Was reading an article in Der Spiegel, yesterday that featured a Harvard
Professor for Political Science, and had to look up an expression,
that of 'praetorian guard'. This brought me back to my readings in earlier
years about Ancient Rome, and frankly, I was always a little mystified
by it's political organization. Think I am starting to see how it all worked.
Today the term 'pretorian guard' is derogatory. It is the men who serve as
bodyguards to a dictator (because - obviously - he needs this service). Historically,
they arose in the second century BC as an elite cohort that protected a powerful
general and policed Rome. Under Augustus, the first Emperor, they became attached
to the Emperor as an elite guard with headquarters of their own outside the city.
Indeed, they became so powerful that they could influence the demise or choice
of the Emperor himself. They were disbanded in the 4th century.
Rome is somewhat problematic from our own perspective that makes a clean
distinction between civil servants and the elected. They were struggling with those
very issues...
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https://www.unrv.com/military/praetorian-guard.php
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For those 8-13, Vikidia has a portal on ancient Rome.
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