praefect

Praefect is a Latin noun meaning a person placed in charge or placed before others to supervise. It derives from praeficere, “to put in front” or “to place in charge.” In Roman usage the term was a general title for a high-ranking official charged with a specific function or jurisdiction, often appointed by the emperor or by the state.

In ancient Rome, several specialized offices bore the title praefectus. The praefectus urbi, or urban prefect, governed the city of Rome and oversaw its administration, police, roads, and public works. The praefectus annonae was responsible for the grain supply and provisioning of the city, a crucial role for maintaining public order and stability. The praefectus vigilum commanded the Vigiles, Rome’s fire brigades and night-watch, combining civil policing with public safety duties. Perhaps the most influential was the praefectus praetorius, commonly known as the Praetorian Prefect, who served as the emperor’s chief administrator and often commander of the Praetorian Guard; at times the position ranked alongside the empire’s most powerful offices.

The title also occurred in other contexts within the Roman world and persisted into late antiquity. It was used for various senior civil and military appointments and became a general label for officials in charge of a department, region, or corps.

In the Byzantine world and medieval Latin practice, praefect and its descendants continued to denote principal administrators or governors, though the exact offices varied by era. In modern usage, the term has largely fallen out of daily use in English, with prefect serving as the common equivalent for similar roles in many languages.