Princeps (plural: principes) is a Latin word meaning "first in time or order; the first, foremost,[1] chief, the most eminent, distinguished, or noble; the first man, first person".[2] As a title, princeps originated in the Roman Republic wherein the leading member of the Senate was designated princeps senatus.[3] It is primarily associated with the Roman emperors as an unofficial title first adopted by Augustus (r. 27 BC – AD 14) in 23 BC. Its use in this context continued until the regime of Diocletian (r. 284 – 305 AD) at the end of the third century. He preferred the title of dominus, meaning "lord" or "master". As a result, the Roman Empire from Augustus to Diocletian is termed the "principate" (principatus) and from Diocletian onwards as the "dominate" (dominatus). Other historians define the reign of Augustus to Severus Alexander (r. 222 – 235) as the Principate, and the period afterwards as the "Autocracy".[4]
centurio(n) in command of a unit or administrative office.
Princeps ordinarius vexillationis: centurion in command of a vexillatio (detachment).
Princeps peregrinorum ("commander of the foreigners"): centurion in charge of troops in the castra peregrina (military base at Rome for personnel seconded from the provincial armies)
Princeps prior: Centurion commanding a manipulus (unit of two centuries) of principes (legionary heavy infantry).
Princeps posterior: deputy to the Princeps prior
Princeps praetorii : centurion attached to headquarters.
Princeps was also used as the second part of various other military titles, such as Decurio princeps, Signifer princeps (among the standard-bearers). See also Principalis (as in Optio principalis): NCO.
Princeps is also the (official) short version of Princeps officii, the chief of an officium (the office staff of a Roman dignitary).
Roman Emperor
"First Citizen" redirects here. For the novel by Thomas Thurston Thomas, see First Citizen (novel).
Princeps civitatis ("First Citizen") was an official title of a Roman Emperor, as the title determining the leader in Ancient Rome at the beginning of the Roman Empire. It created the principate Roman imperial system.[5]
This usage of "princeps" derived from the position of Princeps senatus, the "first among equals" of the Senate. The princeps senatus (plural principes senatus) was the first member by precedence of the Roman Senate, and his opinion would usually be asked first in senatorial debates.[3]
It was first given as a special title to Caesar Augustus in 27 BC,[6] who saw that use of the titles rex (king) or dictator would create resentment amongst senators and other influential men, who had earlier demonstrated their disapproval by supporting the assassination of Julius Caesar. While Augustus had political and military supremacy, he needed the assistance of his fellow Romans to manage the Empire. In his Res Gestae, Augustus claims auctoritas for the princeps (himself).[5]
Various official titles were associated with the Roman Emperor. These titles included imperator, Augustus, Caesar, and later dominus (lord) and basileus (the Greek word for "sovereign"). The word Emperor is derived from the Roman title "imperator", which was a very high, but not exclusive, military title until Augustus began to use it as his praenomen.
The Emperor Diocletian (284–305), the father of the Tetrarchy, was the first to stop referring to himself as "princeps" altogether, calling himself "dominus" (lord, master), thus dropping the pretense that emperor was not truly a monarchical office. The period when the emperors that called themselves princeps ruled—from Augustus to Diocletian—is called "the Principate", Diocletian's rule began "the Dominate" period.[3]
Ancient Rome knew another kind of "princely" principes too, like "princeps iuventutis" ("the first amongst the young"), which in the early empire was frequently bestowed on eligible successors to the emperor, especially from his family. It was first given to Augustus' maternal grandsons Gaius and Lucius.[7][page needed]
Nobiliary legacy
"Princeps" is the root and Latin rendering of modern words as the English title and generic term prince (see that article, also for various equivalents in other languages), as the Byzantine version of Roman law was the basis for the legal terminology developed in feudal (and later absolutist) Europe.[3]
Non-Roman meaning
Princeps has been used in various scientific names, including the following:
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (May 2021)
The Star Trek episode "Bread and Circuses" takes place on Magna Roma, an alternate Earth where the Roman Empire never fell. In this episode, the leader of Magna Roman society (Merikus, played by William Smithers) is referred to as First Citizen of his empire.
