This page cannot be viewed in frames

Go to page

If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.

Palatini

This post is also available in: Polish (polski)

Palatini (legio palatina), meaning literally “palace soldiers”, were an elite Roman detachment of the late empire that usually belonged to comitatus praesentales or bodyguards emperor. In the military hierarchy, palatins were below scholares (soldiers of the elite cavalry, called scholae), but above comitatenses (troops regional comitatus) and limitanei (border soldiers).

The term comes from palatium (“palace”), as the detachment originally served as the emperor’s bodyguard. Later, palatini also appeared in the regional comitatus (field armies). There, however, they still enjoyed a high status. At the time of the founding of Notitia Dignitatum (around 395 CE), 80% of the eastern branches of comitatus praesentales belonged to the rank of palatini.

The branch was created by the emperor Constantine I after the liquidation of the praetorian branch in 312 CE. The palatini cavalry was called vexillationes and the infantry was mostly legionaries or auxilia. It is believed that vexillationes palatinae consisted of 400-600 people, legiones palatinae 800-1,200 and auxilia palatina either 800-1,000 or 400- 600 people.

IMPERIUM ROMANUM needs your support!

If you like the content that I collect on the website and that I share on social media channels I will be grateful for the support. Even the smallest amounts will allow me to pay for further corrections, improvements on the site and pay the server.

Support IMPERIUM ROMANUM!

Support IMPERIUM ROMANUM!

Find out more!

Check your curiosity and learn something new about the ancient world of the Romans. By clicking on the link below, you will be redirected to a random entry.

Random curiosity

Random curiosity

Discover secrets of ancient Rome!

If you want to be up to date with newest articles on website and discoveries from the world of ancient Rome, subscribe to the newsletter, which is sent each Saturday.

Subscribe to newsletter!

Subscribe to newsletter

Spelling error report

The following text will be sent to our editors: