Pre*to"ri*an (?), a. [L. praetorians: cf. F. pr'etorien.]
Of or pertaining to a pretor or magistrate; judicial; exercised by, or belonging to, a pretor; as, pretorian power or authority.
Pretorian bands ∨ guards, ∨ 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.
© Webster 1913.
Pre*to"ri*an, n.
A soldier of the pretorian guard.
© Webster 1913.