Greater Achievement: Praetorian Prefect vs Legion Legate

[Lucius Galerius Falconius]

As an equestrian which would be a greater achievement?

Appointment as praetorian prefect or being an ex-praetor and being appointed as legate of one of Rome's elite legions.



Also, this is off topic but in Hadrian's time could a senator be appointed consulship for life? Because what does lifetime appointment in the Senate mean...you could only hold office for one year in each office...sorry for the off-topic question

[Theodosius the Great]

Legionary legates were off-limits to equestrians so you'd have to be a senator. And you'd have to be a senator to qualify to be second in command, the senior tribune. But that changed during the 3rd century AD when the senate was excluded from legionary appointments to the benefit of the equestrians thereafter.

Being a prefect of the Praetorian Guard might mean sharing the position with someone else as was often the practice. But still, I think the position is more desirable since you'd be stationed in Rome with all its creature comforts and would probably earn better pay. An equestrian could not hope for a higher achievement, including being emperor because of his inferior social rank (but that changed in the 3rd century as well.)

There's also the position of Urban Prefect who commanded the cohorts who patrolled the streets of Rome, handling the day to day policiing of the Capital. But this position was only open to senators.

~Theo

[Praefectusclassis]

There is of course an exception, first in the command of the legion in Egypt and later in the command of II Parthica at Alba. However both of these stood below praetorian prefect in the cursus honorum of an equestrian.

[Lochinvar]

Define achievement. Are we in danger of confusing ultimate status with the struggle to get there?

[Timotheus]

There is of course an exception, first in the command of the legion in Egypt and later in the command of II Parthica at Alba. However both of these stood below praetorian prefect in the cursus honorum of an equestrian.

Also being outside of Rome would be quite a limiter. Sure they could make huge money but being out of the day to day activities of Rome and all the movers and shakers would be a problem for someone trying to constantly elevate themself.

[Theodosius the Great]

There is of course an exception, first in the command of the legion in Egypt and later in the command of II Parthica at Alba.

Interesting. Those two legates were probably the only ones who didn't qualify to have any lictors assigned to them.

~Theo

[Praefectusclassis]

I'm not sure we can state that any legate had lictors if he was not at the same time the provincial governor. It´s not a magistracy with imperium or am I mistaken=

[Theodosius the Great]

No, I think you're probably right, Jasper.

Unless the legate were to have pro-consular or pro-praetor authority they probably wouldn't have lictors. Thanks for clarifying. I must have been thinking more along the lines of the way things were done in the Republic.

~Theo