Centurion (Roman army)
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Artistic impression of a centurion. |
A
centurion (
Latin:
centurio;
Greek:
hekatontarchos) was a professional officer of the Roman army. In the Roman
infantry, centurions commanded a
centuria (century) of between 60 and 160 men, depending on force strength and whether or not the unit was part of the First
Cohort. They took their title from the fact that they commanded a 100 man century, but centuries eventually changed to 80 men (80 men times 60 centuries = 4,800 men in a full-strength Imperial legion). In the
Roman legions' tactical organization, the centurions ranked above the
optios and below the
Tribuni Angusticlavii â€" the aristocratic senior officers of the
Equestrian Class, subordinate to the
legion commander, the
Legatus Legionis. In comparison to a modern military organization, they would be roughly equivalent to an
Infantry company commander, with the
army rank of
Captain, with senior centurions roughly equivalent to
Majors.
The bulk of the legion's command was provided by the Centurionate, comprising the ranks of the centurions, the middle- and lower-ranking commissioned officers of the legion. There were six centurions to each cohort from Three to Ten, making 48, and five senior centurions called
primi ordines, in each of the two Millarian Cohorts. Each legion had a
primus pilus (literally "first spear"), the senior centurion who led the First Cohort. The Second Cohort was headed by the
princeps secundus, and Cohorts Three through Ten were each commanded by a
pilus prior.
The Roman centurion was distinguished by his uniform: his
armor was
silvered, he wore his
sword on his left side rather than his right, he wore
greaves on his legs, and the crest of his
helmet may have been turned perpendicular to the front. As the well known lorica segmentata armor came into use, Centurions continued to wear chain mail armor. It is believed that he also wore his decorations and awards prominantly on his torso in battle, to show his bravery to friend and foe alike. He also carried a short
staff - usually a vine stave, called Vitis - as a symbol of his authority. One infamous centurion was nicknamed "Give me another" because of his habit of breaking his staff across the backs of his men.
Centurions had the privilege of riding on horseback during marches and, if they had been given permission to marry, to live with their family while in
garrison.
Centurions often suffered heavy casualties in battle, generally fighting alongside the
legionaries they commanded. They usually led from the front, occupying a position at the front right of the century formation. They led and inspired their men by example. They also sought to display the skill and courage that got them to their rank in the first place. It's for these reasons that they often suffered a disproportionate number of casualties.
Centurions were also tasked with the training of the legionaries. They could often be merciless in their handling of this task, and were known for dealing out brutal punishments. While the Roman army was known for these harsh conditions, it paid off during battle when strict order and discipline could decide the outcome. This often allowed the Legions to succeed in battles where they faced a numerically superior army.
