Ricerc@Sapienza

This paper offers an updated summary of the Germani corporis custodes, the imperial bodyguard, which was established by Augustus and dissolved by Galba. In particular, the following topics are explored: a brief history of previous studies, attestations in literary sources and in inscriptions, the ethnicities, names and legal status of the guards, their organisation within the unit, their relationships with civilians, the location of their burial areas and the probable site of their barracks.