![]() ![]() ĭuring 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. Veteran legionaries often worked as tenants of their former centurions. Ĭenturions received a much higher rate of pay than the average legionary. Julius Caesar, for instance, made the first cohort of five double strength centuries. Later, generals and emperors further manipulated these numbers with double and half-strength units. After the Marian reforms a century typically composed of around 80 men, with six such centuries forming a legionary cohort. During the Mid-Republic these centuries were grouped in pairs to make up a maniple, each century consisting of 30–60 men. ![]() In the Roman infantry, the centurions commanded a centuria or "century". Role Ī Roman Centurio on a portrait medaillon of his grave, 2nd century A.D. In Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the Byzantine army's centurions were also known by the name kentarch (Kentarches). After the 107 BC Marian reforms of Gaius Marius, centurions were professional officers. Centurions also served in the Roman navy. The prestigious first cohort was led by the primus pilus, the most senior centurion in the legion and its fourth-in-command who was next in line for promotion to Praefectus Castrorum, and the primi ordines who were the centurions of the first cohort.Ī centurion's symbol of office was the vine staff, with which they disciplined even Roman citizens, who were otherwise legally protected from corporal punishment by the Porcian Laws. In a Roman legion, centuries were grouped into cohorts and commanded by their senior-most centurion. The size of the century changed over time, and from the first century BC through most of the imperial era was reduced to 80 men. hekatóntarkhos), was a commander, nominally of a century ( Latin: centuria), a military unit originally consisting of 100 legionaries. In the Roman army during classical antiquity, a centurion ( / s ɛ n ˈ tj ʊər i ə n/ Latin: centurio, pl. A historical reenactor in Roman centurion costume.
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