Praetorian Guard (Legatia)
| Praetorian Guard Cohortes Praetoriae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 9 October 1542– present (482 years, 3 months and 1 day) |
| Country |  Legatia |
| Allegiance | Defense Magistrate |
| Type | Gendarmerie |
| Size | 5,183 active personnel |
| Part of | Armed Forces of the Legatian Republic |
| Headquarters | Augusta |
| Motto(s) | Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful) |
| Colors | Purple, Gold |
| Anniversaries | July Battle of Ilecta |
| Engagements | Popular War First Great War Second Great War |
| Commanders | |
| Prefect of the Praetorian Guard | PFT Titus Lupinus |
| Senior Tribune of the Praetorian Guard | TBN Julianus Carbo |
| Chief Tesserarius of the Guard | TsP Quintus Crito |
The Praetorian Guard (Legatian: Cohortes Praetoriae), also known as The Guard or Praetorians, is a gendarmerie force of the Armed Forces of the Legatian Republic, and is the oldest military branch of the Legatian Republic, predating the formation of the Republican government. Their roots trace back to the early days of the Augustan Empire, where they served as a guard unit for various Augustan emperors, often killing and deposing at their will. While they were disbanded in 604 AD by King Aulus II, they were reinstated in 1542 by Publius VI. Elements of the Guard helped to initiate and lead the Popular War which saw the overthrow of the TBD dynasty ruling Legatia at the time. Since the establishment of the Republic, the Praetorian Guard have served as internal security forces, particularly within the city of Augusta, where they guard government facilities, personnel, and events of public interest. The Praetorian Guard provides close protection of important government officials including the Consul, and serve as honor guards at state functions. The Praetorian guard consists of a single statutory Legion, Legio I Respublica Victrix, and is commanded by a Prefect. By law, all members of the Praetorian guard are combat arms veterans of the Armed Forces, and until 2018 were required to be naturally-born Legatian citizens.
History
Organization
The Praetorian guard is organized around a central 'Legion', which is a Brigade-sized formation consisting of a variety of units including training, ceremonial, security, close protection, patrol, tactics and special duty units such as bomb disposal units, sniper teams, and other formations.
Command structure
The Praetorian Guard is commanded by a Prefect (OF-6), who is appointed to the role by the Consul and approved by the Senate, one of few non-flag officer roles in the Armed Forces that require such authorization. It is not uncommon for flag officers to be appointed to the position and receive a 'demotion'. Ranking structure in the Guard very closely follows Army rank guidelines, but utilizes differing insignia.