Praetorian

The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard

Nonfiction, History, Ancient History, Rome, Military, Other
Cover of the book Praetorian by Guy de la Bédoyère, Yale University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Guy de la Bédoyère ISBN: 9780300226270
Publisher: Yale University Press Publication: February 28, 2017
Imprint: Yale University Press Language: English
Author: Guy de la Bédoyère
ISBN: 9780300226270
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication: February 28, 2017
Imprint: Yale University Press
Language: English
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 B.C., 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 Bédoyère provides a compelling first full narrative history of the Praetorians, whose dangerous ambitions ceased only when Constantine permanently disbanded them.
 
de la Bédoyère 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.
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
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 B.C., 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 Bédoyère provides a compelling first full narrative history of the Praetorians, whose dangerous ambitions ceased only when Constantine permanently disbanded them.
 
de la Bédoyère 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.

More books from Yale University Press

Cover of the book Why Acting Matters by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book The Book of Whispers by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book The Parisian Jazz Chronicles by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book The Psychology of Science and the Origins of the Scientific Mind by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Voices from the Warsaw Ghetto by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book My Dear BB . . . by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Can Poetry Save the Earth?: A Field Guide to Nature Poems by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Pedigree by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book What Stalin Knew by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Edmund Husserl's Freiburg Years: 1916-1938 by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Race, Poverty, and Domestic Policy by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book The I. L. Peretz Reader by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Beyond the University by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Singing for Freedom by Guy de la Bédoyère
Cover of the book Alexander to Constantine: Archaeology of the Land of the Bible, Volume III by Guy de la Bédoyère
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy