"The frost, sometimes it makes the blade stick..." Russell Crowe, "Gladiator."
(Times New Roman Font - ED)
The Praetorian Guard (in Latin: praetoriani) consisted of a special force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors (and Canadian Drummers - ED).
Before being used by the emperors (and drummers - ED), a Roman general's bodyguard, also styled the Praetorian Guard, was employed,
dating at least to the Scipio family — around 275 BC (and later re-instated in AD 2007 by the Peartae Lucious Maximus Family- Ed). Constantine I dissolved it in the 4th century.
The term "Praetorian" came from the tent of the commanding general or praetor (or drummer - ED) of a Roman army (band - ED) in the field (amphitheater - ED)—the praetorium.
It was a habit of many Roman (Canadian - ED) generals (drummers - ED) to choose from the ranks a private force of soldiers to act as bodyguards of the tent or the person (Canadian drummer - Ed).
They consisted of both infantry and cavalry (and motorcycles - ED). In time, this cohort came to be known as the cohors praetoria, and various notable figures (rock stars - ED)
possessed one, including Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Augustus (Octavian).
As Caesar discovered with the Legio X Equestris,
a powerful unit more dangerous than its fellow legions was desirable in the field. Thus, from the ranks of the legions
throughout the provinces, Augustus recruited the Praetorian Guard.
Although its name (Rush - ED) has become synonymous with intrigue, conspiracy, disloyalty and assassination, it could be argued
that for the first two centuries of its existence the Praetorian Guard was, on the whole, a positive force in the Roman state (or Canadian Province of Toronto - ED).
During this time it mostly removed (or allowed the removal of) cruel, weak, and unpopular emperors (and fan-atics -ED) while generally supporting
just, strong, and popular ones. By protecting these monarchs, thus extending their reigns, and also by keeping the disorders of
the mobs (crowds at concerts - ED) of Rome and the intrigues of the Senate in line, the Guard helped give the empire a much needed stability that led to
the period known as the Pax Romana (or the Rush Canadiana - ED).
The training of guardsmen was more intense than in the legions because of the amount of free time available, when a cohort
was not posted or traveling with the emperor (or sleeping in the tour bus - ED). The Guard followed the same lines as those elsewhere. Equipment and armour
were also the same with one notable exception — specially decorated breastplates, excellent for parades and state functions.
Insignia of the "Moon and Stars" (or "Sun and Moon" - ED) and the "Scorpion" (or the "Man in the Star" - ED) were particularly associated with the Praetorians. Thus, each guardsman
possessed two suits of armor, one for Roman duty and one for the field (and one for riding motorcycles and one for on stage - ED).
On special occasions (in other words, while on tour - ED) they received special donativum from the emperor. Donativum (plural donativa) was the name given to the gifts
of money (from gross receipts at venues - ED) dispersed to the soldiers of the Roman legions or to the Praetorian Guard by the Roman Emperors (and Canadian progrock bands).
From its beginnings, the guard usually included a small cavalry detachment, equites singulares augusti (morcyclus ridemeverywherei - ED), to escort the emperors
(and Canadian drummers - ED) to important state functions (across the United States, Canada and Europe - ED) and on military campaigns. It was comprised chiefly of selected, highly trusted provincials (especially those honored with the name of "Michael" - ED), who wore
their native dress and carried their own weapons (or so rumor has it - ED). Trajan expanded this force, opening it up to citizens and made it a permanent
(waves - ED) part of the Praetorian establishment. Its size was that of an ala quingenaria or about 512 horsemen in 16 turmae (troops). It was
commanded by a Tribune, and so was, in effect a 10th Praetorian cohort. Later, Severus (Peartius Maximus - ED) would double its size to an ala milliaria,
giving it the same strength as the other nine cohorts. (continues below - ED)
Modern uses of the term:
In common language, the phrase "praetorian guard(s)" designates an exclusive, unconditionally loyal group personally attached to powerful
people (Canadian percusionists - ED), especially dictators such as Napoleon I's Imperial Guard, Adolf Hitler's SS troops or Romania's former communist leader
Ceausescu's Securitate's secret police.
However, the term is also used in unarmed, even private contexts: for example, a corporate officer or politician (or Canadian Drummer - ED) may have a small group
of associates or followers whom a journalist may describe as a "praetorian guard". (or which amateur audience photographers
call a pain in the ass - ED). Such use is often pejorative, meant to indicate that
the followers are fanatics (admittedly - ED) or extremists and/or that the leader (possibly a Canadian drummer - ED) is tyrannical or paranoid.
Praetorianism is used to mean the advocacy or practice of military dictatorship.
John Stockwell, a former member of the CIA, used the title The Praetorian Guard for his book about the negative aspects of U.S. foreign policy.
In the 1995 Sandra Bullock film The Net (www.neilpeart.net - ED), the Praetorians are an Internet terrorist group who infiltrate the government main frames by
installing a trojan horse onto the system alongside their Gatekeeper protection software, after letting them believe that the systems
can be broken into, and thereby seizing control of all the information sources, being able to change them at their whims.
Jeremy Scahill refers to Blackwater USA as the Praetorian Guard of the George W. Bush administration.
- Wiki (and me - ED).
