Centuriones

[L C Cinna]

Salvete!

Here another question from me:

I've been recently looking at several tombstones again, as well as at the column of Traian, Marcus Aurelius and the arch of Septimius Severus (had a thread here somewhere which sadly didn't evolve the way I had hoped)

I noticed that while we have several tombstones of centuriones and they are always praised in literature they don't seem to appear on any of those monuments. Isn't it strange that those (most) important officers of the army don't appear there (together with other ranks like an optio)?

Do you have an idea why not a single centurio was depicted on these monuments?

[M. CVRIVS ALEXANDER]

I noticed that while we have several tombstones of centuriones and they are always praised in literature ...

Could you please provide the references (apart from New Testament) where centurions are praised? (or otherwise) I am mostly interested in non-military accounts, but will appreciate any insight.

Thank you

[Gaius_Calvus]

Alex,

I know of many examples of praise for centuriones in Caesar's works, especially the Gallic Wars. Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus (of the TV series fame) were singled out for their valor, for example, in Gaul under the command of Quintus Tullius Cicero in 53 BC (brother of the consul Marcus Tullius Cicero).

I believe that all of Caesar's works contain laudes for members of the centurionate, and if I am not mistaken he made senators of a few centuriones, which should be mentioned in other sources.

Edge

[L C Cinna]

Yes Caesar writes about them several times. Flavius Josephus writes about a centurio as well. the one who slipped when storming the temple and kept on fighting while lying on the floor until he had so many wounds that he died.

Other indications are the salaries for example. The payment a centurio recieves is extremly high. Enough to be a rich man after service and become an eques.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Caesar gives great credit to his centurios, raising a monument to his most experienced one from the Xth legion who fell at Pharsalus!

[Aurelianus]

Yes Caesar writes about them several times. Flavius Josephus writes about a centurio as well. the one who slipped when storming the temple and kept on fighting while lying on the floor until he had so many wounds that he died.

If I remember right, Flavius Josephus desribes that they had first to sever the limbs (in fact I think the arms) to be able to kill the defending Centurio.

Do I remember right?

[M. CVRIVS ALEXANDER]

Thanks to everyone. Yes, the accounts of the fights would be an obvious place to look. However, I am mostly interested in the references to centurions - and soldiers in general - made in a non-military context, such as the encounter with a soldier in the "Golden Ass," or the references in the Gospels and Acts. I am trying to see what the civilian society thought of the military, and how the centurion/soldier figure/topos has been used in Greco-Roman-Jewish literature.

[Crispvs]

The soldier in 'The Golden Ass' (or 'Metamorphoses' if you prefer) is not necessarily a centurio. The stick he is carrying could just as easily be an optio's staff or even just a regugar soldier's fustis. As far as I remember Apuleius doesn't describe the stick in any detail, and merely says that the soldier used it to beat Lucius/the donkey in order to steal him. I'll check my copy tonight.

Crispvs

[Jon Eaton]

On this theme, there is an interesting tablet from Vindolanda (TVII 344) regarding the abuse of a civilian by a soldier. The individual concerned has written a letter, probably to the governor, regarding his mistreatment. According to the letter, he was beaten and had his goods poured down a drain. He describes being "bloodied by rods". This man (probably a merchant) complained to a beneficiarius and various centurions without any success.

The tablets can be viewed online at http://vindolanda.csad.ox.ac.uk/

[M. CVRIVS ALEXANDER]

Jon,

Thank you for the reference, this is exactly the kind of info I am looking for; laudes awarded. What is interesting is that we find negative accounts of civilians' encounters with the military personnel, such as in "The Golden Ass" and in this tablet (and I would appreciate any assistance in finding more), but what about positive references, like those found in the Gospels and Acts? The centurions there are described as pious, benevolent, etc. Any other sources with a similar description?

Thanks,

[Magnus]

Maybe people back then weren't any different than people today as far as citing negative incidents of cops to the media or youtube for that matter? It's rare that you see an article about the good that a soldier or cop does in their every-day jobs, but we like to read about bad things it seems...perhaps nothing has changed.

[Jon Eaton]

If you are interested in the interactions between soldier and civilian, I would recommend-

Alston, R. (1995) Soldier and Society in Roman Egypt: A Social History (London)

It is limited to the province of Egypt but nevertheless has a large amount of relevant material.