Heavily armoured elite infantry. The personal guard of the Emperor. After Excubitors lost their duty as Imperial guards and became one of the four Imperial elite units known as the Vasilica Tagmata, the personal guard of the Emperor was a small, mostly traditional unit called the Spatharioi. Their leading officer was known as Protospatharios tou vasileos and he carried the Emperor's sword in official presentations and ceremonies. The Spartharii had the Imperial armoury at their disposal, and hence they were one of the most heavily armoured units in the medieval world. However, many times the Spartharii seemed to be more loyal to the palace rather than the Emperor himself.