In the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov, First Citizen is the title taken by the Mule and his successors in their position as leader of the Union of Worlds. Asimov had previously used the title "First Citizen of the State" for Korell's authoritarian ruler Commdor in the original Foundation novel.
Princeps is the name of a dog that Brother Priad meets in the Warhammer 40,000 book Brothers of the Snake.
Princeps is the title for the captain of a Titan, a massive humanoid war machine in the tabletop wargame Warhammer 40,000.
In the book series Codex Alera by Jim Butcher, Princeps is the title given to the crown prince of the empire of Alera. It is also used in the title of the fifth book in the series, Princeps' Fury.
In the Star Trek: Infinity's Prism book Seeds of Dissent by James Swallow, "Princeps" is the title for "Commander" Julian Bashir of the warship Defiance, which exists in an alternate universe from the more familiar 24th Century envisioned in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Grant, Michael, The Twelve Caesars, Michael Grant Publications 1975, ISBN0-684-14402-6
May 07, 2023
princeps, star, delta, boötis, plural, principes, latin, word, meaning, first, time, order, first, foremost, chief, most, eminent, distinguished, noble, first, first, person, title, princeps, originated, roman, republic, wherein, leading, member, senate, desig. For the star see Delta Bootis Princeps plural principes is a Latin word meaning first in time or order the first foremost 1 chief the most eminent distinguished or noble the first man first person 2 As a title princeps originated in the Roman Republic wherein the leading member of the Senate was designated princeps senatus 3 It is primarily associated with the Roman emperors as an unofficial title first adopted by Augustus r 27 BC AD 14 in 23 BC Its use in this context continued until the regime of Diocletian r 284 305 AD at the end of the third century He preferred the title of dominus meaning lord or master As a result the Roman Empire from Augustus to Diocletian is termed the principate principatus and from Diocletian onwards as the dominate dominatus Other historians define the reign of Augustus to Severus Alexander r 222 235 as the Principate and the period afterwards as the Autocracy 4 The medieval title Prince is a derivative of princeps 3 Contents 1 Roman military 2 Roman administration 3 Roman Emperor 4 Nobiliary legacy 5 Non Roman meaning 6 Fiction 7 See also 8 References 9 Further readingRoman military EditSee Principes legionary heavy infantry soldier centurio n in command of a unit or administrative office Princeps ordinarius vexillationis centurion in command of a vexillatio detachment Princeps peregrinorum commander of the foreigners centurion in charge of troops in the castra peregrina military base at Rome for personnel seconded from the provincial armies Princeps prior Centurion commanding a manipulus unit of two centuries of principes legionary heavy infantry Princeps posterior deputy to the Princeps prior Princeps praetorii centurion attached to headquarters Princeps was also used as the second part of various other military titles such as Decurio princeps Signifer princeps among the standard bearers See also Principalis as in Optio principalis NCO Roman administration EditMain article Officium Ancient Rome Princeps is also the official short version of Princeps officii the chief of an officium the office staff of a Roman dignitary Roman Emperor Edit First Citizen redirects here For the novel by Thomas Thurston Thomas see First Citizen novel Princeps civitatis First Citizen was an official title of a Roman Emperor as the title determining the leader in Ancient Rome at the beginning of the Roman Empire It created the principate Roman imperial system 5 This usage of princeps derived from the position of Princeps senatus the first among equals of the Senate The princeps senatus plural principes senatus was the first member by precedence of the Roman Senate and his opinion would usually be asked first in senatorial debates 3 It was first given as a special title to Caesar Augustus in 27 BC 6 who saw that use of the titles rex king or dictator would create resentment amongst senators and other influential men who had earlier demonstrated their disapproval by supporting the assassination of Julius Caesar While Augustus had political and military supremacy he needed the assistance of his fellow Romans to manage the Empire In his Res Gestae Augustus claims auctoritas for the princeps himself 5 Various official titles were associated with the Roman Emperor These titles included imperator Augustus Caesar and later dominus lord and basileus the Greek word for sovereign The word Emperor is