Praetor

Praetor was a title given to a political and military administrator. The term holds historic usage on Earth, during the period of the Roman Empire, as well as usage within the Romulan Empire.

History
The title of praetor was present on the planet 892-IV as evidenced by the Praetorian Guards. 

The leader of the Romulan Star Empire was referred to as Praetor. 

The Praetor presided over the Romulan Senate and the Continuing Committee. 

One Praetor, Colius, was honored by having an award, the Praetor Colius Award, named after him. 

The Praetor's source of power has always been the Romulan fleet. In 2266, the Praetor sent his flagship across the Romulan Neutral Zone in an unprovoked attack on several border outposts. Decius, an officer aboard the Romulan vessel, sent the Praetor a message to update him on their mission. However this broke the communication silence the ship was running under and he was reduced in rank as punishment. 

In 2374, Neral, a former Proconsul, became Praetor. 

Later, Hiren ascended to the position, which he held until 2379, when Shinzon, a Human raised as a Reman, had the entire Romulan Senate killed and assumed leadership of the Star Empire. However, he was killed the same year after his plan to annihilate Earth was uncovered. 

Background information
Like so much concerning the Romulans, "Praetor" is a term taken from the Roman Empire. There, a praetor was a magistrate and minister of justice, who presided over courts of law. The position was subordinate only to consuls in hierarchy of the Roman Republican Government, and was a prerequisite for eligibility to standing for election to the Consulate. The term also referred to an army commander. A praetor in Rome was automatically a member of the Senate.

In, Ayel refers to Nero as "Prod Nero." According to the DVD commentary for the film, "prod" was intended to mean "praetor." In the deleted scene in which the Narada is surround by Klingon warbirds, however, the subtitles created by the filmmakers for the Romulan dialogue translate "prod" as "commander."

Apocrypha
The novel Probe mentions that the Romulan praetor is "third in rank but first in power", technically subordinate to the Emperor and the Emperor's Legate, but in fact is the real ruler of the Empire.

Novels set after Nemesis establish that Tal'aura became praetor after Shinzon's death and that Commander Donatra declared herself empress, splitting the Empire into two fragments, the Romulan Star Empire and the Imperial Romulan State. Donatra was afterwards killed rejoining the Romulan Star Empire, this made it a dominant species in the Typhon Pact. Other Typhon Pact members then arranged the death of Tal'aura, who was succeeded by the moderate Gell Kamemor.

In the game Star Trek: Legacy there is a class of small Romulan starships called the.