The Illustrated Bible Dictionary
PRAETORIUM The Greek
Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)
word (praitorion) thus rendered in Mark 15:16 is rendered “common hall” (Matthew 27:27, marg., “governor’s house”), “judgment hall,” (John 18:28, 33, marg., “Pilate’s house”, 19:9; Acts 23:35), “palace” (Phil. 1:13). This is properly a military word. It denotes (1) the general’s tent or headquarters; (2) the governor’s residence, as in Acts 23:35 (R.V., “palace”); and (3) the praetorian guard (See PALACE), or the camp or quarters of the praetorian cohorts (Acts 28: 16), the imperial guards in immediate attendance on the emperor, who was “praetor” or commander-in-chief.