Centurion
At a glance:
- Series: Magill’s Guide to Military History
- Categories: Military History
- Subcategories: Generals, Military Officers, Soldiers, Empires, Dynasties, Roman Empire, Ancient Rome
- Curriculum: British History, Ancient History
In ancient Roman military society, an officer who commanded a centuria, the smallest unit of a legion. Legions, ideally composed of 6,000 soldiers, were divided into ten cohorts. Each cohort contained six centuria, each composed of approximately 100 men. Centurions were ranked within a legion and each was given certain responsibilities—one being designated the primus pilus. This centurion attended councils of war with the legion commander and other officers. The primus pilus was a particularly valuable asset to the legionary command, for centurions were generally...
[The entire page is 130 words long]
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