Princeps - what does it mean? Is this word related to principles? Or maybe it has to do with princes and princesses? Where did this token come from in Russian? Details of what “princeps” means will be described in the article.
Etymology
To understand the meaning of the word "princeps" will help knowledge of its etymology. It has a Latin origin and in this language looks like prīnceps. This noun comes from primus, meaning "front," "first." This is a superlative degree of the adjective prior, the meaning of which is “front”, “senior”, “past”. This adjective was formed of two parts. The first of these is prae - “before”, which goes back to the pra-Indo-European prai in the same meaning. And the second - capere, which means “take”, “receive”, goes back to the pre-Indo-European kap - “grab”.
Dictionary word
The dictionary has three meanings of "princeps" in its literal sense. These include:
- First.
- The main, main, most significant, best, most prominent largest.
- Noble.
In ancient Rome, there were two varieties of princeps. At first (until the 1st century BC) there was such a thing as “princeps senate” (princeps senatus), which meant the first in the list of ancient Roman senators. As a rule, these individuals were selected from the former censors, who were the oldest. In the era of the Empire, this name changed its meaning, becoming the most important attribute of the power of the emperor.
About who this - the princeps at different times in ancient Rome, will be discussed below. And also the connection of the studied token with very close to it, with the same root words - “principle” and “prince” will be considered.
Princeps senatus
Such an honorary designation was noted in ancient Rome of a man whose name in the list of senators was in the first place. Who is the princeps in the republican period? Before other senators, he did not have any privileges regarding authority. Nevertheless, he could express his opinion the very first. And also among citizens and other senators, he enjoyed a special honor.
The princeps was determined by the censors when they compiled lists of senators. The first on this list was a person who went through all the steps in the hierarchy of magistracy. Almost all of the well-known princesps of the Senate were representatives of the so-called older genera. These include Claudius, Cornelius, Manlius, Fabia, Emilia.
As a rule, princeps is a person who was previously a censor. Such a position was very important and honorable. Censors carried out a periodic census of citizens, evaluating their property; overseeing morals; exercised financial control; supervised the construction and maintenance of public buildings.
The greatest influence among the Senate princes was in the 3rd-2nd centuries. BC e., for example, this is Quintus Fabius the Cuntator and Cornelius Scipio Africanus. Both of them are known, in particular, in connection with the wars against Hannibal. At the same time, they opposed each other, since Scipio insisted on more decisive actions.
In the period of the Empire
Who is it - princeps, starting from the 1st century BC e.? Since that time, the influence of the former in the Senate begins to decline. And finally, in 28 BC. e. Octavian Augustus appoints himself Princeps. Subsequently, this honorary title acquires a new meaning and becomes one of the important elements in the formation of imperial power.
Unlike the princesps of the senate, who although enjoyed great authority, often exerting great influence on politics, but had no special powers, princesps of the period of the Empire was the bearer of sole power. In this regard, the time of the early Empire, from 27 BC. e. to 284 g. e., called the Principle. This is a special form of monarchy, which combined both monarchist and republican features.
It should be borne in mind that the Princeps title was not emphasized by the status of an autocratic monarch, but only that he was the first among equals. He did not have state legal significance. After all, imperial power was based on a combination of the magistracy that he held. Princeps was also a proconsul in the Empire. This gave him military power in the provinces, he commanded the entire Roman army. He also held the position of supreme pontiff, sending an official religious cult.
Further on the connection with the "principle".
Principle
This word also has several meanings:
- Initial, basic position in any theory, science.
- The point of view of something, someone's inner conviction.
- The main feature of the device or mechanism.
The indicated values are well known. But there is another thing that few know about. True, his emphasis is not on the first, but on the second syllable.
Principles in the army of Ancient Rome were called warriors, in the IV-II centuries. BC e. making up the infantry of the legion. At first they came from riders who belonged to the second property class. Their weapons included: short and long swords, throwing spears (pilum), a large shield (scutum), which had a rectangular shape, chain mail and a bronze helmet. In combat order, they made up the first line, where their name came from. After the reform carried out by Mary, the principles began to form part of the cohort, having lost its special armament, but their name was retained.
If you look at the etymological dictionary, you can see that in Russian the word came in the time of Peter I, being borrowed either through the German Prinzip, or through the Polish pryncyp, from the French principe. This noun comes from the Latin principium, meaning "beginning", "root cause", "principle". The latter, in turn, is derived from the word princeps studied in this article.
Next, we will consider the relationship of "princeps" with the "prince".
Prince
And this word in the dictionary has two shades of meaning:
- Firstly, this is one of the highest titles of representatives of the aristocracy. In French, in English, Italian and some other languages, this word refers to sovereign princes. So in the Russian-language texts the title of the ruler of Monaco looks. In the traditions of the German language, this is the title of Fürst. Often in Western European languages the word princ is used in a generalized sense in the meaning of "monarch", "sovereign", "princeps". It was in this meaning that it was used in the title of the work of N. Machiavelli Il Principe, written in Italian. It is mainly translated into Russian as “Sovereign”, sometimes as “Prince”.
- Secondly, it is the designation of the heir to the throne of the masculine gender, a member of the ruling dynasty of monarchs. The female version of the title is “princess”, although the princes' wives are also called. As in many European languages, in Russian princes are called representatives of the direct descendants of the monarchs. In the Scandinavian countries they are called crown princes. Still princes are the heirs of the heads of sovereign European houses, for example, the prince of Bavaria, the prince of Savoy.
As for the etymology of the “prince”, this word comes directly from the “princeps” considered here and also means “first”, “noble”, “significant”, “main”.
Thus, all three lexemes - “princeps”, “principle” and “prince” are not just close, but closest “relatives”. The last two come from the first, and they all carry the meaning of "primacy", "primacy", "significance".