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Roman Centurion
The Roman centurion was a skilled
professional who could be relied on to run a legion on
campaign and in battle. Each centuria (century) had a centurion
and eventually, following the army restructure by the Roman
general Gaius Marius (157 BC–January 13, 86 BC) there were 60
centurions in a legion.
Roman Centurion commanded
a centuria (100 soldiers)
A centuria was commanded by
a centurion and consisted of 100
Roman soldiers. Centuriae
were grouped by pairs forming maniples, which were then
grouped in cohorts.
1 Legion = 10 Cohorts *** 1 Cohort = 6 centuriae *** 1 Manipulus = 2 Centuria *** 1 Centuria = 10 Contubernia *** 1 Contubernia = 10 Soldiers
Each Roman centurion had the option to appoint a
second-in-command known as 'optios' - Optio literally means
'chosen one'. Other junior officers
reporting directly to the centurion was standard bearer and signifier for each century'.
Roman Army Ranks
Roman Centurion
Ranks - Promotion
The centurions had a complicated hierarchy which gave rise
to their promotions. There were 6 centurions in each cohort
and six distinct
steps of seniority in each
Roman cohort
which ranked from lowest to highest as follows:
Hastatus posterior (Lowest
Centurion rank) *** Hastatus prior *** Princeps posterior *** Princeps prior *** Pilus posterior *** Pilus prior (Highest Centurion
rank) who led the elite troops of Cohort I
Further advancement to the position of praefectus castrorum, third in command of
a whole
legion, was possible which would result in a wealthy
retirement.
Helmet Crest of the Roman
Centurion
The Roman Centurion was
distinguished by their dress from the common soldier. The
silver plated helmet of the Centurion was surmounted by a
crest which was often made of horse-hair or feathers, and so
made as to give an imposing look with the illusion of height
that helped him to appear more commanding. The feathers
included those from exotic birds including the ostrich or
peacock. The centurion wore a transverse crest, meaning that
it ran from side to side across his helmet. It is believed
that the centurion wore this type of crest in battle during
the early Empire to serve as a visual reference and rallying
point for their men.
Roman Centurion Clothing
The Roman Centurion wore the same basic
style of clothes as the
Roman Soldiers Clothing, although he had more heavily decorated
silvered armor. They wore mail (lorica hamata) or scale armor (lorica squamata),
generally about waist length with a curved lower edge in
imitation of the bronze muscled cuirass worn by the
Roman Tribunes. Their
Cuirass, or breastplate was defensive armor for the torso,
worn over a cloth, leather, or padded vest. The lower edge of the cuirass was curved and had
one or more rows of round or long tongue-shaped lappets (pteryges)
which formed a skirt.
The Roman Centurion also wore ornate greaves on the front of the leg from the ankle to
above the knee which were attached by straps and buckles. The
centurion generally wore his ornate sword on the left and dagger on
the right, the reverse of the common legionaries. The Roman
Centurion also carried the vitis or vine staff which was a
swagger stick about three feet in length originally made of
grape vine. Their cloaks were typically pinned or fixed to
the right shoulder, so as not to impede the movement of the
right arm, with a clasp or brooch, called a fibula.
Roman Centurion
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