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centurion
Sign in to savethumb|Helmet of Centurion Numerius Popnius A centurion (; , . ; , or ) was a professional non-commissioned officer in the Roman army who commanded a group of soldiers called a centuria or "century".
A centurion was a professional non-commissioned officer in the Roman army who led a military unit called a century. They were important because they served as experienced commanders who directly oversaw groups of soldiers in battle and daily operations.
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12 sectionsContents
- Role
- Seniority
- Hierarchy
- Qualities
- Uniform and equipment
- Late Republic and Early Empire
- Late Empire (3rd–5th century CE)
- Role in New Testament
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thumb|Helmet of Centurion Numerius Popnius A centurion (; , . ; , or ) was a professional non-commissioned officer in the Roman army who commanded a group of soldiers called a centuria or "century".
The term centurion is derived from the Latin word centurio, which itself originates from centum, meaning "hundred." Initially, centurions were commanders of a unit of roughly 100 soldiers, although the exact number varied over time and by period. The concept of the centurion emerged during the early Roman Republic (509–27 BCE), when Rome's military was based on citizen-soldiers organized into centuries (centuriae), units of 100 men within the Roman legion (legio).