Praetorian Guard

E64591

The Praetorian Guard was an elite unit of the Roman army that served as the personal bodyguard and powerful political enforcer for Roman emperors.

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Republican praetorian cohorts 1

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Roman military unit
elite military unit
military unit
allegiance Roman Empire
Roman emperor
basedIn Rome
surface form: city of Rome
commanderTitle Praetorian Prefect
commandStructure under Praetorian Prefect
country Roman Empire
createdBy Augustus
disbandedBy Constantinus Magnus
surface form: Constantine the Great
disbandedYear 312
engagedIn Year of the Four Emperors
assassination of Caligula
proclamation of Claudius as emperor
support of various usurpers
equipment Roman gladius
body armor
pilum
scutum
formationYear 27 BC
garrison Castra Praetoria
garrisonLocation Rome
historicalPeriod Dominate
Principate
language Latin
notableFor assassination of emperors
influence on Roman politics
kingmaking role in imperial elections
participation in coups
partOf Roman army
predecessor Praetorian Guard self-linksurface differs
surface form: Republican praetorian cohorts
privilege higher pay than regular legionaries
shorter term of service
special donatives from emperors
recruitment initially recruited from Italian peninsula
later recruited from provinces
religion Roman religion
role act as reserve field army
imperial bodyguard
intervene in imperial succession
palace guard
political enforcer
protect Roman emperors
protect imperial family
protect imperial palace
suppress uprisings
type elite cavalry (later contingents)
heavy infantry

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Caligula associatedWith Praetorian Guard
Sejanus associatedWith Praetorian Guard
Roman army hasComponent Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard predecessor Praetorian Guard self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Republican praetorian cohorts