![]() The sooner the acting emperor “finished” his government, the better for the Praetorian Guard’s pockets.Įmperor succession became truly messy during the late history of the Western Roman Empire. But one type of donative contributed to the political instability of Rome: A pretender to the throne would promise to pay a substantial reward if he became emperor. Perhaps one of the most astonishing signs of the Praetorian Guard corruption was a practice called the “donative.” This was an economic incentive paid to the Praetorian Guard. By the third century AD, no Roman emperor could rule without the support of the military in general and the Praetorian Guard in particular. ![]() In many cases, the Praetorian Guard simply murdered these emperors. Their involvement grew larger until they were able to literally make and unmake Roman emperors. As the power of the army increased, the Praetorian Guard occasionally got involved in the process of appointing new emperors, usually favoring those who favored them. ![]() The members of the Praetorian Guard, a special branch of the Roman army, were household troops for the emperor and his personal bodyguards. ![]()
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