Criteria For Praetorian Guard

[Guest spartacus]

The Praetorian Guard was a unit set up by the Emporer Augustus, their role was bodyguards to the Emporer and were considered an elite legion

What was the criteria for becoming a Praetorian? Was there an age limit? Did a soldier need lots of battle experience? Did he need to be proficient in the use of all weapons?

 

I believe their pay was higher than that of ordinary soldiers but I wonder what it would have been like to serve in the Guard!

 

Numerous Emporers were killed by the guard and they were quite powerful in their own right

[PraefectusClassis]

Hi Spartacus,

The criteria for becoming a Praetorian varied over time. But (as always in Rome) it helped to have connections! There's a long article about the guard on Romanarmy.com, that should answer all your questions.

 

Greets

 

Jasper

[Guest spartacus]

thanks for the link jasper

 

It seems initially they were formed from veterans who volunteered, I suppose the lure of better pay was a decisive factor in their decision

I wonder what it was like to serve in the Guard?

[dnewhous]

Were the shields of the Guard wood like the common soldier or were they metal?

 

What was left to garrison Rome when the capital was moved?

[PraefectusClassis]

As far as I know there's no indication the Praetorians had other shields than the other soldiers.

As to the Guard when the capital was moved: it didn't exist anymore. Constantine disbanded it when he became sole emperor. The guard got it wrong and bet on his opponent, Maximian.

 

Cheers

 

Jasper