Roman Guards

[jvrjenivs]

Did the roman citys have guards, a kind of Police, or not? To keep the city safe and supervice the gateways etc. And If they had, what was their position, what kind of clothes did they have. <p></p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Ave!<br>
Augustus the first regular "police force" in Rome itself. There were three Urban Cohorts (numbered 10 to 12, following the nine Praetorian Cohorts), which were organized pretty much like regular army cohorts but we really don't know much about their dress or equipment. They apparently did have helmets, since at least one has been found with an inscription noting an Urban Cohort. But assuming they had armor, shields, swords, and other weapons might be more of a stretch. It's quite possible they had them but didn't carry them on day-to-day duties. (For comparison, we know the Praetorians wore swords under their togas but no armor while on duty in Rome.) Getting an appointment as a centurion or tribune in the Urban Cohorts was often a step to promotion to the Praetorians.<br>
<br>
The vigiles was a force recruited from freed slaves, and served as a night-watch and fire-fighting service. For the latter duty we know they had ladders, grass mats for smothering flames, and even catapults for knocking down burning buildings to prevent the spread of a fire. But almost nothing else is known about them. Again, it's not safe to assume that they had (or needed) armor and weapons for their night-watch duties.<br>
<br>
Before those forces were founded, I don't know if there was anything official, even in Rome. The wealthy Marcus Crassus had a personal fire brigade of slaves, and we know that wealthy people generally went about in public with slaves who could serve as body guards. Quite likely these also served to keep better parts of the city free of criminals simply because they could come racing out of any house on the street, cudgel in hand, to chase off thieves or trouble-makers. In other parts of the city, you probably simply learned to stay inside after dark (and watch your back in daylight!). The young emperor Nero ran around at night with a gang of thugs, breaking into shops and committing other mischiefs. Basically, the residents policed themselves, or no one did.<br>
<br>
I hope this is coherent, I'm on decongestants.... The Osprey book on the Praetorians (by Sekunda?) sums up all the evidence on the Urban Cohorts and vigiles, but I think there is at least one other book on the subject.<br>
<br>
Vale (cough sniff),<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>

[Jeroen Pelgrom]

my guess is that they perhaps did have a sword/ dagger tot defend themselves and perhaps also a wooden stick for crowd-control.<br>
<br>
If i was a policemen then, i sure wanted something to defend myself just in case...<br>
<br>
but this is only speculation from my side. <p>Volo anaticulam cumminosam meam!</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Hi all,<br>
<br>
Graham Sumner has asked me to post this on the subject:<br>
<br>
Roman Guards<br>
<br>
The following articles might be of interest to readers. 'The Fustis as a soldier's weapon'. Antiquities Africaines 29. 1993. p137-149 and 'The Police Officer, a Hero. An Inscribed relief from near Ephesos'. Both articles are by M.P. Speidel.<br>
<br>
Speidel describes the dress and equipment of Beneficarii, soldiers and Vigiles engaged in policing duties. The principle weapon used for crowd control and punishment was the soldier's wooden staff or Fustis, which was also used to beat to death sentries who fell asleep at their posts.<br>
<br>
Other weapons include wooden clubs and a curved stick similar to a small hockey stick. However if anyone is unable to get hold of these articles reconstructed figures from the Western and Eastern regions of the Empire based on them can be found in my 'Roman Military Clothing 1',<br>
<br>
Another illustration in the book shows a relief from Nickenich in Germany. This depicts a figure often described as either Hercules or a slave handler as he holds a chain with two barbarians attached. However his dress is very similar to the uniform described above as he is wearing a draped tunic and waistband and is also holding a wooden club.<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Salve,<br>
<br>
I agree, pelgr003. The vigiles had to have either a pugio or short gladius, or even a stick to control riots as well as protect themselves, but I wonder if there is any evidence to prove this? If they needed to defend against well armed assailants, they would need something more than just a wooden stick. Maybe they had both wooden sticks and pugio daggers for protection. Aitor, thanks for those articles <br>
<br>
<br>
Vale,<br>
Centurion725 <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=centurion725>Centurion725</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://images.honesty.com/imagedata/h/568/59/25685916.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 1/27/04 4:25 pm<br></i>