Did Centurions lead detachments of their legions in wartime?
Geoffrey D. Tully (University of Queensland, Brisbane)
Acta Classica: Proceedings of the Classical Association of South Africa,vol. 47, 139-150 (2004)
Abstract
It is generally believed that in wartime, legionary detachments or ‘vexillationes’ were commanded exclusively by senatorial and later equestrian officers, whereas centurions were entrusted with detachments raised only for garrison duty or work-related tasks in peacetime, However, certain literary and epigraphic sources suggest that, even from the mid-first century AD, the usual leader of fighting-detachments of up to 500 legionaries was really the centurion. According to the traditional view, the command of legionary detachments in wartime was the preserve of the senatorial class, that is up until the time of the Marcomannic wars (AD 166-172 and 177-180), when the pressures of those struggles necessitated the employment of equestrian officers in the same way. Only in peacetime were centurions entrusted with much smaller detachments engaged in garrison-duty or work related tasks. However, there appear to be substantial grounds for questioning wether centurions really were excluded from commanding detachments of their legions in wartime. Indeed, the evidence although fragmentary, appears to show that, when legionary detachments were part of a larger tactical grouping, these very capable men were actually the usual leaders of detachments of up to 500 men.
Certainly there is no doubt that legionary detachments were regularly commanded by centurions in peacetime, for a large number of religious and building dedications from around the empire attest to this fact. Typically, a centurion is said to be ‘praepositus vexillationis’, that is ‘put in charge of a detachment’, or the detachment itself is described as ‘sub cara’ or ‘under the care’ of a particular centurion. Such expressions clearly indicate that the centurions were in command of the legionary detachments concerned.
Did Centurions lead detachments of their legions in wartime?
Geoffrey D. Tully (University of Queensland, Brisbane)
Acta Classica: Proceedings of the Classical Association of South Africa, vol. 47, 139-150 (2004)
Abstract
It is generally believed that in wartime, legionary detachments or ‘vexillationes’ were commanded exclusively by senatorial and later equestrian officers, whereas centurions were entrusted with detachments raised only for garrison duty or work-related tasks in peacetime, However, certain literary and epigraphic sources suggest that, even from the mid-first century AD, the usual leader of fighting-detachments of up to 500 legionaries was really the centurion. According to the traditional view, the command of legionary detachments in wartime was the preserve of the senatorial class, that is up until the time of the Marcomannic wars (AD 166-172 and 177-180), when the pressures of those struggles necessitated the employment of equestrian officers in the same way. Only in peacetime were centurions entrusted with much smaller detachments engaged in garrison-duty or work related tasks. However, there appear to be substantial grounds for questioning wether centurions really were excluded from commanding detachments of their legions in wartime. Indeed, the evidence although fragmentary, appears to show that, when legionary detachments were part of a larger tactical grouping, these very capable men were actually the usual leaders of detachments of up to 500 men.
Certainly there is no doubt that legionary detachments were regularly commanded by centurions in peacetime, for a large number of religious and building dedications from around the empire attest to this fact. Typically, a centurion is said to be ‘praepositus vexillationis’, that is ‘put in charge of a detachment’, or the detachment itself is described as ‘sub cara’ or ‘under the care’ of a particular centurion. Such expressions clearly indicate that the centurions were in command of the legionary detachments concerned.
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