International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
5
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue01 2025
PAGE NO.
5-7
10.37547/ijhps/Volume05Issue01-02
Praetorian guard of the roman empire: history, functions
and political influence
Kabilova Gulnora Radjabovna
Academic Lyceum of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the city of Samarkand, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Received:
20 October 2024;
Accepted:
22 December 2024;
Published:
10 January 2025
Abstract:
This article explores the historical significance of the Praetorian Guard, the elite military unit formed to
protect Roman emperors and their families. Tracing its origins, the article examines the Guard's various functions,
including its roles in security, military operations, and ceremonial duties. It also delves into the political influence
wielded by the Praetorian Guard, highlighting pivotal moments of power shifts, including coups, assassinations,
and the unit's impact on the stability of the Roman Empire. Through an analysis of key events, the article illustrates
how the Praetorian Guard evolved from a protective force to a politically significant entity that shaped the course
of Roman history.
Keywords:
Praetorian Guard, Roman Empire, History, Functions, Political Influence, Imperial Protection, Military
Unit, Elite Soldiers, Political Power, Assassination
, Usurpation, Emperor’s Bodyguards, Guardianship, Civil War,
Military Coups, Allegiances, Transition of Power, Corruption, Roman Politics, Legacy.
Introduction:
The Praetorian Guard was established at
the beginning of the principate of Octavian Augustus in
27 BC. At first, it served exclusively to protect the
emperor and his family, but over time it acquired
significant political influence, interfering in the election
of emperors and state affairs. The guard became not
only a symbol of the elite of the Roman army but also
one of the factors of instability in the late empire.
1. Origin. The Praetorian Guard dates back to the times
of the Roman Republic when praetors and consuls
formed small guard detachments. However, during the
Principate, it was transformed by Augustus into a
professional military unit.
2. Organization and numbers. Initially, the guard
consisted of nine cohorts, each of which included about
500-1000 men. Subsequently, the number increased,
especially during the Severan era. The guard was based
in Rome and its environs, and its main camp (Latin:
Castra Praetoria) was a fortified garrison built in 23 CE
under Tiberius.
3. Decline and liquidation. In 312 CE, Emperor
Constantine the Great, realizing the danger of the
guard's political influence, disbanded the Praetorians
after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. This event
marked the end of its existence as a military force.
Functions of the guard. The Praetorian Guard had
several key roles:
1. Guarding the Emperor: The main function was to
ensure the safety of the emperor, his family, and his
residences.
2. Military Service: The Praetorians participated in
military campaigns, usually serving as a personal guard
or elite unit.
3. Police Functions: The Guard maintained order in
Rome, especially during times of civil unrest.
4. Political Influence: The Praetorians played a
significant role in the intrigue, deposition, and
proclamation of emperors.
Political Influence and Corruption: The powerful
position of the Praetorian Guard allowed its
commanders (praefecti praetorio) to manipulate
emperors and influence their policies.
• Deposing and Appointing Emperors: The Praetorians
were responsible for several changes in power. For
example, they assassinated Caligula in 41 CE and then
installed Claudius on the throne. In 193 CE, they openly
sold the imperial throne to Didius Julianus.
• Corruption and Influence: The privileged position
encouraged corruption and weakened discipline. Many
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences
6
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijhps
International Journal Of History And Political Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2222)
of the guard's commanders sought to use its power for
their gain.
Role in the fall of the Roman Empire. Political instability
caused by the actions of the Praetorian Guard became
one of the reasons for the weakening of the central
authority in the empire. Their intervention undermined
confidence in the institution of imperial power and
contributed to the intensification of the crisis of the 3rd
century AD.
The Praetorian Guard left a significant mark on history.
It became the prototype of elite security formations in
many states, and its history serves as a vivid example of
how the military elite can influence political stability.
In the 3rd century, the pressure of the Germanic tribes
on the northern borders of the Roman Empire from the
Rhine and Danube increased. Military needs dictated
the need for a combat-ready army. The military and
political reforms of Diocletian and Constantine gave the
Roman army a hierarchical chain of command, a system
of commanders, and a professional officer corps. In
312, Emperor Constantine disbanded the Praetorian
Guard
as
a
source
of
unrest
(Zos.II.17.2;
Vict.Caes.40.25). In particular, V.V. Semenov in his
work “Praetorian Cohorts: Model and Practice” says
that when Constantine disbanded the guard, he was
guided by the final removal of bureaucratic functions
from the Praetorians. In addition, being initially a very
closed
corporation,
the
Praetorians
opposed
themselves to the civilian population and the rest of the
army, and, having, like all the legions, their patrons,
they could act as principled opponents of Christianity,
to which Constantine was inclined. It should also be
noted that the last time the Praetorians entered the
battle was under Emperor Macrinus and, in fact, “grew”
to their camp in Rome (they participated in Aurelian’s
military actions against Zenobia (Zosim. I, 52). But, one
way or another, the emperor no longer needed the
military and bureaucratic apparatus of the Principate
and the period of “soldier” emperors.
S.A. Lazarev in his work “The Roman Army in the Late
Empire” believes that “Protectors were assigned by the
emperor to military masters and other commanders,
about whom they played the role of deputies,
simultaneously performing various special duties. They
were sent to round up vagrants and the sons of
veterans evading military service escorted recruits,
patrolled the roads, carried out customs service, were
used to arrest important persons, and escorted them to
their destination. (Although, perhaps, this was done by
frumentarii, and from the era dominated - agentes in
rebus that replaced them) In 359, a group of tribunes
and protectors were tasked with overseeing the
construction of fortifications along the right bank of the
Euphrates.
The term of service in the Corps of Protectors was not
established, but, as a rule, it took at least five years to
obtain the position of senior commander. Often a
soldier's service ended in the post of protector and he
received a resignation personally from the emperor.
However, the protectors themselves did not always
seek to be appointed to the active army.
CONCLUSION
The Praetorian Guard, created to protect emperors,
became a powerful political instrument capable of
deciding the fate of the Roman Empire. Its history is
evidence of how an imbalance between military force
and political power can lead to internal upheavals and
the weakening of the state.
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