Lewis & Short

postŭlātĭo, ōnis, f. [postulo], a demanding, requiring; a demand, request, desire.

  1. I. Lit. (class.): postulatio aequa et honesta, Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 7: ignoscendi, a begging pardon, id. Inv. 2, 34, 104: concedere postulationi alicujus, id. Mur. 23, 47: postulationi resistere, id. Q. Fr. 2, 9, 2: opinione valentior, id. Att. 7, 6.
    Plur., supplications: obsecro igitur primum omnium fieri obsecrationes, orationes, postulationes, Vulg. 1 Tim. 2, 1; cf. id. Psa. 118, 170.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. A complaint, expostulation (ante-class.), Plaut. Cas. 3, 2, 26: acris, id. Bacch. 3, 3, 45: neque lites ullae inter eas, postulatio Numquam, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 105.
    2. B. In a court of justice.
      1. 1. A complaint, an application for redress: postulationes ingerere, Suet. Claud. 7; id. Ner. 7; Plin. Ep. 5, 14, 1; 7, 6, 3; 7, 33, 4: agi per judicis postulationem, Gai. Inst. 4, 12.
      2. 2. An application to the prœtor to allow the presentation of a complaint, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 6, 1.
    3. C. A claim or demand made by a god for a forgotten sacrifice, Cic. Har. Resp. 10, 20; 14, 31 MSS. (dub.; B. and K. postilio, q. v.).