The traditional world had some spectacular navy forces. For instance, Egypt was famed for its chariots and Greece for its navy. The Romans? They have been well-known for his or her foot troops, the legionaries. But a military is simply nearly as good as its leaders. Within the case of the Roman military, these have been the centurions, Rome’s most elite troops. Centurions have been navy officers famed for his or her expertise and valor in battle. When a scenario received tough, the widespread legionary turned to their centurion.
Who or What Was a Centurion?
As we are going to see, the function of the centurion developed with the Roman military . Usually talking, a centurion was an officer within the Roman military. Every centurion commanded a unit of legionaries numbering roughly 100 (therefore the identify). As an officer, the centurion would assign his males duties, hand out punishments, and perform numerous administrative duties.
The lifetime of a centurion was not solely spent on the entrance line, nevertheless. After serving his time, a profitable centurion may depart the bloodshed behind and turn into a high-level administrator of the empire. Being a pen-pusher was much less glamorous than main the cost in battle, nevertheless it was extra profitable and far safer.
Historic reenactor in centurion costume, from LEGIO SECVNDA AVGVSTA. (Hans Splinter / CC BY ND 2.0 )
Who Had been the First Centurions?
In Roman custom , the rank of centurion went again to Rome’s first military. The Roman military of the mid-Eighth century BC was led by Rome’s namesake, Romulus. He was mentioned to have had 3,000 males underneath his command, led by thirty centurions. A fast little bit of math tells us that every centurion led his personal group of 100 males. These infantry teams of 100 males have been referred to as a manipulus. Every manipulus had its personal normal (a signa).
The group of the Roman navy, and the forces underneath centurion management, modified over the centuries. Greek historian Polybius described the manipulus formations of the third – 2nd century BC Punic Wars in his textual content The Histories (Cristiano64 / CC BY SA 4.0 )
Dionysus of Halicarnassus, a Greek historian from the first century BC, advised a distinct story. In line with him, the centurion rank was of Etruscan origin. The rank was integrated into the Roman military through the fifth century BC by the Etruscan king of Rome, Servius Tellius. The rank was granted to the military’s bravest and most brave males.
In actuality, it’s possible the function of the centurion was integrated into the armed forces to assist management Rome’s rising and continually evolving military. By the top of the sixth century BC, the military was made up of two legions. Every legion was made up of round 4,500 males: 3,000 heavy hoplite infantry, 1,200 gentle infantry, and 300 cavalrymen.
The 4th century BC noticed an additional shake-up of the military. The manipuli have been modified to be extra versatile. They have been now deployed in three traces of troops (referred to as acies triplex) . Every centurion then solely commanded a gaggle of thirty infantry, permitting extra micro-management.
The group of the military had modified as soon as once more by the top of the 2nd century BC. Every legion then had 4,000 males. Legions have been divided into thirty manipuli. Every manipuli had sixty centuriae models that answered to their centurion commander. To assist him, this centurion was allowed to nominate his personal junior officer (referred to as an optio). Centurions have been anticipated to take a place within the first rank of their troops throughout a battle and lead by instance. This inevitably meant the centurions had a disproportionately excessive fatality charge .
If a centurion managed to dwell lengthy sufficient, he may rise to the rank of primus pilus . The primus pilus was essentially the most senior of all of the centurions and was allowed a seat on the empire’s navy council.
By the first century BC, the Roman military had gone via yet one more restructuring. The military was break up into completely different cohors (cohorts). Every cohort had six centuriae, which have been in flip made up of 100 troops and one centurion. Every legion had ten of those cohorts, bringing the variety of centurions in every legion as much as sixty.
A centurion’s seniority trusted the kind of troops he commanded and the seniority of his centuriae inside his respective cohort. Hastatli was the bottom, which means the centurion’s troops have been younger and inexperienced. After this got here the principes, which meant they have been skilled and revered troops. Lastly got here the pili, which meant the troops underneath the centurion’s command weren’t simply skilled, they have been battle-hardened veterans.
A centurion’s seniority decided the ability degree of his assigned troops. Decrease ranked centurions would possibly find yourself with a whole bunch of inexperienced legionaries. Bas-relief carving of a Roman legionary out of battle costume, c. 1st century AD (Magnus Manske / CC BY SA 3.0 )
Who May Grow to be a Centurion?
