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The Praetorian Guard was critical in the politics and government of Imperial Rome for approximately 300 years. This military unit was unique, and it for extended periods of time, had great wielded power and influencein Rome. They were the guardians of the Emperors and sometimes their masters. This article will examine the role of the Guards in the Roman history of the greatest Empire in Antiquity. It will demonstrate that they had the power to remove weak Emperors and became important power brokers in the Empire.

For most of their history, they were the loyal protectors of the leader of the Roman World. The Guards were also an important military unit who played a significant role in maintaining peace and security in Rome and throughout Italy. The guards also played a significant meaningful role in the administration and policing of the capital of the Empire and Italy.

The Praetorian Guards were an important institution in the history of Imperial Rome. They were used to guard the Emperor and to protect his person and his family. This was a critical task in any autocracy such as the Roman Empire. However, they were in a privileged position to decide determine if an emperor who had lost support or who was acting tyrannically should stay in power. It is important to note that the Praetorian Guards never ousted a strong Emperor. The , but the Imperial bodyguard was often a destabilizing factor in Imperial politics.  Additionally, and they helped to precipitate periods of war and political violence, such as the Year of the Five Emperors (195 AD). However, they were not only power-brokers . Still, they also played a critical role in the administration of Rome and the Italian provinces. The Praetorian Guard alternated, in its three hundred years from being a group that helped to stabilize the Empire to a body that destabilized Rome.