Lindsay Powell

We tend to think, I think these days, you know, like a US president, I'm living in the United States, and you constantly see Air Force One arriving and a man comes down and there's these guys with these curly cords in their ears and so on. And the Secret Service is quite small body, at least in public, I'm sure it's hundreds of people. But the Roman optics of that would probably be much bigger.

We tend to think, I think these days, you know, like a US president, I'm living in the United States, and you constantly see Air Force One arriving and a man comes down and there's these guys with these curly cords in their ears and so on. And the Secret Service is quite small body, at least in public, I'm sure it's hundreds of people. But the Roman optics of that would probably be much bigger.

So there would have been an advance messenger saying, we're arriving in the city in 48 hours. And literally, thousands of people would show up. Probably just have to have a camp to go to. So they'll probably build one. I don't know how you do that in some parts of the developed empire. And there's all the personal staff and, of course, these German guards and all the rest of it.

So there would have been an advance messenger saying, we're arriving in the city in 48 hours. And literally, thousands of people would show up. Probably just have to have a camp to go to. So they'll probably build one. I don't know how you do that in some parts of the developed empire. And there's all the personal staff and, of course, these German guards and all the rest of it.

So there would have been an advance messenger saying, we're arriving in the city in 48 hours. And literally, thousands of people would show up. Probably just have to have a camp to go to. So they'll probably build one. I don't know how you do that in some parts of the developed empire. And there's all the personal staff and, of course, these German guards and all the rest of it.

So it's quite a production.

So it's quite a production.

So it's quite a production.

Well, I mentioned earlier, I think people tend to think of them as being elite. And that sort of was because they had special skills. I think the thing to think of is that these were initially predominantly veteran troops. So they were special in the sense that they had war experience and campaign experience. So they understood the rules of fighting.

Well, I mentioned earlier, I think people tend to think of them as being elite. And that sort of was because they had special skills. I think the thing to think of is that these were initially predominantly veteran troops. So they were special in the sense that they had war experience and campaign experience. So they understood the rules of fighting.

Well, I mentioned earlier, I think people tend to think of them as being elite. And that sort of was because they had special skills. I think the thing to think of is that these were initially predominantly veteran troops. So they were special in the sense that they had war experience and campaign experience. So they understood the rules of fighting.

But as they became a formalized organization and they begin to be recruited from Italians, they see progressively less and less combat. So, in fact, the legions, which are on the frontier dealing with all sorts of problems, internal and external, are the hard-nosed troops. And it's an interesting kind of dichotomy here, which is that you remember the film Gladiator.

But as they became a formalized organization and they begin to be recruited from Italians, they see progressively less and less combat. So, in fact, the legions, which are on the frontier dealing with all sorts of problems, internal and external, are the hard-nosed troops. And it's an interesting kind of dichotomy here, which is that you remember the film Gladiator.

But as they became a formalized organization and they begin to be recruited from Italians, they see progressively less and less combat. So, in fact, the legions, which are on the frontier dealing with all sorts of problems, internal and external, are the hard-nosed troops. And it's an interesting kind of dichotomy here, which is that you remember the film Gladiator.

And the implication is the men in black, Lorica segmentata, must be the Praetorians. And they all look very intimidating. But actually, from a sort of fighting point of view, they didn't have much practice. So in that regard, they probably were more of a decorative thing than a really fully fledged professional army dealing with the day to day.

And the implication is the men in black, Lorica segmentata, must be the Praetorians. And they all look very intimidating. But actually, from a sort of fighting point of view, they didn't have much practice. So in that regard, they probably were more of a decorative thing than a really fully fledged professional army dealing with the day to day.

And the implication is the men in black, Lorica segmentata, must be the Praetorians. And they all look very intimidating. But actually, from a sort of fighting point of view, they didn't have much practice. So in that regard, they probably were more of a decorative thing than a really fully fledged professional army dealing with the day to day.

That said, the situation where, for example, Germanicus, who in 15 AD and 16 was active trying to hunt down Arminius, the man responsible for Varus's disaster. And what's interesting there is that there are, I think, two cohorts of Praetorians who are in active service.

That said, the situation where, for example, Germanicus, who in 15 AD and 16 was active trying to hunt down Arminius, the man responsible for Varus's disaster. And what's interesting there is that there are, I think, two cohorts of Praetorians who are in active service.

That said, the situation where, for example, Germanicus, who in 15 AD and 16 was active trying to hunt down Arminius, the man responsible for Varus's disaster. And what's interesting there is that there are, I think, two cohorts of Praetorians who are in active service.