Imperial German Bodyguard (Roman)

The Germanic bodyguard (Latin Germani corporis custodes, in the literary sources also numerus Batavorum or cohors Germanorum ) was next to the Praetorians an additional, personal bodyguard of the early Roman emperors from Augustus to Galba. Already Gaius Iulius Caesar had owned a Germanic bodyguard.

The members of this guard were recruited mainly from the Germanic tribe of the Batavians, besides also from the Ubii. Little is known about their organization; inscriptions of the ( sub) officer rank of Decurio is preserved. The exact thickness of the at least partially mounted troop is also unknown; they could have been lying at 500 to 1,000 men after amplification under Caligula.

The Germanic body-guard was considered a loyal and reliable. Emperor Nero as familiar to the Germans in particular because of their non-Roman origin.

The bodyguard was finally resolved after the Varus battle briefly and Galba in 68 years. Your indirect successor took the also recruited mainly from Germanic Equites singulares Augusti.