Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard is a military unit made of hand-pick veteran legionaries to serve as bodyguards to Emperor Augustus, and also to other high-rank military officers. Its members also protect the civic administrations, help imposing the senate's and the emperor's rule of law, and act as secret police. The Praetorian Guard is the only military unit allowed to operate inside the boundaries of Rome.
Structure
While the exact number of soldiers is not publicly disclosed, it is organized in 9 cohorts of 500 men, each one commanded by a military tribune. A 10th cohort, the details of which are only known to a few within the organization, is actually fully comprised of the members of the Night Legion.
History
While the lictors had been assigned to protect public officials with military authority since as far back as the Roman Kingdom, the practice of assigning bodyguard to high-ranking military officers was initiated by the newly formed Republic. The office of Praetor would selected elite legionaries to protect those senior officers. Following Camillia's ascent to princedom, the Night Legion was merged into the structure of the Praetorians, as such giving the Eternal Senate more influence over the mortal's state affairs.
In the aftermath of Caesar's assassination, in 40 BCE, the co-rulers of the Second Triumvirate reformed the Praetorians into a military structure with 9 cohors praetoriae. Even tough detailed knowledge of each cohort is held back, even within its own organization, the members know of the existence of an elusive 10th cohort, the Cohors Φ. This elusive cohort, the Night Legion, was given more influence over the military campaign access to the rulers. The centurions within the Night legion were given the "Seal of the Triumvir", allowing them to take imperial authority above a mortal legatus legionis when necessary. The Praetorians became garrisoned at the Castra Praetoria, located within the boundaries of Rome, making them the only military units allowed to operate inside the pomerium.
Since the constitution of the Empire in 27 BCE, the elites among the Praetorians are serving as the personal escort to Emperor Augustus, and the centurions of the 10th cohort carry the "Seal of the Emperor".
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