Download Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard AudioBook Free
A riveting accounts of historic Rome's imperial bodyguard, the go for band of troops who wielded the power to make - or damage - the emperors they offered. Founded by Augustus around 27 BC, the elite Praetorian Safeguard was tasked with the security of the emperor and his family. As the generations unfolded, however, Praetorian troops offered not only as protectors and enforcers but also as powerful political players. Fiercely dedicated to some emperors, they vied with others and ruthlessly toppled those who displeased them, including Caligula, Nero, Pertinax, and so many more. Person de la Bédoyère offers a compelling first full narrative history of the Praetorians, whose dangerous ambitions ceased only once Constantine once and for all disbanded them. De la Bédoyère introduces Praetorians of most echelons, from prefects and messengers to artillery experts and executioners. He explores the sensitive position of emperors for whom prestige and guile were the one defenses against bodyguards eager for ability. Folding interesting details into a broad examination of the Praetorian era, the author sheds new light on the wielding of ability in the best of the historic world's empires.
