PATRON (OF.. Fr. pntron. from Lat. palro tills, protector, from father). _kilning the Romans, originally the appellation of a citizen who had dependents. called clients, attached to him. Before the time of the Laws of the Twelve Tables, the most frequent use of the term pa tronus was in opposition to libertus, these two words being used to signify persons who stood to one another in the relation of master and manu mitted slave. The Roman was not deprived of all right in his slave when he freed him; a tic remained somewhat like that of parent and child, and the law recognized important obligations on the part of the libert us toward his patron, the neglect of which involved severe punishment. III some cases the patron could claim a right to the whole or part of the property of his freedman. The original idea of a patron apart from the manumit ter of slaves continued to exist. A Roman citizen, desirous of a protector, might at tach himself to a patron. whose client he thence forward became; and distinguished Romans were sometimes patrons of dependent States or cities, particularly where they had been the means of bringing them into subjection. Thus the Alareelli were patrons of the because Claudius llarcellus had conquered Syracuse and Sicily. The patron was the guardian of his client's inter ests, 'midi(' and private: as his legal adviser, he vindicated his rights before the courts of law.
The client was bound, on various occasions, to assist the patron with money, as by paying the costs of his suits, contributing to the marriage portions of his daughters, and defraying in part the expense, incurred in the discharge of piddle funetions. Patron and client were un der an obligation never to accuse one another; violation of this law was tantamount to treason. and anyone might slay the offender with family. As the patron was in the habit of ap pearing in support of his clients in courts of justice, the with patronus aequired, in course of time. the siguitienfiout of advocate or legal ad viser and defender, the client being the party de fended: hence the usslern relation between coun sel and client. Patron. in after times. became a common designation of every protector or powerful prionoter of the interests of another: and the saints. who were bdieved to over the interests of particular persons. places, trades, etc.. acquired in the .kliddle Ages the designation of their patron saints. The saint in whose name a church is founded is considered its patron saint.