How ordinary legionaries viewed the Praetorians
5 min readFeb 16, 2024
Throughout all times and in any regular army with harsh rules and strict discipline, an ordinary soldier aims to keep away from officers, especially from the high command. The soldier’s wisdom of “stay away from the bosses, closer to the kitchen” has been known for a long time. Soldiers in Ancient Rome also feared their commanders. It was customary for a legion commander to walk only with the accompaniment of lictors (bodyguards and executioners), armed with bundles of rods for flogging and minor axes, also serving an obvious purpose. However, some soldiers, on the…
