thumb|right|300px|Map of the Roman Empire 400 CE.
Praeses (Latin praesides) is a Latin word meaning "placed before" or "at the head". In antiquity, notably under the Roman Dominate, it was used to refer to Roman governors; it continues to see some use for various modern positions.
Roman governors
Praeses began to be used as a generic description for provincial governors—often through paraphrases, such as qui praeest ("he who presides")—already since the early Principate, but came in general use under the Nerva–Antonine dynasty.
- four in the Diocese of Illyricum: Dalmatia, Pannonia Prima, Noricum Mediterraneum, Noricum Ripense
- seven in Italy: Alpes Cottiae, Rhaetia Prima and Secunda, Samnium, Valeria, Corsica et Sardinia.
- two in the Diocese of Africa: Mauretania Sitifensis, Tripolitana
- four in Diocese of the Spains (Iberia and opposite African coast): Tarraconensis, Carthaginensis, Insulae Baleares, Mauretania Tingitana
- eleven in the Diocese of the Gauls: Alpes Maritimae, Alpes Poenninae et Graiae, Maxima Sequanorum, Aquitanica Prima and Secunda, Novempopulania, Narbonensis Prima and Secunda, Lugdunensis Secunda, Tertia and Senonica
- three in the Diocese of Britain: Britannia Prima and Secunda, Flavia Caesariensis.
;in forty provinces in the Eastern Roman Empire
- five in the Diocese of Egypt: Libya Superior and Inferior, Thebais, Ægyptus, Arcadia.
- eight in the Diocese of the East: Palaestina Salutaris and Secunda, Phoenice Libanensis, Euphratensis, Syria Salutaris, Osrhoene, Mesopotamia, Cilicia Secunda
- seven in the Diocese of Asia: Pisidia, Lycaonia, Phrygia Pacatiana and Phrygia Salutaris, Lycia, Caria, Insulae.
- eight in the Diocese of Pontus: Honorias, Cappadocia Prima and Secunda, Helenopontus, Pontus Polemoniacus, Armenia Prima and Armenia Secunda, Galatia Salutaris.
- four in the Diocese of Thrace: Haemimontus, Rhodope, Moesia Secunda, Scythia
- four in the Diocese of Dacia: Dacia Ripensis, Moesia Prima, Praevalitana, Dardania
- four in the Diocese of Macedonia: Thessalia, Epirus Vetus and Epirus Nova, Macedonia Salutaris.
In the East, the staff (officium) of the praeses (attested for Thebais) comprised the same as that of a consularis, i.e. a princeps officii, cornicularius, commentariensis, adiutor, numerarius, ab actis, a libellis, subadiuva; finally unspecified exceptores and cohortalini (menial staff). In the West (attested for Dalmatia), the officium was again the same as with the consulares and correctores, comprising the princeps officii, cornicularius, two tabularii, commentariensis, adiutor, ab actis, subadiuva, and the usual exceptores and cohortalini.
The status of a praeses could also be awarded as a separate honour, ex praeside, attached to the rank of vir perfectissimus.
Roman Catholic religious institutions, especially Franciscan ones, use the term to indicate the presiding officer of a collegial meeting of the order.
The official Scots title of the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament is Preses o the Scots Pairlament.
The Polish word prezes, derived from Latin praeses means chairman.