Policing the Roman Empire studies how Roman officials attempted to maintain law and order, focusing especially on police duties of Roman soldiers during the empire's first three centuries. Emperors, governors, lesser officials, and ordinary provincial inhabitants all helped enforce the law; they also all shared the hope or expectation that the state would provide some modicum of security. This same broad range of people saw potential benefits in using soldiers as police, a practice which markedly increased in the second and third centuries AD. Roman soldiers who were detached f ... More

Policing the Roman Empire studies how Roman officials attempted to maintain law and order, focusing especially on police duties of Roman soldiers during the empire's first three centuries. Emperors, governors, lesser officials, and ordinary provincial inhabitants all helped enforce the law; they also all shared the hope or expectation that the state would provide some modicum of security. This same broad range of people saw potential benefits in using soldiers as police, a practice which markedly increased in the second and third centuries AD. Roman soldiers who were detached from their legions and posted among civilians helped administer the Empire and police its provinces. They countered banditry, enforced laws (including measures against Christians), and furthered elite interests (arresting runaway slaves, for example). Roman policing also helped ordinary people, though corruption and abuse were a constant problem (and one which the early imperial state earnestly tried to correct). The resulting picture is rich and complex, drawn from a wide array of sources.