derived from the Roman title imperator which was a very high but not exclusive military title until Augustus began to use it as his praenomen The Emperor Diocletian 284 305 the father of the Tetrarchy was the first to stop referring to himself as princeps altogether calling himself dominus lord master thus dropping the pretense that emperor was not truly a monarchical office The period when the emperors that called themselves princeps ruled from Augustus to Diocletian is called the Principate Diocletian s rule began the Dominate period 3 Ancient Rome knew another kind of princely principes too like princeps iuventutis the first amongst the young which in the early empire was frequently bestowed on eligible successors to the emperor especially from his family It was first given to Augustus maternal grandsons Gaius and Lucius 7 page needed Nobiliary legacy Edit Princeps is the root and Latin rendering of modern words as the English title and generic term prince see that article also for various equivalents in other languages as the Byzantine version of Roman law was the basis for the legal terminology developed in feudal and later absolutist Europe 3 Non Roman meaning EditPrinceps has been used in various scientific names including the following This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items May 2021 Princeps a former genus of swallowtail butterflies now treated as a subgenus of Papilio Accipiter princeps the New Britain goshawk Actenoides princeps the scaly breasted kingfisher Cattleya walkeriana var princeps a synonym for Cattleya walkeriana an orchid species Emberiza flaviventris princeps a subspecies of golden breasted bunting found in Angola and Namibia Grallaria guatimalensis princeps a subspecies of scaled antpitta found in Costa Rica and Panama Heterohyrax brucei princeps a subspecies of yellow spotted rock hyrax Melionyx princeps the long bearded melidectes Morphnarchus princeps the barred hawk Triplofusus princeps a tropical sea snail Passerculus sandwichensis princeps the Ipswich sparrow a subspecies of Savannah sparrow Ploceus princeps the Principe weaver Psittacus timneh princeps the Principe subspecies of Timneh parrotFiction EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Princeps news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Star Trek episode Bread and Circuses takes place on Magna Roma an alternate Earth where the Roman Empire never fell In this episode the leader of Magna Roman society Merikus played by William Smithers is referred to as First Citizen of his empire In the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov First Citizen is the title taken by the Mule and his successors in their position as leader of the Union of Worlds Asimov had previously used the title First Citizen of the State for Korell s authoritarian ruler Commdor in the original Foundation novel Princeps is the name of a dog that Brother Priad meets in the Warhammer 40 000 book Brothers of the Snake Princeps is the title for the captain of a Titan a massive humanoid war machine in the tabletop wargame Warhammer 40 000 In the book series Codex Alera by Jim Butcher Princeps is the title given to the crown prince of the empire of Alera It is also used in the title of the fifth book in the series Princeps Fury In the Star Trek Infinity s Prism book Seeds of Dissent by James Swallow Princeps is the title for Commander Julian Bashir of the warship Defiance which exists in an alternate universe from the more familiar 24th Century envisioned in the television series Star Trek Deep Space Nine In the book The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu Princeps is the title of the leader of the Trisolaran civilization In the book The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann Princeps Scholasticorum is the title Settembrini uses to introduce Naphta In the actual play series Dimension 20 A Starstruck Oddysey by Dropout Princeps Zortch is a non binary member of Rubian V s royalty See also EditChief of the Name Head of StateReferences Edit Simpson D P 1968 Cassell s Latin Dictionary Latin English English Latin London Cassell Publishers Limited p 713 ISBN 9780826453785 Charlton T Lewis Charles Short 1897 princeps cĭpis adj A Latin Dictionary Retrieved 2009 04 21 a b c d e Encyclopaedia Britannica Princeps A History of Rome to A D 565 rev 6th ed Sinnigen amp Boak PanMacMillan c1975 a b Grant p 62 Africa Thomas 1991 The Immense Majesty A History of Rome and the Roman Empire Harlan Davidson Inc p 219 SuetoniusFurther reading EditGrant Michael The Twelve Caesars Michael Grant Publications 1975 ISBN 0 684 14402 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Princeps amp oldid 1134219250, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
