The city prefect was the most important judge in Rome.
Prefect is a word that comes from the Latin praefectus . This term has various uses according to the geographical region, the context and the historical period. It may be the title that, in the Roman Empire , was granted to various authorities in the civil or military sphere.
The Praetorian Prefect was the head of the Praetorian Guard , which was responsible for protecting and guarding the emperors of Rome . This prefect received orders from the emperor himself and had independence from the rest of the military officials of the Empire .
city prefect
The Praefectus urbi or city prefect , for his part, was the main judge of the city of Rome , the governor or praetor who was only below the prince and the consuls. He was in charge of the organization of the local police force, the Navy, the administration of public supplies and the care and maintenance of the buildings.
His jurisdiction transcended the limits of Rome and he was aware of the cases of freedmen, slaves and patrons. Other of its functions were the protection of the rights and royalties of the senators (whom it was to judge) and the presidency of the Senate. In short, the entire town was under his authority.
The position of prefect of the city had a duration of one year and it was normal that he would then be assigned to govern one of the provinces of the Empire, where he served as supreme mayor. As a curious fact, the emperor received from him a cup made of gold and decorated with five coins every beginning of the year .
When the city's business grew, the need arose for another prefect, Praetor Peregrinus , who was in charge of the causes of foreigners. Today, a similar position is that of city governor or corregidor, since they share functions such as the administration of justice and the general superintendence of police, for example.
In Argentina, a prefect is a member of a security force.
The term today
Currently, several countries call a prefect an authority whose responsibility is to protect the security and order of a territory. The usual thing is that it responds directly to the national government . In France , for example, the prefect is the authority in charge of governing a department (a territorial entity that is equivalent, in other nations, to a province).
In Argentina , a prefect is a member of the Naval Prefecture . This security force is in charge of guarding the Argentine sea and the navigable rivers and lakes that are within the country.
The Argentine Naval Prefecture has some 28,900 prefects , who have police power and who can repress illegal trafficking of merchandise that seeks to take place by water and fishing activities that are carried out without the corresponding permit, among other situations.
In Brazil , a prefect (from the Portuguese prefeito ) is the head of a local executive branch . In this case, the position is equivalent to that of mayor.
Prefects in education
Within the educational field, the prefect is the person in charge of monitoring and guiding the students of a school . For example, they are in charge of providing guidance to overcome problems with other students and with teachers, but they must also ensure that no one behaves inappropriately within the facilities (that students do not smoke or drink alcohol, that they do not act violently). , etc).
Although many of his functions overlap with those of teachers, the figure of the prefect tends to be closer and friendlier , as if he were an "older brother" who ensures the safety and well-being of the students and helps them. to communicate effectively with the rest of the authorities.