02-09-2008, 04:35 PM
I believe that the number of men in a Centuria was standardized to insure that each unit was nearly identical in size. Prior to the standardization of the unit size one area might send more men than another even though each unit were classified as a Centuria.
It is also important to remember that no military unit was at full strength all the time or ever for that matter.
If one man from each contubernium was ill or wounded, dead, retired, assigned elsewhere that means a Centuria had 70 men... if only 20% in a Legio were in such circumstances that meant a Legio might only have 3840 or so soldiers. How often did a corrupt Centurio pad his roster in order to collect pay for men who were not there?
We might say that in 1st C AD a Centuria was supposed to have 80 soldeirs, but did it?
It is also important to remember that no military unit was at full strength all the time or ever for that matter.
If one man from each contubernium was ill or wounded, dead, retired, assigned elsewhere that means a Centuria had 70 men... if only 20% in a Legio were in such circumstances that meant a Legio might only have 3840 or so soldiers. How often did a corrupt Centurio pad his roster in order to collect pay for men who were not there?
We might say that in 1st C AD a Centuria was supposed to have 80 soldeirs, but did it?
Hibernicus
LEGIO IX HISPANA, USA
You cannot dig ditches in a toga!
[url:194jujcw]http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org[/url]
A nationwide club with chapters across N America
LEGIO IX HISPANA, USA
You cannot dig ditches in a toga!
[url:194jujcw]http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org[/url]
A nationwide club with chapters across N America
