Pretorian \Pre*to"ri*an\, a. [L. praetorians: cf. F.
pr['e]torien.]
Of or pertaining to a pretor or magistrate; judicial;
exercised by, or belonging to, a pretor; as, pretorian power
or authority.
[1913 Webster]
{Pretorian bands} or {Pretorian guards}, or {Pretorians}
(Rom. Hist.), the emperor's bodyguards, instituted by the
Emperor Augustus in nine cohorts of 1,000 men each.
{Pretorian gate} (Rom. Antiq.), that one of the four gates in
a camp which lay next the enemy. --Brande & C.
[1913 Webster]