Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Romes Imperial Bodyguard - Guy de la Bedoyere
Category: History
Narrator: Malk Williams
Tags: History, Documentary
Duration: 11 hrs and 38 mins, A riveting account of ancient Romes imperial bodyguard, the select band of soldiers who wielded the power to make - or destroy - the emperors they served., Founded by Augustus around 27 BC, 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 Bdoyre provides a compelling first full narrative history of the Praetorians, whose dangerous ambitions ceased only when Constantine permanently disbanded them., De la Bdoyre 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 again
