PRÆNESTE, (anc. geog.) a town of Latium, to the south-east of Rome, towards the territory of the Æqui; a place of great strength. Famous for the temple and oracle of Fortune, called Sortes Prænesteine, (Strabo); which Tiberius wanted to destroy, but was deterred by the awful majesty of the place. From a colony it was raised to a municipium by Tiberius (Inscriptions, Florus, A. Gellius), on the consideration of his recovery from a dangerous illness near this place. Thither the Roman emperors usually retired, on account of the agreeableness of the situation, (Suetonius). It was a very ancient city, with a territory of large extent, (Livy.) The temple of Fortune was built in the most sumptuous manner by Sylla, and the pavement was Mosaic work, (Pliny). Concerning the Sortes, there is a remarkable passage in Cicero; who says, that it was all a mere contrivance, in order to deceive, either for the purposes of gain or superstition. The town that has succeeded it, stands low in a valley, and is called Palestrina, in the Campania of Rome. E. Long. 13. 30. Lat. 42. 0.