Bible Dictionary: Praetorium

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Smith's Bible Dictionary

Praetorium

(in the Revised Version translated palace ,) (Matthew 27:27; John 18:28,33; 19:3) the headquarters of the Roman military governor, wherever he happened to be. In time of peace some one of the best buildings of the city which, was the residence of the proconsul or praetor, was selected for this purpose. Thus at Caesarea that of Herod the Great was occupied by Felix, (Acts 23:35) and at Jerusalem the new palace erected by the same prince was the residence of Pilate. After the Roman power was established in Judea, a Roman guard was always maintained in the Antonia. The praetorian camp at Rome, to which St. Paul refers, (Philemon 1:13) was erected by the emperor Tiberius, acting under the advice of Sejanus. It stood outside the walls, at some distance short of the fourth milestone. St. Paul appears to have been permitted, for the space of two years, to lodge, so to speak, "within the rules" of the praetorium, (Acts 28:30) Although still under the custody of a soldier.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The Greek word (praitorion) thus rendered in Mark 15:16 is rendered "common hall" (Matthew 27:27, marg., "governor's house"), "judgment hall," (John 18:28, 33, marg., "Pilate's house", 19:9; Acts 23:35), "palace" (Philippians 1:13). This is properly a military word. It denotes (1) the general's tent or headquarters; (2) the governor's residence, as in Acts 23:35 (R.V., "palace"); and (3) the praetorian guard (see PALACE), or the camp or quarters of the praetorian cohorts (Acts 28:16), the imperial guards in immediate attendance on the emperor, who was "praetor" or commander-in-chief.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) See Pretorium.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

PRAETORIUM

pre-to'-ri-um praitorion, Matthew 27:27 (the King James Version "common hall"); Mark 15:16 John 18:28, 33; John 19:9 (in all margins "palace," and in the last three the King James Version "judgment hall"); Acts 23:35, (Herod's) "palace," margin "Praetorium," the King James Version "judgment hall"; Philippians 1:13, "praetorian guard" (margin "Greek `in the whole Pretorium,' " the King James Version "palace," margin "Caesar's court"):

1. Governor's Official Residence:

The Pretorium was originally the headquarters of a Roman camp, but in the provinces the name became attached to the governor's official residence. In order to provide residences for their provincial governors, the Romans were accustomed to seize and appropriate the palaces which were formerly the homes of the princes or kings in conquered countries. Such a residence might sometimes be in a royal palace, as was probably the case in Caesarea, where the procurator used Herod's palace (Acts 23:35).

2. In Gospels Herod's Palace:

The Pretorium where Jesus was brought to trial has been traditionally located in the neighborhood of the present Turkish barracks where once stood the Antonia and where was stationed a large garrison (compare Acts 21:32-35), but the statements of Josephus make it almost certain that the headquarters of the procurator were at Herod's palace. This was a building whose magnificence Josephus can hardly sufficiently appraise (Wars, I, xxi, 1; V, iv, 4). It was in this palace that "Florus, the procurator took up his quarters, and having placed his tribunal in front of it, held his sessions and the chief priests, influential persons and notables of the city appeared before the tribunal" (Wars II, xiv, 8). Later on, "Florus.... brought such as were with him out of the king's palace, and would have compelled them to get as far as the citadel (Antonia); but his attempt failed" (II, xv, 5). The word translated "palace" here is aule, the same word as is translated "court" in Mark 15:16, "the soldiers led him away within the court (aule), which is the Pretorium." There is no need to suppose that Herod Antipas was in the same palace (Luke 23:4); it is more probable he went to the palace of the Hasmoneans which lay lower down on the eastern slope of this southwest hill, where at a later time Josephus expressly states that Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice were living (Wars, II, xvi, 3).

The palace of Herod occupied the highest part of the southwest hill near the northwest angle of the ancient city, now traditionally called Zion, and the actual site of the Pretorium cannot have been far removed from the Turkish barracks near the so-called "Tower of David." It is interesting to note that the two stations of the Turkish garrison of Jerusalem today occupy the same spots as did the Roman garrison of Christ's time. It is needless to point out how greatly this view of the situation of the Pretorium must modify the traditional claims of the "Via Dolorosa," the whole course of which depends on theory that the "Way of Sorrow" began at the Antonia, the Pretorium of late ecclesiastical tradition.

See also GABBATHA.

3. Philippians 1:13:

With regard to the expression en holo to praitorio in Philippians 1:13, there is now a general consensus of opinion that "Praetorium" here means, not a place, but the imperial praetorian guard, ten thousand in number, which was instituted by Augustus. Paul was allowed to reside in his private house in the custody of a praetorian soldier. As these were doubtless constantly changed, it must have become "manifest" to the whole guard that his bonds were for the sake of Christ. See also preceding article.

