Centurion (Roman army)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about Roman soldiers. For other uses, see Centurion.
-
"Centurio" redirects here. See also Centurio (genus).
This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (Portal) |
|||
| Structural history | |||
| Roman army (unit types, legions, generals) |
|||
| Roman navy (fleets, admirals) | |||
| Campaign history | |||
| Lists of Wars and Battles | |||
| Decorations and Punishments | |||
| Technological history | |||
| Military engineering (castra, siege engines) |
|||
| Personal equipment | |||
| Political history | |||
| Strategy and tactics | |||
| Infantry tactics | |||
| Frontiers and fortifications | |||
A centurion (Latin: centuriō; Greek: hekatontarchos) was a professional officer of the Roman army. In the Roman infantry, centurions commanded a centuria or "century" of between 60 and 160 men, depending on force strength and whether or not the unit was part of the First Cohort (military unit). 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 optiōs and below the tribūnī angusticlāviī — the aristocratic senior officers of the Equestrian Class, subordinate to the Roman legion commander, the lēgātus legiōnis.
The bulk of the legion's command was provided by the Centurionate, comprising the ranks of the centurions, the middle- and lower-ranking officers of the legion. There were six centurions to each cohort from Three to Ten, making 48, and five senior centurions called prīmī ōrdinēs, in each of the two Millarian Cohorts. Each legion had a prīmus pīlus, the senior centurion who led the First Cohort. The name originates in an earlier structure of the legion where each cohort was formed of three smaller units called 'maniples' and each maniple of two centuries. It is short for prīmus pīlus prior which literally means the senior centurion of the first maniple of the First Cohort. It is probably best translated as "first ranker" or simply "first centurion" and does not mean "first spear" as often stated: pīlum (=spear) and pīlus (=line of men) are different words. The Second Cohort was headed by the prīnceps secundus, and Cohorts Three through Ten were each commanded by a pīlus prior.
In comparison to a modern military organization, their closest descendant is the Sergeant Major. This can be seen in the survival of the Pace Cane carried by this rank. The tradition survives particularly noticeably in armies with a strong regimental system, where a regiment roughly equates to a legion. The Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) can be seen to be analogous to the Primus Pilus, with a Company Sergeant Major (CSM) equating perhaps to a Pilus Prior. However, the analogy is only approximate. The centurion's command role would be performed by a commissioned officer in a modern force, while his disciplinary, advisory and training roles are performed by NCOs.
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 lōrīca segmentāta armor came into use, Centurions continued to wear chain mail armor. It is believed that he also wore his decorations and awards prominently on his torso in battle, to show his bravery to friend and foe alike. He also carried a short staff (stick) - usually a vine stave, called vītis - 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 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 is for these reasons that they often suffered a disproportionate number of casualties.
Contents |
[edit] Responsibilities
Being a centurion in the Roman army was no easy task. Much was expected of one who became a centurion. Naturally, the centurion was in charge of his century/cohort. Being commander, therefore, the centurion had the right to give awards to the men in his cohort, and also to punish them, whenever necessary. The centurion's punishments could be very severe; execution was not ruled out.
However, the centurions could very easily be punished, too. Some things that would have put them in this very excruciating position were sleeping on the job, not training legionaries sufficiently, et cetera. A centurion caught doing these things could be sentenced to death just as easily as the common soldiers he commanded.
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.
[edit] Qualifications for becoming a Centurion
Men in the Roman army that wanted to become a Centurion had many qualifications. First, the man had to have several letters of recommendation from important people. Therefore, it would help if one trying for the position was befriended to several important senators, or even the consuls/emperor themselves/himself (depending on the time period).
[edit] Age Requirements
A man who desired to be a Centurion would have had to have been at least thirty years of age. Therefore, if he had entered the army at age 16, he would have spent almost half his life in the military, giving him the experience he needed so that he would know how to sufficiently command his cohort.
[edit] Social Status
As stated above, the aspiring centurion needed good connections to be recommended for the post. These connections might have been easier to achieve if the centurion was of a higher class.
[edit] Education
One of the tasks of the centurion was to relate his superior officers' written commands to the men in his cohort. Therefore, he had to be able to read. In order to do this, he needed at least enough education to be literate. Also, the more educated one was, the better chance he had of becoming centurion.
[edit] Benefits and Hazards of being a Centurion
[edit] Benefits
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.
[edit] Hazards
These officers were responsible for their men during battle, and led from the front, fighting alongside their soldiers. Their increased prominence put them at higher risk, and casualty levels for centurions were correspondingly high.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
[edit] Primary Sources
(none yet)
[edit] Secondary Sources
(none yet)
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
(no links yet)
