Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard (sometimes Prætorian Guard) (in Latin: praetoriani) comprised a special force of bodyguards used by Roman emperors. Before them it was used by warlords, back at least to the Scipio family — around 275 BC.

Relationships between emperors and their Guard

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EmperorYearRelationship with the Guard

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Caesar Augustus27 BC - AD 14Created the Praetorian Guard

Related Topics:
Caesar Augustus - 27 BC - 14

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Tiberius14 - 37Allowed Sejanus to gain power as the Guard's prefect

Related Topics:
Tiberius - 14 - 37

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Caligula37 - 41Murdered by the Guard

Related Topics:
Caligula - 37 - 41

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Claudius41 - 54.Proclaimed emperor by the Guard

Related Topics:
Claudius - 41 - 54

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Nero54 - 68Deserted by the Guard

Related Topics:
Nero - 54 - 68

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Galba68 - 69Murdered by the Guard

Related Topics:
Galba - 68 - 69

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Otho69Elevated by the Guard

Related Topics:
Otho - 69

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Vitellius69Deposed by the Guard then executed

Related Topics:
Vitellius - 69

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Vespasian69 - 79.Reduced the size of the Guard after victory in 69

Related Topics:
Vespasian - 69 - 79

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Titus79 - 81Served as Praetorian prefect, then as emperor

Related Topics:
Titus - 79 - 81

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Domitian81 - 96His election was supported by the Guard but was later murdered by his Prefects

Related Topics:
Domitian - 81 - 96

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Nerva96 - 98Humiliated by his Guard and died during a siege against him

Related Topics:
Nerva - 96 - 98

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Trajan98 - 117

Related Topics:
Trajan - 98 - 117

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Hadrian117 - 138Founded the Frumentarii

Related Topics:
Hadrian - 117 - 138 - Frumentarii

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Antoninus Pius138 - 161

Related Topics:
Antoninus Pius - 138 - 161

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Marcus Aurelius161 - 180

Related Topics:
Marcus Aurelius - 161 - 180

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Lucius Verus161 - 169

Related Topics:
Lucius Verus - 161 - 169

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Commodus180 - 192Murdered by his Prefect

Related Topics:
Commodus - 180 - 192

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Pertinax193Assassinated by the Guard

Related Topics:
Pertinax - 193

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Didius Julianus193Purchased the Empire from the Guard

Related Topics:
Didius Julianus - 193

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Septimius Severus193 - 211Disbanded the Guard and created a new one from the Pannonian Legions

Related Topics:
Septimius Severus - 193 - 211

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Caracalla211 - 217Murdered in a plot by his Prefect, Macrinus

Related Topics:
Caracalla - 211 - 217 - Macrinus

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Macrinus217 - 218

Related Topics:
Macrinus - 217 - 218

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Elagabalus218 - 222Murdered in the Castra Praetoria by the Guard

Related Topics:
Elagabalus - 218 - 222

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Alexander Severus222 - 235Elevated by the Guard

Related Topics:
Alexander Severus - 222 - 235

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Maximinus Thrax235 - 238

Related Topics:
Maximinus Thrax - 235 - 238

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Gordian I238

Related Topics:
Gordian I - 238

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Gordian II238

Related Topics:
Gordian II - 238

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Balbinus238Murdered by the Guard

Related Topics:
Balbinus - 238

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Pupienus238Murdered by the Guard

Related Topics:
Pupienus - 238

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Gordian III238 - 244Proclaimed emperor by the Guard but killed by his Prefect, Philip the Arab

Related Topics:
Gordian III - 238 - 244 - Philip the Arab

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Philip the Arab244 - 249

Related Topics:
Philip the Arab - 244 - 249

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Decius249 - 251

Related Topics:
Decius - 249 - 251

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Herennius Etruscus251

Related Topics:
Herennius Etruscus - 251

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Hostilian251

Related Topics:
Hostilian - 251

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Trebonianus Gallus251-253

Related Topics:
Trebonianus Gallus - 251 - 253

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Aemilianus253

Related Topics:
Aemilianus - 253

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Publius Licinius Valerianus253-260

Related Topics:
Publius Licinius Valerianus - 253 - 260

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Gallienus260-268

Related Topics:
Gallienus - 260 - 268

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Claudius II268-270

Related Topics:
Claudius II - 268 - 270

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Quintillus270

Related Topics:
Quintillus - 270

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Aurelian270-275Murdered by the Guard

Related Topics:
Aurelian - 270 - 275

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Marcus Claudius Tacitus275-276

Related Topics:
Marcus Claudius Tacitus - 275 - 276

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Florianus276

Related Topics:
Florianus - 276

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Probus276 - 282Murdered by Praetorian troops after a revolt

Related Topics:
Probus - 276 - 282

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Carus282-283

Related Topics:
Carus - 282 - 283

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Carinus283-285

Related Topics:
Carinus - 283 - 285

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Numerian283-284

Related Topics:
Numerian - 283 - 284

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Diocletian284 - 305Effectively broke the power of the Praetorians

Related Topics:
Diocletian - 284 - 305

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Maximian286 - 305, 307 - 308

Related Topics:
Maximian - 286 - 305 - 307 - 308

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Galerius305-311

Related Topics:
Galerius - 305 - 311

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Constantius Chlorus305-306

Related Topics:
Constantius Chlorus - 305 - 306

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Flavius Valerius Severus306-307

Related Topics:
Flavius Valerius Severus - 306 - 307

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Maxentius306-312Last emperor to command the guard

Related Topics:
Maxentius - 306 - 312

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Constantine the Great306-337Disbanded the Guard and destroyed the Castra Praetoria

Related Topics:
Constantine the Great - 306 - 337

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