Praetorian Guard - Imperial Horseguard

Imperial Horseguard

From its beginnings, the guard usually included a small cavalry detachment, the equites singulares Augusti, to escort the emperors to important state functions and on military campaigns. It was composed chiefly of selected, highly trusted provincials, who wore their native dress and carried their own weapons. Trajan expanded this force, opening it up to citizens and made it a permanent part of the Praetorian establishment. Its size was that of an ala milliaria or about 720 horsemen in 24 turmae (squadrons). It was commanded by a tribunus militum and so was, in effect, a 10th Praetorian cohort. Later, Septimius Severus (ruled 197-211) would expand its size to 2,000 men.