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Centurion (Roman army)
Encyclopedia
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
times, kentarch (κένταρχος) was a professional officer of the Roman army
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
after the Marian reforms
Marian reforms
The Marian reforms of 107 BC were a group of military reforms initiated by Gaius Marius, a statesman and general of the Roman republic.- Roman army before the Marian reforms :...
of 107 BC
107 BC
Year 107 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ravilla and Marius...
. Most centurions commanded 83 men despite the commonly assumed 100, but senior centurions commanded cohort
Cohort (military unit)
A cohort was the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion following the reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC.-Legionary cohort:...
s, or took senior staff roles in their legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
.
Centuries, or Centuriae, means tribe or company. Theoretically, this word traces its roots to centum which is Latin for one hundred, but that connection is widely disputed or disregarded.
Role
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, centurions initially commanded a centuria or "century". Centuries, or centuriae, developed from the Roman tribal system under the Servian reforms and could contain 200 to 1000 men. This became 100, at full strength, under the Marian reforms. Later, generals and Caesars further manipulated these numbers with double and half-strength units. Gaius Julius Caesar, for instance, made the first century double strength.
During the Imperial era, centurions gradually rose in seniority in their cohort, commanding centuries with higher precedence, until commanding the senior century and therefore the whole cohort. The very best centurions were then promoted to become centurions in the First Cohort, called Primi Ordines, commanding one of the ten centuries and also taking on a staff role. The most senior centurion of the legion was the Primus Pilus who commanded the first century. All centurions, however senior, had their own allocated century.
The Primus Pilus
Primus Pilus
The Primus pilus was the senior centurion of a Roman legion.-Historical role:In the late Roman republic, the cohort , became the basic tactical unit of the legions. The cohort was composed of five to eight centuries each led by a centurion assisted by an optio, a soldier who could read and write...
was so called because his own century was the first file (primus pilus) of the first (rightmost) cohort
Cohort (military unit)
A cohort was the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion following the reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC.-Legionary cohort:...
. Only eight officers in a fully officered legion outranked the Primus Pilus: The legate (legatus legionis
Legatus legionis
Legatus legionis was a title awarded to legion commanders in Ancient Rome.-History:By the time of the Roman Republic, the term legatus delegated authority...
), commanding the legion; the senior tribune (tribunus laticlavus), second-in-command of the legion; the Camp Prefect (praefectus castrorum
Praefectus Castrorum
The praefectus castrorum was, in the Roman army of the early Empire, the third-most senior commander of the Roman legion, after the legate and the senior military tribune . His responsibility was looking after equipment and building works but could command the legion when his seniors were absent...
); and the five other tribunes (tribuni angusticlavii) who apparently served as senior staff officers to the legate with a rank roughly equivalent to a modern colonel.
Comparisons between the centurion grades and modern officer ranks can lead to many incorrect assumptions. Centurions could be elected, appointed by the Senate, or promoted "from the ranks" for a variety of reasons. Julius Caesar is said to have promoted his centurions for displays of valor. Other historians cite examples of them being the first over the enemies' wall or through the breach. If this case were strictly so, then there would be a lack of centurions in peacetime garrisons, which is where the Roman Army mostly spent its time. Nonetheless, although not directly comparable to modern ranks, the various centurion grades may be loosely compared to modern junior and middle officer grades.
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 may have brought them to their rank in the first place. It is for these reasons that they often suffered a disproportionate number of casualties.
Below the centurions were the optio
Optio
An optio , sometimes anglicized option , was a soldier in the Roman army who held a position similar to that of an executive officer in modern armies...
nes, seconds-in-command of centuries.
Being held personally responsible for the training and discipline of the legionaries under their command, centurions had a well-deserved reputation for dealing out harsh punishment. In The Annals, Tacitus tells the story of one known as 'Cedo Alteram' - which roughly translates to 'Gimme Another': "The mutinous soldiers thrust out the tribunes and the camp-prefect; they plundered the baggage of the fugitives, and then killed a centurion, Lucilius, to whom, with soldier's humour, they had given the nickname 'Gimme Another', because when he had broken one vine-stick across a soldier's back, he would call in a loud voice for another... and another."
The vine-stick mentioned above by Tacitus was called a "vitis", it was a symbol of the centurions authority and the implement by which they would mete out punishment.
Seniority
Each century had a precedence within the cohort. Centurions' seniority within the cohort and legion depended on their century. Centurions began by leading junior centuries before being promoted to leading more senior ones. Centuries were referred to by the name of their centurion.The precedence during the times of manipular legion commanded sixty men and were organized like this:
- HastatiHastatiHastatii were a class of infantry in the armies of the early Roman Republic who originally fought as spearmen, and later as swordsmen. They were originally some of the poorest men in the legion, and could afford only modest equipment — light armour and a large shield, in their service as the...
: Ten junior and ten senior - PrincipesPrincipesPrincipes were spearmen, and later swordsmen, in the armies of the early Roman Republic. They were men in the prime of their lives who were fairly wealthy, and could afford decent equipment. They were the heavier infantry of the legion who carried large shields and wore good quality armour. Their...
: Ten junior and ten senior - TriariiTriariiTriarii were one of the elements of the early Roman military Manipular legions of the early Roman Republic . They were the oldest and among the wealthiest men in the army, and could afford good quality equipment. They wore heavy metal armour and carried large shields, their usual position being...
