Imperii

Imperii is the genitive singular form of imperium, a Latin neuter noun meaning command, authority, or empire. In classical and Late Latin, imperium referred to the legal and political power to command military forces and govern the state. The term can denote both the abstract concept of sovereign power and, more specifically, the territorial realm or political realm associated with that power, as in phrases that speak of the empire or the ruler’s dominion.

Etymology and grammar: Imperium derives from the Latin verb imperare, to command or order, and is a second-declension neuter noun. Its standard forms include imperium (nominative singular) and imperii (genitive singular), with imperia (nominative plural) and imperiorum (genitive plural). The genitive singular imperii is the form under discussion and is commonly used to express possession or association, as in expressions like gloria imperii (the glory of the empire) or acta imperii (the records of the empire’s power).

Usage and significance: In the Roman Republic and Empire, imperium signified the supreme authority granted to magistrates and military commanders to command troops and administer justice. The concept underpinned titles such as imperator and the central authority of the state. In later periods, imperium broadened to encompass the formal idea of an imperial realm. The genitive imperii appears frequently in Latin inscriptions and literature to convey relationships of power, sovereignty, or governance.

See also: imperium, imperator, Roman law, Roman Empire.