By Michael P. Speidel
The "equites singulares Augusta" had a really specific position to play in Roman historical past. They acted as bodyguards to the emperors and as such have been used to guard them and confirm their security; they have been additionally an elite strategic reserve. This booklet lines their improvement and the intimate half they performed within the destiny of the Roman empire and its emperors. The heritage of the pony guards is roofed from Julius Caesar to Constantine and there are sections dedicated to the recruitment of horsemen, aristocratic officials, guns and battle, lifestyles in Rome, Gods and graves and coaching the armies.
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Extra info for Riding for Caesar: The Roman Emperor's Horseguard
Example text
To his Danubian wars in 85–6 Domitian had summoned a corps of eastern bowmen, some of them from Philadelphia like the guardsman buried in Mainz. Following in his brother Titus’ footsteps, Domitian could have chosen some of these Easterners to become his singulares horse guard and may have taken them with him to Rome. Although they would have been there in 87–8, and again in 89–92 and 93–6, no gravestones or altars of the horse guard have come to light from those years. We cannot say for certain, then, whether it was Domitian or Trajan who took the great step of bringing a horse guard of frontier soldiers to the city.
Soon the title imperator replaced Augustus, and under Commodus the title dominus noster, ‘our lord’, in turn replaced imperator, heralding the absolute monarchy. Minor variations aside, the name of the unit thus changed as follows:51 first century second century later second century third century Germani Corporis custodes equites singulares Augusti equites singulares imperatoris nostri equites singulares domini nostri In the field with Trajan Trajan’s Column in Rome, commemorating the emperor’s warlike virtus in the Dacian wars of 101–6, portrays the horse guard no less than seven times: escorting the emperor on the march, coming to the rescue of embattled troops, traveling down the Danube aboard ship, reconnoitering, and on parade.
If Lurius had served him well, Commodus was bound to him by obligation (fides). The emperor heeding a former under-officer of his horse guard, now leaseholder on an imperial estate in Africa, betokens the unfolding of the empire’s new military aristocracy. 64 Commodus hoped to heighten the magic of being emperor by passing for the greatest gladiator and hunter of wild animals in the arena. For teachers he took the finest Parthian bowmen and Moorish spearmen. Since there were Parthian as well as Moorish marksmen in the horse guard, and since emperors were wont to train with their guard, Commodus’ teachers no doubt were equites singulares— 40 RIDING HIGH: THE SECOND CENTURY there is no need to think of a separate unit of Moors and Parthians stationed at the Castra Peregrina in Rome.