Praeses is a Latin word meaning "Seated in front, i.e. at the head (of a meeting or company)". The plural is Praesides. Used for: This Manual of Style has the simple purpose of making things easy to read by following a consistent format — it is a style guide. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ...

Roman empire

Prasses, (a common Latin word, meaning chief or patron^[1]), was used increasingly for Roman governors during the second century AD, largely replacing procurator. ^[2]. When Diocletian remodeled the system at the end of the third century AD, he made the provinces much smaller, and called all provincial governors praesides. (He also made it impossible for Roman Senators to be governors, restricting the office entirely to knights.) A procurator is the incumbent of any of several current and historical political or legal offices. ... Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( 245– 312), born Diocles (Greek Διοκλής) and known in English as Diocletian,[1] was Roman Emperor from November 20, 284 to May 1, 305. ... The Roman Senate (Lat. ... An Equestrian (Latin eques, plural equites) was a member of one of the two upper social classes in the Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. ...

According to the Notitia dignitatum (circa 400 AD), the following provinces were administered by a Praeses (grouped by diocesis, administrative diocese): The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. ...

• there were thirty one praesides in the western empire:
  • four in Illyricum: Dalmaticae, Pannonia prima, Noricum mediterraneum, Noricum ripensis
  • seven in Italiae: Alpes Cottiae, Raetia prima, Raetia secunda, Samnium, Valeria, Saradinia, Corsica.
  • two in Africa: Mauretania Sitifensis, Tripolitana
  • four in Hispaniae: Tarraconensis, Carthagiensis, [Mauretania] Tingitania, Insulae Baleari
  • eleven in Galliae: Alpes maritimae, Alpes Poeninae et Graiae, Maxima Sequani, Aquitanica prima, Aquitanica secunda, Novempopulana, Narbonensis prima, Narbonensis secunda, Lugdunensis secunda, Lugdunensis tertia, Lugdunensis Senonica
  • three in Britanniae: Britannia prima, Britannia secunda, Flavia Caesariensis.
• forty provinces had praesides in the eastern empire:
  • five in Aegyptiaca: Libya superior, Libya inferior, Thebais, Aegyptus [], Arcadiae.
  • eight in Oriens diocesis: Palaestinae salutaris, Palaestinae secunda, Foenicis Libani, Eufratensis, Syriae salutaris, Osroehena, Mesopotamia, Cilicia secunda
  • seven in Asiana: Pisidia, Lycaonia, Phrygia Pacatiana, Phrygia salutaris, Lycia, Caria, Insularum.
  • eight in Pontica: Honoriad*, Cappadocia prima, Cappadocia secunda, Helenoponti (=Hellespont), Pontus Polemoniacus, Armenia prima, Armenia secunda, Galatia salutaris.
  • four in Thraciae: Haemimontus, Rhodopa, Moesiae secunda, Scythia
  • eight in Illyricum: Thessalia, Epirus vetus, Epirus nova, Dacia ripensis, Moesiae prima, Praevalitana, Dardania, Macedonia salutaris.

Modern use

• The chairperson of a Student society in the Netherlands or Belgium; in Dutch there is also a purist spelling preses.
• Furthermore, various minor offices can be designated be a compound title, e.g. dooppraeses in charge of the 'baptism', i.e. initiation (and associated hazing).

A student society or student organization is an organization, operated by students at a university, whose membership normally consists only of students. ... Hazing is an often ritualistic test, which may constitute harassment, abuse or humiliation with requirements to perform meaningless tasks, sometimes as a way of initiation into a social group. ...

Notes

1. ^ Cassell's Lat. Dict.
2. ^ OCD s. "procurator">

Sources and references

• Notitia dignitatum
• Pauly-Wissowa