Maybe surprisingly for such a revered function, the fundamental entry necessities to turn into a centurion have been comparatively low. Historically, most centurions have been of the decrease plebeian (widespread) class. By the first century BC, this had modified barely, and the rank had turn into carefully related to the higher-ranking equestrian class .
You didn’t need to be Latin to turn into a centurion. There have been 5 methods a soldier may turn into a centurion. A centurion might be appointed by election or by the Roman senate . If a legionary had proven specific bravery or management abilities within the warmth of battle, he may be promoted from the ranks.
Issues turned extra political through the Imperial interval, and it turned attainable to turn into a centurion via a direct fee, with no prior navy expertise. There have been even some uncommon instances of the emperor himself instantly appointing centurions.
As the military developed, so did the function of the centurion, and this meant the necessities turned stricter. For the upper ranks, centurions have been anticipated to be competent in administration. As issues turned much more political, the assist of an influential patron turned more and more necessary.
It wasn’t all dangerous although. Centurions have been ultimately in a position to rise to surprisingly excessive ranges throughout the empire. They may turn into mid-level officers like tribune or prefect, and even members of the Roman Senate itself. The best centurion success story might be that of Emperor Maximinus Thrax (235-238 AD). Initially a centurion underneath Caracella, he rose via the ranks to turn into emperor.
A bust of Emperor Maximinus Thrax (235-238 AD). Though he rose via the navy ranks to centurion and eventually emperor, he by no means stepped foot in Rome as emperor (José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro / CC BY SA 4.0 )
The Uniform and Armor of a Centurion
The helmet of the centurion is maybe one of the vital iconic items of navy tools of all time. The helmet was referred to as a galea and had a transverse crest alongside the highest. The crest was normally silver and adorned with a plume of both dyed hair or feathers (normally ostrich or peacock).
The galea noticed some evolution over the centuries. Throughout the Imperial interval, the crest might be entrance to again fairly than transverse. Early helmets generally got here with a faceguard or, even higher, a masks. These masks have been designed to frighten the enemy and have been sculpted to resemble demons and monsters, very similar to the Oni masks worn by Japanese samurai. Within the later Roman Empire, the helmet was adorned with silver insignia.
Fashionable reconstruction of a centurion’s helmet, first century. The embossed eyebrows and the round brass bosses are typical of the Imperial Gallic helmets. (MatthiasKabel / CC BY SA 3.0 )
Centurions have been additionally better-armored than your common legionary. They wore adorned greaves (leg armor) referred to as ocrae. To guard their torsos they generally wore a bronze cuirass (breastplate) referred to as a thorax studios . These cuirasses have been both belly-shaped or sculpted to resemble rippling muscle mass.
Relying on the situations they have been combating in, a centurion may select to put on a lighter model of his cuirass referred to as a linothorax. This was fabricated from leather-based and supplied extra maneuverability. These armors for the torso additionally generally got here with shoulder guards (humeralia).
The areas left unprotected, just like the groin and arms, have been protected by hanging leather-based strips ( pteryges). By the first century AD, developments in armor design meant short-sleeved ringmail vests had turn into the armor of selection for many centurions.
Roman centurion armor (Thomas Quine / CC BY 2.0 )
Below their armor, a centurion wore a tunic, which was normally some shade of white or numerous shades of pink. They may additionally put on a cloak referred to as a sagulum which was both blue or inexperienced and bordered in yellow. The cloak was tied on the entrance with a fibula.
Simply in case the centurion didn’t stand out sufficient already, he carried a 90 centimeter (35 inch) stick cudgel referred to as a vitis latina . The centurion may increase this stick into the air to make sure his males knew the place their commander was. There have been two shields on supply, the round clipeus or the oblong scutum. Whereas the centurion may select his personal protect, it appears they sometimes carried the identical shields as their troops.
A historic reenactor in typical Roman centurion costume and armor, together with leg armor and cudgel (Medium69 / CC BY SA 3.0 )
To high all of it off, the centurion wore any awards they’d obtained. These might be heavy necklaces referred to as torques, bracelets referred to as armillae, or medallions referred to as phalerae. Unsurprisingly, with the best way they stood out and led from the entrance, the centurions had a excessive mortality charge.
