ROM037-KC
King & Country
On patrol in the grounds of the Imperial Palace.
The Praetorian Guard (Latin: cohortes praetoriae) was an elite formation of the Roman Army whose soldiers served as the personal body guards and intelligence service for the Roman Emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorians served as a small escort force for high-ranking officials such as senators or provincial governors.
With the transformation into the Roman Empire the first emperor, Augustus, altered the Guard to become his personal security detail to the exclusion of all their former duties and responsibilities. In this capacity they continued in existence for the next three centuries. The Guard became famous or perhaps, infamous, for their intrigue and interference in Roman politics overthrowing and sometimes even killing their emperors, Caligula being their most notable victim.
The Praetorian Guard, like other Roman Legionaries carried the standard sword and dagger and in the Imperial period, which K&C portray, wear the ‘Lorica Segmentata’ armor over a white tunic. Shields carried were the oval and more robust shape rather than the regular Legion rectangular ones. Their terms of service, food and lodging were much better than other Roman soldiers and only Roman citizens could be recruited to their ranks.
Symbols carried on their shields and banners included stars, crescents and... scorpions.