Lewis & Short

prō-pugnātor, ōris, m. [propugno], one who fights in defence of a place, a defender, soldier (class.).

  1. I. Lit.: classis inops propter dimissionem propugnatorum, of the marines, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 33, § 86: a propugnatoribus relictus locus, Caes. B. G. 7, 25: nudati propugnatoribus muri, Tac. A. 13, 39; Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 22; Nep. Eum. 3, 3; Amm. 20, 6, 1.
  2. II. Trop., a defender, maintainer, champion: paterni juris defensor, et quasi patrimonii propugnator sui, Cic. de Or. 1, 57, 244: senatūs, id. Mil. 7, 16: fortunarum mearum, id. Red. in Sen. 15, 37: sceleris, Just. 8, 2, 10: tribuno plebis auctorem se propugnatoremque praestitit, Suet. Caes. 16.
    An epithet of Jupiter, Inscr. Grut. 300, 2.