Praetorian Guard
Caesar's elite protectors
The Praetorian Guard was the elite bodyguard unit of Roman emperors, serving from 27 BCE until dissolved in 312 CE.
They wielded enormous political influence, sometimes making and unmaking emperors.
The term now describes any powerful group protecting a leader, often with implications of excessive loyalty or behind-the-scenes control: The CEO surrounded himself with a praetorian guard of yes-men.
- assassinationMurder of a prominent figure
- palace coupOverthrow by regime insiders
- bodyguardPaid personal security agent
- blood oathVow sealed by bloodshed
- emperorMale ruler of empire
damnatio memoriae · Rome · coup · power behind the throne · succession crisis · Tiberius · military camp · imperial · Augustus · Claudius · principate · Roman Empire · ancient Rome · elite · political intrigue · imperial succession · centurion · Caesar
- Ancient RomeRome, Julius Caesar, Caesar, gladiator, gladiators
- military rolessoldier, warrior, sailor, airwoman, sniper
- Roman EmpireAugustus, emperors, Roman Empire, Roman emperors, imperial
- ancient armiesphalanx, legion, hoplites, heavy infantry, light infantry
- ceremonial guardsBeefeater
- elite guardsroyal guards, imperial guards, honor guards, ceremonial guards, bodyguards
Praetorian Guardrank and file
Ordinary members collectively
line infantry · border guards · conscript army · citizen militia
Praetorian Guarddemocratic institutions
Bodies enabling collective self-governance
popular uprising · republican government · elected representatives