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The Praetorian Guard (sometimes Prętorian Guard) (in Latin: praetoriani) comprised a special force of bodyguards used by Roman emperors. Before them it was used by warlords, back at least to the Scipio family -- around 275 BC.1 History
The term "Praetorian" came from the tent of the legate of a legion in the field - the praetorium. It was a habit of many Roman generals to choose from the ranks a private force of soldiers to act as bodyguards of the tent or the person. They consisted of both infantry and cavalry. In time, this cohort came to be known as the cohors praetoria, and various notable figures possessed one, including Julius Caesar, Marcus Antonius and Augustus Caesar (Octavianus). As Caesar discovered with the Legio X Gemina, a powerful unit more dangerous than its fellow legions was desirable in the field. When Augustus became the first ruler of the Roman Empire in 27 BCCenturies: 2nd century BC 1st century BC 1st century Decades: 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s Years: 32 BC 31 BC 30 BC 29 BC 28 BC 27 BC 26 BC 25 BC 24 BC 23 BC 22 BC Events January 16 The Roman Senate votes Octavian the ti, he decided such a formation was useful not only in war but in politics. Thus, from the ranks of the legions throughout the provinces, Augustus recruited the Praetorian Guard.
1.1 Early Guard
The group that was formed initially differed greatly from the later Guard, which would murder emperors. While Augustus understood the need to have a protector in the maelstrom of RomeRome ( Italian and Latin Roma is the capital city of Italy, and of its Lazio region. It is located on the lower Tiber river, near the Mediterranean Sea, at 41°50'N, 12°15'E. The Vatican City State, a sovereign enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Roman, he was careful to uphold the Republican veneer of his regime. Thus he allowed only nine cohorts to be formed, each 500 to 1,000 men, and only three were kept on duty at any given time in the capital. A small number of detached cavalry units (turma) of 30 men each were also organized. While they patrolled inconspicuously, in the palace and major buildings, the others were stationed in the towns surrounding Rome; no threats were possible from these individual cohorts. This system was not radically changed with the arrival of two Praetorian prefects in 2 BCCenturies: 2nd century BC 1st century BC 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC 1 2 3 4 Events Births Deaths Gaius and Lucius in the Roman Empire 2 BC., Q Ostorius Scapula and Salvius Aper, although organization and command were improved.
Augustus' death on August 19August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 134 days remaining. Events 1561 Mary Stuart returns to Scotland. 1692 Salem Witch Trials: In Salem, Massachusetts five women and a clergyman are executed aft, 14Centuries: 1st century BC 1st century 2nd century Decades: 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s Years: 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Events First year of tianfeng era of the Chinese Xin Dynasty. Tiberius succeeds his stepfather Augustus A.D.Anno Domini ( Latin: "In the year of the Lord"), or more completely Anno Domini Nostri Jesu Christi ("in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ"), commonly abbreviated AD or A. is the designation used to number years in the dominant Christian Era in the world, marked the end of Praetorian calm. Through the machinations of their ambitious prefect, Lucius Aelius Sejanus, the Guard was brought from the Italian barracks into Rome itself. In 23Alternate uses, see Number 23 Centuries: 1st century BC 1st century 2nd century Decades: 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s Years: 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Events Greek geographer Strabo publishes Geography a work covering the worl A.D. Sejanus convinced Tiberius to have the Castra Praetoria (the camp of the Pratorians) built just outside of Rome. One of these cohorts held the daily guard at the royal palace. Henceforth the entire Guard was at the disposal of the emperors, but the rulers were now equally at the mercy of the Praetorians. The reality of this was seen in 31 A.D. when Tiberius was forced to rely upon his own cohors praetoria against partitions of Sejanus. Though the Praetorian Guard proved faithful to the aging Tiberius, their potential political power had been made clear.
While campaigning, the Praetorians were the equal of any formation in the Roman Army. Seldom used in the early reigns, they were quite active by 69 A.D. They fought well at the first battle of Bedriacum for Otho. Under Domitian and Trajan, the guard took part in wars from Dacia to Mesopotamia, while with Marcus Aurelius, years were spent on the Danubian frontier. Throughout the 3rd century A.D., the Praetorians assisted the emperors in various cities.
