Pretorians

The Praetorians, also known as the Praetorian Guard, were a powerful elite corps of soldiers in the Roman Empire who served as the personal bodyguards of the Roman Emperor. The regiment was formed during the reign of Emperor Augustus in 27 BC and had a long and complex history, serving multiple Roman emperors and changing over time in terms of its composition, function, and reputation.

Initially, the Praetorians were formed from the most loyal and capable troops of the Roman army, who were tasked with guarding the emperor and his palace. They were drawn from the urban cohort, a premier legion that had served as the personal bodyguard of Augustus. The Praetorians were granted special privileges and exemptions, including immunity from public duties, land grants, and tax reductions.

Over time, however, the Praetorians became infamous for their corruption, tyranny, and involvement in the imperial succession process. They began to act more like an independent army or an internal security service, intervening in imperial politics and involved in various murders, coups, and assassinations. Their reputation reached its lowest point under the reign of Emperor Commodus, who relied heavily on the Praetorians for power and eventually died at their hands.

Despite their dark history, the Praetorians remained a powerful force in the Roman Empire until they were disbanded by Emperor Constantine the Great in 312 AD. Constantine's decision marked the end of the imperial bodyguard's notorious career, but the legacies of the Praetorians continue to be studied by historians as a cautionary tale of imperial power, corruption, and the dangers of an elite corps.