Praetorian Guard

Lens - Inauguration du Louvre-Lens le 4 décembre 2012, la Galerie du Temps, n° 058

Proclaiming claudius emperor

Q.PomponiusPoeninus

Prätorianer

Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard (Latin: Praetoriani) was an elite unit of the Imperial Roman Army whose members served as personal bodyguards to the Roman Emperors. During the era of the Roman Republic, the Praetorians served as a small escort force for high-ranking officials such as senators or Roman consuls. The term Praetorian derived from the tent of the commanding general, or praetor, of a Roman army in the field—the praetorium.

History

The origins of the Praetorian Guard trace back to the reign of Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, who established the unit in 27 BC to act as his personal security detail. Initially, the Guard was composed of nine cohorts of 500 men each, but its size and power grew significantly over the centuries. The Praetorians were distinct from the regular Roman legions, as they were primarily stationed in Italy, and often within Rome itself, unlike the legions who were deployed across the Roman Empire.

Under subsequent emperors, the Praetorian Guard became a powerful political force, involved in the making and unmaking of emperors. Their influence peaked during the Year of the Four Emperors in 69 AD, when they played a crucial role in the elevation and deposition of several emperors. The Guard's loyalty was often bought by aspiring emperors, and they were known to assassinate emperors who displeased them or whom they perceived as weak.

The power of the Praetorian Guard began to wane after the Severan Dynasty. Emperor Constantine the Great disbanded the Guard in the early 4th century following his victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD. Constantine replaced the Praetorians with his own personal bodyguard unit, the Scholae Palatinae, marking the end of the Praetorian Guard's influence in Roman politics.

Organization

The Praetorian Guard was commanded by two Praefectus Praetorio (Praetorian Prefects), a position that eventually became one of the most powerful and influential in the Roman state. The Guard was divided into cohorts, each led by a tribune. Unlike the regular Roman legions, the Praetorians were recruited not only from Roman citizens but also from among the Romanized populations of Italy and the provinces. The criteria for recruitment into the Guard were more stringent than those for the regular legions, with a particular emphasis on loyalty to the Emperor.

Role and Duties

The primary role of the Praetorian Guard was to protect the Emperor and his family. They accompanied the Emperor on military campaigns and were responsible for his safety during public appearances. However, their role expanded beyond mere bodyguards; they also played a significant part in the administration of the Empire, serving in the imperial bureaucracy and acting as a police force within Rome. Their presence in the capital and their political influence made them a critical factor in the stability of the Roman state.

Legacy

The Praetorian Guard is often cited as a symbol of the power struggles and political intrigue that characterized the Roman Empire. Their history reflects the complexities of Roman political life and the challenges of maintaining stability and security in a vast empire. The term Praetorian has come to signify any loyal and elite group serving as the personal guard of a leader or organization, often with a connotation of undue political influence.