What does principate mean?
The principate was the political system established in ancient Rome by Augustus, the first Roman emperor. It is notable for preserving the forms and language of the Roman Republic even as actual authority became concentrated in the emperor. Senators, consuls, and republican offices continued to exist, but the emperor controlled the army, the provinces, taxation, and appointments to imperial positions. The system therefore combined traditional republican institutions with autocratic rule. Historians commonly distinguish this period from the later imperial structure associated with the tetrarchy. The word can also mean a state or territory governed by a prince, but this broader sense is relatively uncommon. In contemporary discussion, “principate” is usually encountered in histories of ancient Rome, where it helps identify a political order that was republican in appearance but monarchical and increasingly centralized in practice.
nounThe principate is the form of government used in the Roman Empire from the reign of Augustus, nominally preserving republican institutions while concentrating power in the emperor. More broadly, it can denote a state or territory ruled by a prince.
- The system of government in the Roman Empire from the reign of Augustus, in which republican offices and institutions continued while imperial power was concentrated in the emperor.
- A state or territory ruled by a prince.
"The principate preserved the appearance of republican government while imperial authority grew increasingly centralized."
"Historians commonly divide Roman government into the principate and the later dominant period of the tetrarchy."
"The medieval principate brought the surrounding territory under the prince's direct control."
The plural is used when referring to more than one principate or political system of this kind.
"Historians have compared the Roman principate with later authoritarian institutions."
Rome’s principate was republican in appearance but imperial in reality—a political disguise that lasted for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does principate come from?
The word comes from Latin principātus, meaning “rule by a prince” or “principate,” derived from princeps, “first” or “chief citizen.” The same Latin source underlies English words such as prince, princess, principal, and principle. In Roman political terminology, princeps originally designated the leading citizen, and the later title princeps came to be used for the emperor.
Related word forms
How principate is actually used
The word is chiefly historical and academic. Its principal modern use refers to the Roman political system; the broader sense is much less common.
Easily confused with principate
A principality is a state or territory ruled by a prince, whereas a principate is primarily a form of government, especially the political system of imperial Rome.