Translation
protection, defence; garrison, guard
Examples
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He left a garrison in the town.
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Without a garrison the city was taken.
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They were safe thanks to a guard of soldiers.
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Large garrisons were placed at the river.
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God is our protection.
Praesidium, praesidii, n., second declension, from praesideo, "sit in front of". It slides between abstract and concrete without warning: protection as a quality, the troops who provide it, and the fort those troops occupy. Caesar uses all three senses within a few pages and expects you to keep up.
The construction that catches learners is the double dative: praesidio esse alicui, "to be a protection to someone", where praesidio is dative and not, as it looks, ablative of means. Cohortem praesidio relinquere, leave a cohort as a guard, is the same idiom.
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praesidium: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "praesidium" (protection, defence; garrison, guard): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 20.