02-10-2011, 12:14 PM
'Candidati' originally referred to those seeking Public Office who dressed in 'Toga Candida', whitened garments to indicate their position ( and from which is derived our word 'Candidate' for those seeking office).
Constantine the Great founded the 'Scholae Palatinae' (literally "Palatine Schools", in Greek: Σχολαὶ) as a replacement for the 'equites singulares Augusti', the cavalry Guard of the Praetorians . The 'Scholae' survived in Roman and later Byzantine service.
The term 'schola' was commonly used in the early 4th century to refer to organized corps of the imperial retinue, both civil and military, and derives from the fact that they occupied specific rooms or chambers in the palace. Each 'schola' was formed into an elite cavalry regiment of around 500 troops.
Forty 'scholares' were called 'candidati', and were selected to form the Emperor's personal bodyguard, possibly for their bright white tunics, but possibly because being close to the Emperor, they were candidates for High Positions following service as an intimate of the Emperor, or even both. In the 4th century they accompanied the Emperors on campaign, as for example Julian in Persia, in the passage of Ammianus referred to by Graham above, which refers to Julian, careless of his own safety while rallying his troops. His Guards (candidati) were calling out to him to get clear of the throng. It is at this point that he is struck in the back by a 'cavalryman's lance/equestris hasta', a wound which proved mortal.
Some evidence for the 'white clothing' hypothesis may be provided by the attached mosaic of Justinian and his Guards though their accoutrements suggest that the white-robed attendants are priests. By his reign the title was purely an honorific, which Justinian cynically sold to 'upwardly mobile' young noblemen. There was panic on one occasion when it was proposed to actually send Justinian's 'candidati' on campaign......
Constantine the Great founded the 'Scholae Palatinae' (literally "Palatine Schools", in Greek: Σχολαὶ) as a replacement for the 'equites singulares Augusti', the cavalry Guard of the Praetorians . The 'Scholae' survived in Roman and later Byzantine service.
The term 'schola' was commonly used in the early 4th century to refer to organized corps of the imperial retinue, both civil and military, and derives from the fact that they occupied specific rooms or chambers in the palace. Each 'schola' was formed into an elite cavalry regiment of around 500 troops.
Forty 'scholares' were called 'candidati', and were selected to form the Emperor's personal bodyguard, possibly for their bright white tunics, but possibly because being close to the Emperor, they were candidates for High Positions following service as an intimate of the Emperor, or even both. In the 4th century they accompanied the Emperors on campaign, as for example Julian in Persia, in the passage of Ammianus referred to by Graham above, which refers to Julian, careless of his own safety while rallying his troops. His Guards (candidati) were calling out to him to get clear of the throng. It is at this point that he is struck in the back by a 'cavalryman's lance/equestris hasta', a wound which proved mortal.
Some evidence for the 'white clothing' hypothesis may be provided by the attached mosaic of Justinian and his Guards though their accoutrements suggest that the white-robed attendants are priests. By his reign the title was purely an honorific, which Justinian cynically sold to 'upwardly mobile' young noblemen. There was panic on one occasion when it was proposed to actually send Justinian's 'candidati' on campaign......
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
