*pretorian*

a. [ L. praetorians: cf. F. prétorien. ] 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 ]