The Weapons of the Centurion
The weapons a centurion carried have been largely a matter of selection. They sometimes carried a sword ( enis) and spear ( hasta). In contrast to typical legionaries, a centurion wore his sword on his left aspect, not his proper. A centurion may choose his personal type of sword, however for a lot of the empire’s existence, two types have been prevalent. These have been the xiphos, a straight, double-edged sword, and the curved machaira.
Fashionable reconstruction of a xiphos (Phokion / CC BY SA 4.0 )
In a while, centurions started to wield a sword with a bit of extra bling, the gladius hispaniensis . This sword got here in at round 65 centimeters (26 inches) lengthy, and got here with both a trilobate or hemispherical pommel. The sword was carried in a silver scabbard that held on a strap both over the shoulder or throughout the chest. It was additionally common for a centurion to hold a dagger referred to as a pugio. This was a 25 centimeter (10 inch) blade that hung from the belt and might be used to complete off wounded enemies.
Picture of Roman legionary historic reenactor with Gladius sword, taken on the 2007 show of Roman Army Ways, UK (David Friel / CC BY 2.0 )
What Did a Centurion Do?
Probably the most fundamental obligation of a centurion was to steer his males into battle. They have been anticipated to steer by instance by combating bravely and refusing to give up when the chances have been in opposition to them. Any centurion who failed on this obligation introduced disgrace on his legion and confronted the demise penalty .
The upside of this was that the majority centurions commanded the respect of their troops. This was necessary, as centurions have been accountable for coaching their legionaries, handing out duties, and allotting reprimands. Having the respect of their males made all these duties that a lot simpler.
Centurions have been referred to as harsh taskmasters who weren’t afraid to dish out grueling punishments. They oversaw the constructing of camp fortifications, the digging of trenches, and roll calls. Centurions have been accountable for the safety of their camps, and it was all the way down to them to challenge the passwords which have been used to enter the camp.
The centurions have been seen as the perfect of the perfect, and this was usually mirrored within the navy assignments they got. They have been chosen for particular missions, like raids into enemy territory and high-priority reconnaissance, making them akin to modern-day particular forces.
As time went on, the centurion function shifted. By the first century AD, they have been mostly assigned to commanding the military’s particular police and intelligence models, referred to as frumenttarii. They may be assigned to command models made up of non-citizens, akin to these from allied armies.
Throughout the frumentarii’s early historical past, they have been tasked with supplying grain to the navy, delivering messages between the provinces and the empire, and accumulating tax cash. In later years, they turned concerned in particular intelligence, spying, and assassinations. Element from Trajan’s Column, aid 81 ( Public Area )
Probably the most skilled centurions (in the event that they lived lengthy sufficient) educated troops as exercitores or acted as aides to governors. Probably the most senior centurions joined battle councils, the place they helped provide you with battle methods or took half in peace talks with rival armies.
The centurions peaked within the Imperial Interval. They may be part of the emperor’s private bodyguard, the Praetorian Guard, and after sixteen years of service have been eligible to affix the evocati. The evocati have been city directors, which might be an extremely profitable function.
Centurion pay wasn’t too dangerous both. Within the late Republic, they have been paid on common 5 occasions greater than the common legionary. Additionally they received a higher share of battle booty. For instance, in 64 AD Pompey gave every centurion a 1000 drachmas bonus, whereas legionaries solely received 50. By the first century AD, centurions have been at the least paid fifteen occasions greater than the boys beneath them.
This isn’t all to say that the centurions didn’t have a darkish aspect. Though famed throughout the empire for his or her honor and bravado, centurions weren’t above receiving a bribe or two. It was widespread apply for a centurion to bolster his already ample wage with bribes. These bribes usually got here from their males, who would supply coin in change for comfortable assignments or promotion suggestions.
Conclusion
In historical Rome, the centurions have been the perfect of the perfect. They represented all the things their males have been alleged to aspire to be: disciplined, loyal, and fearless within the face of the enemy. They led by instance and leapt head-first into the fray. Regardless of their fancy armor, this meant they’d a fatality charge a lot greater than that of their males. Being a centurion was no cakewalk.
Sadly, as time progressed and the empire started to rot from the within out, the function of the honorable centurion started to vary. It turned more and more political and worthwhile to turn into a centurion. To today, centurions are sometimes held up as one of many biggest navy leaders of all time; of their prime, it was a fame they greater than deserved.
High picture: Roman centurions like this have been the spine of the Roman military. Supply: Fernando Cortés / Adobe Inventory
By Robbie Mitchell
