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A prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficio, to make in front, i.e. put in charge) is an official of various different types. A prefect's office, department or area of control is called a prefecture.
Ancient Rome
Praefectus, often with a further qualification, was the formal title of many, fairly low to high-ranking, military or civil officials in the Roman Empire, whose authority was not embodied in their person (as it was with elected Magistrates) but conferred by delegation from a higher authority.
Praetorian praefecti
The Praetorian prefect (Praefectus praetorio) began as the military commander of a general's guard company in the field, then grew in importance as the Praetorian Guard became a potential kingmaker during the Empire. From the Emperor Diocletian's tetrarchy (circa AD300) they became the administrators of Praetorian Prefectures, the government level above the (newly created) dioceses and (multiplied) provinces.
Paramilitary praefecti
- Praefectus urbanus : city prefect
- Praefectus vigilum : commander of the Vigiles
Military praefecti
- Praefectus alae : commander of a cavalry regiment
- Praefectus castrorum : camp commandant
- Praefectus cohortis : commander of a cohort (constituent unit of a legion, or analogous unit)
- Praefectus classis : fleet commander
- Praefectus equitatus : cavalry commander
- Praefectus equitum : cavalry commander
- Praefectus fabrum : officer in charge of artisans
- Praefectus legionis : equestrian legionary commander
- Praefectus legionis agens vice legati : equestrian acting legionary commander
- Praefectus sociorum : Roman officer appointed to a command function in an ala sociorum (unit recruited among the socii, Italic peoples of a priviliged status within the empire)
Feudal times
Especially in Middle Latin, praefectus was used to refer to various officers - administrative, military, judicial, etc - usually alongside a more precise term in the vernacular (such as Burggraf).
Ecclesiastical
The term is used by the Roman Catholic Church in several different ways.
- The Curia still has two Prefects, of the Papal Household and the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
- The title now also attaches to the heads of some Congregations (central departments of the Curia), who are traditionally Cardinals (and if not are titled Pro-Prefect).
- A Prefect Apostolic is a cleric (usually a Titular Bishop) in charge of a Prefecture Apostolic, such as the Vicariate Apostolic, a type of Roman Catholic territorial circumscription fulfilling diocesan functions in a territory (usually missionary and/or in a country that is anti-religious, such as the People's Republic of China) not given the status of regular diocese, usually destined to become one in time.
Academic
- In the context of schools, a prefect is a pupil who has been given limited, trustee-type authority over other pupils in the school, such as a hall monitor or safety patrol.
- In British public schools and Commonwealth equivalents, prefects, usually sixth formers, have considerable power and effectively run the school outside the classroom. They were even allowed to administer corporal punishment (now abolished in the UK and several other countries), under a system of self control, or sometimes used as (generally willing) 'executioner' by the staff. They usually answer to a senior prefect known as the Head of School (colloquially, Head Boy or Head Girl).
- In United States private residential college preparatory schools, see also "proctor."
Modern sub-national administration
- In France (and some former French or Belgian colonies, such as Rwanda), a prefect (préfet) is the State's representative in a région (préfet de région) or département. His agency is called the préfecture. Sub-prefects (sous-préfets, sous-préfecture) operate in the arrondissements under his control.
- In Italy, a prefect (prefetto) is the State's representative in a province (provincia). His agency is called the prefettura.
- In some Spanish-speaking states in Latin America, following a French-type model introduced in Spain itself, prefects were installed as governors.
- In Romania, a prefect is the governmental representative in a county (judeţ), in an agency called prefectură.
Police
The Prefect of Police (Préfet de police) is the officer in charge of co-ordinating police forces in the various administrative circumscriptions of Paris.
See also
External links
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