Saturnalia

With time on my hands over Christmas, I picked up Lindsey Jones's Saturnalia (aptly). I don't propose to offer much of an opinion here (later perhaps). I'm not a great fan, having read only a handful of her voluminous output, but it was enjoyable enough.

I was struck, however, by her characterisation of the Praetorians encountered at the start of Chapter XLI: '...every one was an ex-centurion. Many had made it to the top: first-spear, chief centurion in a legion...'

This is to significantly underplay the prestige of the legionary centurionate, and to completely reverse its relationship with the guard (when it comes to the 'first-spear', the postition is even worse).

Former centurions did not enrol in the Praetorian Guard. In all recorded instances, soldiers progressed in the other direction (see Dobson and Breeze 1969 'The Rome cohorts and the legionary centurionate' Epigraphische Studien 8). A miles Praetorius if selected for continued service after his 16-year term (evocatus) would have the prospect of then gaining a legionary centurionate (eg CIL XI 5960, to pick an example from among centurions of the Twentieth). Direct promotion was open to the cornicularius to the Praetorian Prefect (XI 3108 ditto). An evocatus advancing via centurionates in the Vigiles, Urban cohorts and the Guard (trecenarius) could then move to a senior legionary centurionate with expectation of promotion to primus pilus, chief centurion (X 5064=ILS2667). He would certainly not see return to service in the ranks of the Guard as a positive career move!

The position of primus pilus guaranteed equestrian status and led to much higher things. Far from serving in the Guard, the primus pilus could aspire to a tribunate commanding a Praetorian cohort and a number are known to have ultimately become Praetorian Prefect (Dobson 1978 Die Primipilares).

A surprising slip, since her lead character is a former legionary, and soldiers and former soldiers figure prominently in the novels (or is that just the ones I've read?). It's a fairly obscure point, perhaps, but you'll find 'praetorian guard, promotion to the centurionate from' in the index of Webster's Roman Imperial Army if you're looking for an accessible source.