A riveting account of ancient Rome's imperial bodyguard, the select band
of soldiers who wielded the power to make - or destroy - the emperors
they served.
Founded by Augustus around 27 BC, the elite Praetorian Guard was tasked
with the protection of the emperor and his family. As the centuries
unfolded, however, Praetorian soldiers served not only as protectors and
enforcers but also as powerful political players. Fiercely loyal to some
emperors, they vied with others and ruthlessly toppled those who
displeased them, including Caligula, Nero, Pertinax, and many more. Guy
de la Bedoyere provides a compelling first full narrative history of the
Praetorians, whose dangerous ambitions ceased only when Constantine
permanently disbanded them.
De la Bedoyere introduces Praetorians of all echelons, from prefects and
messengers to artillery experts and executioners. He explores the
delicate position of emperors for whom prestige and guile were the only
defenses against bodyguards hungry for power. Folding fascinating
details into a broad assessment of the Praetorian era, the author sheds
new light on the wielding of power in the greatest of the ancient
world's empires.
