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praeses orientis

English translation: Prefect of the East

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Latin term or phrase:praeses orientis
English translation:Prefect of the East
Entered by: Joseph Brazauskas

10:23 May 3, 2008
Latin to English translations [Non-PRO]
Government / Politics / High Office in Roman Empire
Latin term or phrase: praeses orientis
Hi,

I can see that this must mean the holder of some kind of high office in the East, but would be very grateful for something rather more precise. Could it perhaps be a synonym for “praesidens”, which apparently meant “governor”?

The term appears here:

Saint Margaret of Antioch was a native of Antioch, daughter of a pagan priest named Aedesius. She was scorned by her father for her Christian faith, and lived in the country with a foster-mother keeping sheep. Olybrius, the praeses orientis, offered her marriage at the price of her renunciation of Christianity. Her refusal led to her being cruelly tortured, and after various miraculous incidents, one of which involved getting swallowed by Satan in the shape of a dragon, from which she escaped alive, when the cross she carried irritated the dragon's innards (which led her to being the saint in charge of childbirth in the Middle Ages), she was put to death in A.D. 304.

All the best,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:06
Prefect of the East
Explanation:
Or, more traditionally, 'Prefect of the Orient'. His office was essentially that of superintendent of the province to which he had been appointed. The Digest [1, tit. 18] defines his role thus: "praesidis nomen generale est, eo quod et proconsules et legati Caesaris, et omnes provincias regentes (licet senatores sint) praesides appellentur, "The title of 'praeses' is a generic one on this account, because let both proconsuls and Caesar's [i.e., the reigning Emperor's] legates, and let everyone ruling provinces, provided that they are senators, be called 'praesides'.



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Note added at 43 mins (2008-05-03 11:06:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Its original meaning is of course 'guardian, protector' and then 'ruler, chief, governor'. Byt by the late 3rd century, 'praeses' and 'praefectus', along with other political designations, became rather hazy.
Selected response from:

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 17:06
Grading comment
many thanks excellent as ever
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1Prefect of the East
Joseph Brazauskas
4 +1Defender of Orient
Pierre POUSSIN
3 +1Protector/Chief/Ruler
Gad Kohenov


  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Defender of Orient


Explanation:
or "Protector"

Pierre POUSSIN
France
Local time: 23:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
30 mins
  -> Merci!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Protector/Chief/Ruler


Explanation:
According to cassell's Latin-English dictionary. I would choose Ruler of the East.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2008-05-03 10:45:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A governor if you accept this reference:

JSTOR: The Governors of Syria Coele from Severus to Diocletian
89 The governor of Syria Coele is referred to as praeses as early as the reign
... praeses Syriae Coeles, and iudex sa- crarum cognitionum totius Orientis. ...


Gad Kohenov
Israel
Local time: 00:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in HebrewHebrew

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Joseph Brazauskas
24 mins
  -> Thanks a lot!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Prefect of the East


Explanation:
Or, more traditionally, 'Prefect of the Orient'. His office was essentially that of superintendent of the province to which he had been appointed. The Digest [1, tit. 18] defines his role thus: "praesidis nomen generale est, eo quod et proconsules et legati Caesaris, et omnes provincias regentes (licet senatores sint) praesides appellentur, "The title of 'praeses' is a generic one on this account, because let both proconsuls and Caesar's [i.e., the reigning Emperor's] legates, and let everyone ruling provinces, provided that they are senators, be called 'praesides'.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 43 mins (2008-05-03 11:06:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Its original meaning is of course 'guardian, protector' and then 'ruler, chief, governor'. Byt by the late 3rd century, 'praeses' and 'praefectus', along with other political designations, became rather hazy.

Joseph Brazauskas
United States
Local time: 17:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Grading comment
many thanks excellent as ever

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gad Kohenov: Prefet is also a church diganitary, under a bishop.
10 mins
  -> Thanks.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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