praetorian cohorts/equites extraordinarii

[razvedchiki]

after i upgraded to an empire as rome an emperors palace was made in rome which says that among other things it unlocks praetorian cohorts. i couldnt recruit any because i didnt have initiated the imperial legion reforms and thought that i could when i did that.

unfortunately triggering imperial reforms doesnt unlock that unit for recruitment.
also i got the ability to recruit equites extraordinarii but after i initiated the marian reforms but historically they werent used that late.

[Nepos]

You get Praetorians only as a garrison in your capital city, that means only when your your capital is under siege. Since that's quite unlikely (by the time you get the imperial palace, you probably are already ruling over a good chunk of the Mediterranean), you'll have to wait for a civil war to see them in action. You can't recruit an army of Praetorians and send them to conquer Britain. It works like siege engines, they only spawn when there is a siege.

[razvedchiki]

nodoby wrote about recruiting a whole army of them.

[Nepos]

I never said you did, I just made an example of one way you can't use them.

[razvedchiki]

praetorians actually took part on field campaigns.

[Henrique Lique]

I'm pretty sure praetorian was an elite guard for the emperor. There was no praetorian on legions

[PocusFR]

They fought in battles in Germany and in Dacia. But for the most part they were palace guards / kingmakers...

[razvedchiki]

Originally posted by Henrique Lique:

I'm pretty sure praetorian was an elite guard for the emperor. There was no praetorian on legions

im pretty sure you are wrong.

[欣怡 (Nathalie)]

Originally posted by razvedchiki:

Originally posted by Henrique Lique:

I'm pretty sure praetorian was an elite guard for the emperor. There was no praetorian on legions

im pretty sure you are wrong.

I'm no expert, but hes right.

The Praetorian's acted as Bodyguards for the emperors (Though they did kill one or two of them). Its actually better to see the Praetorian's as closer to the Hitlers SD, or the USSR's CHEKA. They were a police force that existed to protect the Emperor, but also to root out any plots or dangers to the state and Emperor. They were not recruited from the 'best of the best' as some think, in fact after Augustus's death they weren't even recruited from legions! They were chosen base on loyalty to the Emperor and Rome. And they were horribly corrupted. Held Private business which they were forbidden from doing, earned masses more than the average legionary, would rob lower ranks of money, embezzle funds.... They also murdered an Emperor and auctioned the throne at one point.

They fought a few battles, with mixed effectiveness. One time they mutinied after marching 15miles which was easy for a legion, but these guys were not trained for such actions.

Most of my knowledge comes from a few books, best one is Praetorian: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Imperial Bodyguard by Guy de la Bédoyère

[razvedchiki]

i have 2 books from osprey that cover the preatorian guard and both mention that they took part in campaigns regularly.
they could be made recruitable within reason.

[欣怡 (Nathalie)]

Originally posted by razvedchiki:

i have 2 books from osprey that cover the preatorian guard and both mention that they took part in campaigns regularly.
they could be made recruitable within reason.

Well the book I mention is kinda says that most scholarship on them is inaccurate, and sights a lot of primary sources to support the idea they were far form an elite unit, and more of an intelligence and security service (and rather hated one too, even by many emperors).

Taking part and fighting are different things. The only reason they took part in any campaign was A; Presence of the Emperor. B; lack of other forces. But given that they had no formal training, hence examples such as the time they were unable to build a fort (as all legions could). In game it make no sense to represent them as a separate unit (outside a garrison). As if one did it would need to be worse on average than a legion (given lack of training). They were chosen at youth for loyalty. So they had no combat experience (contrary to the idea they were vets of legions or some such). Ultimately though to March off is to forfeit their ultimate goal; protection of the emperor; since the emperor (Leader of a nation) to my knowledge can never command an army in game (something that maybe should’ve been changed).

The garrison solution is the most historical one can get given the realties of it being a game.

[25th LRSD]

Originally posted by razvedchiki:

i have 2 books from osprey that cover the preatorian guard and both mention that they took part in campaigns regularly.
they could be made recruitable within reason.

Didnt Caludius take part in the invasion of Briton and his Preatorian was with him when they attacked South East Briton..Ive read several accounts where they took part in battles.....
I dont now...I wasnt there..

[razvedchiki]

earlier from that preatorians were among the forces that suppresed the illyrian revolt on augustus death, 14 ad if i remember correctly.