PRAETORIUM
(lat. “belonging to a praetor”) Primitive meaning: space around the general’s tent; then the official residence of the governor of a province; palace. In the NT this term designates:
(a) The palace occupied by Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem and before which his court was established (Mr. 15:16; Mt. 27:27; Jn. 18:28, 33; 19: 9, cf. 19: 13). Certain archaeologists place it in the Antonia tower, but the procurators of Judea used to reside in the palace of Herod the Great (Philo, Legat ad Gaium 38, 39).
(b) Herod’s palace in Caesarea. Paul was imprisoned there (Acts 23:35). (c) Praetorian Guard of Rome, in charge of guarding the imperial palace (Phil. 1:13). It seems that in Phil. 1:13 and 4:22 Praetorium and Caesar’s house are synonyms.