: Five junior and five senior
For the imperial legion they were organized (in order of who advanced first);
- 1st cohort
- 2nd cohort
- 3rd cohort
and so on
There were five centuries in the first cohort, each century with two times the number of soldiers of a normal century. All first cohort centurions outranked all centurions from other cohorts.
Vegetius about the qualities necessary for the centurion
Centurions had to be literate, have connections (letters of recommendation), be at least 30 years of age, and had already served a few years in the military.
The centurion in the infantry is chosen for his size, strength and dexterity in throwing his missile weapons and for his skill in the use of his sword and shield; in short for his expertness in all the exercises. He is to be vigilant, temperate, active and readier to execute the orders he receives than to talk; Strict in exercising and keeping up proper discipline among his soldiers, in obliging them to appear clean and well-dressed and to have their arms constantly rubbed and bright. (VegetiusVegetiusPublius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, commonly referred to simply as Vegetius, was a writer of the Later Roman Empire. Nothing is known of his life or station beyond what he tells us in his two surviving works: Epitoma rei militaris , and the lesser-known Digesta Artis Mulomedicinae, a guide to...
. De Re MilitariDe Re MilitariDe Re Militari , also Epitoma Rei Militaris, is a treatise by the late Latin writer Vegetius about Roman warfare and military principles as a presentation of methods and practices in use during the height of Rome's power, and responsible for that power...
, II, 14 )
Centurions
- AgathiusAgathiusSaint Agathius , also known as Achatius or Agathonas or Acacius of Byzantium, was a Cappadocian Greek centurion of the imperial army...
- Alexander of BergamoAlexander of BergamoSaint Alexander of Bergamo is the patron saint of Bergamo. Alexander may simply have been a Roman soldier or resident of Bergamo who was tortured and killed for not renouncing his Christian faith. Details of his life are uncertain, but subsequent Christian legends consider him a centurion of the...
- Aulus PudensAulus PudensAulus Pudens was a native of Umbria and a centurion in the Roman army in the late 1st century. He was a friend of the poet Martial, who addressed several of his Epigrams to him...
- Cassius ChaereaCassius ChaereaCassius Chaerea was a centurion in the army of Germanicus and served in the Praetorian Guard under the emperor Caligula, whom he eventually assassinated....
- Cornelius the Centurion
- Gaius CrastinusGaius CrastinusGaius Crastinus was a soldier in Julius Caesar's 10th legion during his Gallic Wars. He had first joined either the 8th or 9th legion in 65 BC, when Pompey Magnus had first raised these two legions in Spain. He transferred over to the 10th legion as a junior-grade centurion in 61 BC when it was...
- GordiusLorgiusSaint Lorgius is venerated as a martyr. He was martyred at Caesarea Mazaca, Cappadocia. Due to a confusion in names, Lorgius is sometimes identified with the saint named Gordius, a Roman centurion who disrupted a chariot race held in honor of Mars by coming down into the arena. For this action,...
- Saint Longinus
- Lucius Artorius CastusLucius Artorius CastusLucius Artorius Castus was a Roman military commander. A member of the gens Artoria , he has been suggested as a potential historical basis for King Arthur....
- Lucius VorenusLucius VorenusLucius Vorenus was one of the two soldiers of the 11th Legion mentioned in the personal writings of Julius Caesar. The other soldier mentioned was Titus Pullo....
- Marcellus the CenturionMarcellus of TangierSaint Marcellus of Tangier or Saint Marcellus the Centurion is venerated as a Martyr Saint by the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church...
- PetroniusPetronius (centurion)In the noncanonical Gospel of Peter, Petronius is the name of the centurion who is ordered by Pontius Pilate to guard the tomb of Jesus ....
- Sempronius DensusSempronius DensusSempronius Densus was a centurion in the Praetorian Guard in the 1st century. He was bodyguard to the deputy emperor, and is remembered by history for his courage and loyalty in singlehandedly defending his charge from scores of armed assassins, while all his comrades deserted or switched sides.On...
- Spurius LigustinusSpurius LigustinusSpurius Ligustinus was a centurion in the Roman army during the 2nd century BC.- Life :Spurius Ligustinus was a Sabine man whose father left him a jugerum of land and a small cottage in where he was born, grew up, and continued to live there throughout his life. As soon as he came of age, he...
- Titus PulloTitus PulloTitus Pullo was one of the two Roman centurions of the 11th Legion mentioned in the writings of Julius Caesar. The other soldier mentioned was Lucius Vorenus; they appear in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Book 5, Chapter 44....
- VerusVerusVerus may refer to:* Verus , Roman centurion and senator* Verus , Roman gladiator-See also:* Lucius Verus , Roman co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius* Gnaeus Julius Verus , Roman general and senator...
Related
- Military establishment of the Roman EmpireMilitary establishment of the Roman empireThe principate of the Roman empire had no use for the republican army with its intense loyalties to competing generals. Beginning with the first emperor, Octavius Caesar, the principles totally replaced the citizen army with apparatus of professionals dedicated to carrying out the emperor's will in...
- EvocatusEvocatusEvocatus was the Latin term for a soldier in the Roman army who had served out his time and obtained a discharge but had voluntarily enlisted again at the invitation of the consul or other commander....
, related Roman rank - Praefectus CastrorumPraefectus CastrorumThe praefectus castrorum was, in the Roman army of the early Empire, the third-most senior commander of the Roman legion, after the legate and the senior military tribune . His responsibility was looking after equipment and building works but could command the legion when his seniors were absent...