acquired by the Romans (chiefly by conquest), and brought under Roman government; freq., also, to be rendered provincial administration , employment , etc.: Sicilia prima omnium provincia est appellata, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 1, § 2: defendo provinciam Siciliam, id. Div. in Caecil. 2, 5: provincia Syria, id. Fam. 15, 2, 1: Asia provincia, id. Fl. 34, 85: provincia Gallia, id. Font. 1, 2: praeponere, praeficere aliquem provinciae, id. Fam. 2, 15, 4: tradere alicui provinciam, id. ib. 3, 3, 1: in provinciam cum imperio proficisci, id. ib. 3, 2, 1: administrare provinciam, id. ib. 15, 4, 1: provinciam consulari imperio obtinere, id. Fl. 34, 85; cf. id. Phil. 1, 8, 19: de provinciā decedere, to retire from the administration of a province , id. Fam. 2, 15, 4: provinciam Lentulus deposuit, gave up , resigned , id. Pis. 21, 50: provincia consularis, governed by a former consul (proconsul), id. Verr. 2, 1, 13, § 34: praetoria, governed by a former praetor , id. Phil. 1, 8, 19.—
2 In gen., a province , division of a kingdom or empire : Judaea, Vulg. 1 Esdr. 5, 8: Babylonis, id. Dan. 2, 48.—
II Transf., in gen., official duty , office , business , charge , province (class.): parasitorum, Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 14: hanc tibi impero provinciam, id. Mil. 4, 4, 23: abi in tuam provinciam, id. Cas. 1, 15: duram capere provinciam, Ter. Phorm. 72: sibi provinciam depoposcit, ut me in meo lectulo trucidaret, Cic. Sull. 18, 52: qui eam provinciam susceperint, ut in balneas contruderentur, id. Cael. 26, 63: Sicinio Volsci, Aquilio Hernici provincia evenit, i. e. were given into his charge , were assigned to him to be subdued , Liv. 2, 40 fin. : cum ambo consules Appuliam provinciam haberent, id. 26, 22.—In plur., Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 15: ipsi inter se provincias partiuntur, Hirt. B. G. 8, 35.