Praetorian Guard - Rank and File

Rank and File

Ranks of the Praetorian Guard, in ascending order
Milites Regular soldiers of the guard.
Immunes Guardsmen with secondary specialist roles that exempted them from other less than desired duties. After five years these soldiers were allowed to serve in the Equites singulares (cavalry branch).
Evocati Augusti After 16 years of service guardsmen could retire with a sizeable cash payment. Guardsmen who chose to stay in service after the 16 year period were called Evocati and gained privileges.
Centuriones Praetorian Centurions commanded centuries of guardsmen while the most senior centurions commanded entire cohorts.
Tribuni These officers acted as staff officers and as deputies to the Praetorian Prefects.
Praefectus The highest rank in the Praetorian Guard, head of the Praetorian Guard.

See the article Praetorian prefect, which also lists the incumbents of the post of Praefectus praetorio and covers the essentially civilian second life of the office, since ca 300, as administrator of the territorial circumscriptions known as praetorian prefectures).

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