Praeses

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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:

Roman empire

Praeses was one of the more common titles of provincial governors (the generic term was Rector provinciae) at the head of an 'eparchy' (i.e. Roman province) during the Dominate. According to the Notitia dignitatum (circa 400 AD), the following provinces were administered by a Praeses (griued by administrative diocesis):

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, Corsicae.
*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, Frygia Pacatiana, Frygia 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).

Sources and references

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