E. W. G. Masterman

Greek

4232. praitorion -- Praetorium (official residence of a governor) ...
... Praetorium (official residence of a governor), praetorian guard. Part of Speech:
Noun, Neuter Transliteration: praitorion Phonetic Spelling: (prahee-to'-ree-on ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4232.htm - 7k

Library

Jesus Before Pilate.
... Annas, Caiphas, and the chiefs of the Sanhedrin stopped at a part between the forum
and the entrance to the Praetorium, where some stone seats were placed for ...
/.../chapter xvii jesus before pilate.htm

The Trial Before Pilate.
... They lead Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium: and it was early; and
they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, that they might not be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the trial before pilate.htm

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians
... rather than Rome. It is "the whole praetorium" (i.13). This might mean
the praetorium or palace of Herod Agrippa II. at Caesarea ...
/.../pullan/the books of the new testament/chapter xvi the epistle of.htm

Friday --The Day of Suffering.
... They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium: and it was early; and
they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, that they might not be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his last week/fridaythe day of suffering.htm

Description of Pilate's Palace and the Adjacent Buildings.
... There was a large parapet near the western entrance, supported by the sides of Pilate's
Praetorium, which formed a species of porch between it and the square. ...
/.../chapter xvi description of pilates.htm

First Stage of the Roman Trial. Jesus Before Pilate for the First ...
... 28-38. ^d and they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, that they
might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. [See ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxxix first stage of the.htm

The Trial Before Pilate Resumed.
... scourged him. And the soldiers led him away within the court, which is
the Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the trial before pilate resumed.htm

Jesus Sentenced
... The frequent changes of scene from within to without the praetorium indicate the
steps in the struggle, and vividly reflect the irresolution of Pilate. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture st john chaps xv to xxi/jesus sentenced.htm

The Apostle's Position and Circumstances
... It was felt, primarily, "in all the Praetorium," that is to say, in the large circle
of the Imperial Life-guards.[6] We gather here, with reasonable certainty ...
/.../moule/philippian studies/chapter iii the apostles position.htm

Introductory
... They have noticed eg the verbal coincidence between Herod's praetorium (AV
"judgment-hall") of Acts 23:35, and the praetorium (AV "palace") of Philippians ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moule/philippian studies/chapter i introductory.htm

Thesaurus

Praetorium (8 Occurrences)
... (n.) See Pretorium. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PRAETORIUM. ... See also preceding
article. EWG Masterman. Multi-Version Concordance Praetorium (8 Occurrences) ...
/p/praetorium.htm - 14k

Praetorian (2 Occurrences)
... the soldier that guarded him," Acts 28:16, with this statement in Philippians
1:13, that the apostle's bonds were manifest in the whole praetorium, and to ...
/p/praetorian.htm - 15k

Palace (194 Occurrences)
... Paul was continually chained to a soldier of that corps (Acts 28:16), and hence
his name and sufferings became known in all the praetorium. ...
/p/palace.htm - 40k

Judgment (430 Occurrences)
... 19:9; Matthew 27:27), "common hall." In all these passages the Revised Version renders
"palace." In Mark 15:16 the word is rendered "Praetorium" (qv), which is ...
/j/judgment.htm - 52k

Guard (185 Occurrences)
... the soldier that guarded him," Acts 28:16, with this statement in Philippians
1:13, that the apostle's bonds were manifest in the whole praetorium, and to ...
/g/guard.htm - 55k

Led (260 Occurrences)
... (See NAS RSV NIV). Mark 15:16 The soldiers led him away within the court, which
is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort. ...
/l/led.htm - 36k

Gabbatha (1 Occurrence)
... A judgement-seat (bema) was placed on this "pavement" outside the hall of the
"praetorium" (qv), the judgment-hall (John 18:28; 19:13). Int. ...
/g/gabbatha.htm - 8k

Inside (185 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Mark 15:16 The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the
Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort. (See RSV). ...
/i/inside.htm - 36k

Defiled (119 Occurrences)
... (ASV DBY RSV). John 18:28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the
Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn't enter ...
/d/defiled.htm - 38k

Morn (8 Occurrences)
... (Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). John 18:28 So they
brought Jesus from Caiaphas's house to the Praetorium. ...
/m/morn.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance

Praetorium (8 Occurrences)

Matthew 27:27 Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him.
(WEB WEY ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 15:16 The soldiers led him away within the court, which is the Praetorium; and they called together the whole cohort.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

John 18:28 They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn't enter into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.
(WEB WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV)

John 18:33 Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
(WEB WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV)

John 19:8 More alarmed than ever, Pilate no sooner heard these words than he re-entered the Praetorium and began to question Jesus.
(WEY)

John 19:9 He entered into the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.
(WEB ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Acts 23:35 I will give hearing to your cause, he said, when those who are against you have come. And he gave orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.
(BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Philippians 1:13 So that it became clear through all the Praetorium, and to all the rest, that I was a prisoner on account of Christ;
(BBE DBY YLT)

Subtopics

Praetorium

Related Terms

Praetorian (2 Occurrences)

Palace (194 Occurrences)

Judgment (430 Occurrences)

Guard (185 Occurrences)

Led (260 Occurrences)

Gabbatha (1 Occurrence)

Inside (185 Occurrences)

Defiled (119 Occurrences)