ROMA14 ROMAN CENTURION, 48 A. C.

Centurion (Latin centurio) is a commanding position (today one could say an officer rank) in the structure of the Roman legion of the Republic and Empire, located in the command structure below the military tribune and legate. During the Republic, the legion's centurions were elected primarily by soldiers. During the empire, a centurion was almost always appointed by a legion's legate. Centurion, as the name suggests, during the Republic period, commanded a centuria, a tactical unit of approximately 80-100 men. Two centurions in turn commanded the manipulator. During the Empire, the centurions also commanded cohorts, a tactical unit ranging from 500 to 800 men. During the early Empire, 59 centurions served in the legion, and the most important of them was Primus Pilus - the centurion most often with the longest service in the legion and the greatest combat experience. He held this position for a year and after that time he was either dismissed from his position or promoted. It is often assumed that during both the Republic and Empire periods, the centurions were the backbone of the legion.