Palace

Lore & Background

The word palace comes from Old French palais (imperial residence), from Latin Palātium, the name of one of the seven hills of Rome. The original 'palaces' on the Palatine Hill were the seat of the imperial power. Roman emperor Caesar Augustus lived there in a purposely modest house. His descendants, especially Nero with his 'Domus Aurea' (the Golden House), enlarged the building and its grounds over and over until it took up the hilltop. The word Palātium came to mean the residence of the emperor rather than the neighbourhood on top of the hill.

In Their Own Story

The air was thick with incense and tension. Two agents, each armed with a single PP7, circled the throne room. One crouched behind a pillar, listening to the echo of footsteps on marble. The other crept through the basement, hoping to flank. A proximity mine beeped softly near the east corridor—a trap laid minutes ago. The throne sat empty, a silent witness to the coming violence. Somewhere, a third player reloaded, their Golden Gun glinting in the dim light. The palace held its breath.

Reader's Guide

A palace is typically distinguished from a castle in that the latter is fortified or has the style of a fortification, whereas a palace does not. In many parts of Europe, the equivalent term is also applied to large private houses in cities, especially of the aristocracy. It is also used for some large official buildings that have never had a residential function; for example in French-speaking countries Palais de Justice is the usual name of important courthouses.

Did You Know?

• The Minoans were among the first in human history to construct what can truly be considered palaces; the earliest known example is the Palace of Knossos on Crete, built around 2000 BC.
• Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia was ready for occupation in 305 AD and is much the most significant ancient survival, having been turned in the Middle Ages into a fortified town.
• The Palais des Papes in Avignon, France, is probably the best prominent example of a surviving medieval palace, essentially a creation of 1252 to 1379.