Praetorian eagle standards

[Titus Martius]

Salvete,
I was wondering if there is any possibility that each imperial praetorian cohort had eagle as it's standard or it was standard of whole praetorian guard. I don't know any comtemporary written mention of praetorian eagle standard, but there are several depictions of eagles on praetorian related reliefs:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ ... sAsper.jpg
Tombstone of Marcus Pompeius Asper

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ ... 41_o-1.jpg
Louvre praetorians

and (on the left, but eagle missing)
http://www.vroma.org/images/mcmanus_ima ... eplica.jpg
Traian's Column

and coins:


Galba

http://romancoins.info/LEGPRAETjpg.jpg
Marc Antony

[markhebb]

Hi Titus,

I'm right in the middle of an extended section of my thesis about standards (I know: please kill me now!!)

I think the answer to this is no - also interesting is that Von Dom. theory that only the Praetorians were allowed to carry the imperial image on their signa (ie: manipular signa) is also incorrect. A recent work on standards in J.Stacker Princeps and Miles which summarises all the arguments very nicely. Until this new study that people have been discussing turns up I'd recommend looking at Stacker. Also an oldie, but not a bad work is M. Durry's book on the praetorian guard (in French).

cheers,
Mark

[Titus Martius]

Hi Titus,

I'm right in the middle of an extended section of my thesis about standards (I know: please kill me now!!)

I think the answer to this is no - also interesting is that Von Dom. theory that only the Praetorians were allowed to carry the imperial image on their signa (ie: manipular signa) is also incorrect. A recent work on standards in J.Stacker Princeps and Miles which summarises all the arguments very nicely. Until this new study that people have been discussing turns up I'd recommend looking at Stacker. Also an oldie, but not a bad work is M. Durry's book on the praetorian guard (in French).

cheers,
Mark

Ave,
thanks. Where can I get Stacker's work?

If answer is no, what are other explanations of presence of eagle standard on so many unrelated depictions? Can you share some ideas?

B. Rankov also briefly mentions possibility of praetorian eagle standards in his Ospey's title The Praetorian Guard and makes reference to one coin of Caligula.