The centurion is an officer in the ancient Roman army. In Latin, centurio.
This is an officer who can (but does not have to) command a centuria in the Roman legion. There were 60 in each legion. That of the 1st century, who was the first after the tribunes, was called the primipile centurion. The centurions had a vine stock as a mark of their dignity.
Some ancient texts "translate" centurio as centenier.
In the army of the Republic
During the first centuries of the Republic (from the 5th century BC to the 3rd century BC), the legion organized by Cincinnatus was divided into 40 centuries, each composed of one hundred men. There are therefore about 40 centurions per legion.
In the third century BC. J.-C., the composition of the legions is modified:they are composed of 30 handles counting from 120 to 160 men, for a total of approximately 4200 men per legion in normal times, and 5500 in situation of great danger. Each maniple is divided into two centuries of equal importance (only 60 to 80 men). Within each maniple, the soldiers, citizens drawn by lot to participate in the annual campaign, elect a centurion who commands the maniple:it is the elected centurion, known as the prior, who has the most authority. He appoints a second centurion to assist him, who commands the second centurion of the manipulator and replaces him:this is the named centurion. There are therefore about sixty centurions per legion, a little more if you count those of the General Staff.
With the reform of Marius, the legions have ten cohorts of three maniples or six centuries.
Primipile centurion
The primipile is the highest rank centurion in a Roman legion, he belongs to the first centuria of the first maniples of the first cohort of the legion. This name means first pilum (javelin):it was he who first threw his javelin during battles and thus gave the signal for the launch for the other soldiers. It is generally the most experienced and valiant of the centurions who occupies this important and honorary position at the same time. This title is maintained under the Empire. Two cohorts are commanded by a tribune. The first centurion of each cohort commands it.
Under the Empire, the centurion commanded a centuria.
* Ranks of the Roman army:
o Optio
o Tesserarius
o Military Tribune
o Legate
* Roman Legion
* Roman Army
Famous centurions
* Lucius Vorenus:quoted in The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar, friend and rival of Titus Pullo
* Titus Pullo:quoted in The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar, friend and rival of Lucius Vorenus
These two centurions are the heroes of the television series Rome
Longinus:it is he who wounds Christ on the blank with the Holy Lance during the Passion.