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In the Roman army during classical antiquity, a centurion (/ s ɛ n ˈ tj ʊər i ə n /; Latin: centurio [kɛn̪ˈt̪ʊrioː], pl. centuriones ; Ancient Greek : κεντυρίων , romanized : kentyríōn , or Ancient Greek: ἑκατόνταρχος , romanized: hekatóntarkhos ), was a commander, nominally of a century ( Latin : centuria ...
Senior commanders are known to have worn white cloaks and plumes. The centurions, who made up the officer ranks, had decorations on their chest plates corresponding to modern medals, and the long cudgels that they carried. Examples of items of Roman military personal armour included: Galea or soldier's helmet.
The vine staff, vine-staff, or centurion's staff [1] (Latin: vitis) [2] was a vinewood rod of about 1 m (3 ft) in length used in the ancient Roman army [3] [4] and navy. [5] It was the mark and tool of the centurion : [ 6 ] both as an implement in the direction of drill and maneuvers [ citation needed ] ; and to beat wayward or laggard soldiers ...
The position reflects the Roman Republic tradition of arranging the legion into three lines: the pilani, the principes and the hastati. [4] During the Republic, the princeps prior was the centurion in command of a manipulus (unit of two centuries) of principes (legionary heavy infantry).
During the Roman Republic, and the subsequent Principate, it was regarded as the second highest military decoration a citizen could aspire to (the Grass Crown being held in higher regard) and was rewarded for saving the lives of fellow Roman citizens (cives) or for standing one's ground in war.
As with the velites, the Roman and Italian allied cavalry (the equites) disappeared as a fighting force in the beginning of the late Republic. From this period until the Principate, the Romans relied on non-Roman mercenaries and auxiliary units to provide its cavalry during wars and campaigns. [37]
Centuria (Latin: [kɛn̪ˈt̪ʊria]; pl.: centuriae) is a Latin term (from the stem centum meaning one hundred) denoting military units originally consisting of 100 men. The size of the centuria changed over time, and from the first century BC through most of the imperial era the standard size of a centuria was 100 men.
The centuries were commanded by centurions, and the cohort was commanded by a tribune. The commander of the Vigiles was the Praefectus Vigilum. [ 7 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] The centurions of the Vigiles would often go on to become centurions in the Urban Cohorts, followed by becoming a centurion in the Praetorian Guard.