Profectionem

Profectionem is a Latin noun meaning departure or setting forth, especially for a journey, campaign, or pilgrimage. It is the accusative singular of profectio (nominative profectio, genitive profectionis), a feminine noun of the third declension. The verb from which it derives is proficiscor, meaning to set out or depart, and the sense of the noun centers on the act or moment of going forth.

In classical usage the term occurs in historical and documentary Latin to denote the start of a journey or expedition. It is commonly associated with military campaigns—e.g., the army's profectionem forth from a city or camp—as well as with diplomatic or official missions when magistrates or envoys undertook a profectionem for foreign negotiations or imperial campaigns. In some religious or ceremonial contexts, profectionem can appear to describe the departure of participants, pilgrims, or religious servers as part of a rite or calendar observance.

Grammatical notes: profectionem is the accusative form; related forms follow standard Latin declension: profectio (nominative), profectionis (genitive), profectionem (accusative). The term is relatively specialized and typically found in literary, epigraphic, or historical Latin rather than in everyday prose.

Modern usage: In modern classical scholarship, profectionem is treated as a historical term illustrating concepts of travel, military organization, and ritual practice in ancient Rome. It is generally translated as 'departure' or 'setting out' and occasionally rendered more descriptively as 'marching forth' or 'going forth' depending on context.