09-30-2011, 09:39 AM
From Brent to Bryan and Parthian Bow: The Centurion doesn't stand alone in front. That is only for parade. He is posted on the right or the center as the situation presents. He more than likely has the optio signaling (however it was done, whistles, drums, cornicae, bucinarae, whatever) for the rotation. During his 'break' the centurion was DEFINETLY not be bent over, hands on knees, suckng wind! In my mind, he does what all current company grade officers and NCOs do in any modern army, he checks on the men, analizes the situation, gives encouragement, figures the next course of action, while insuring the best fighters (like first stringers in a football, basketball or whatever game), get a break, before they have to go in again. We can argue, discuss, speculate for days on how this may have been executed. However it occurred, whether on command by rank or by individual movements, it happened. I would propose this: rookie units probably relieved the front ranks on command. Veteran units, accustomed to the high death rate in the Centurionate, established a 'battle rythmn' over time. Like modern troops (needing fewer and fewer orders or directions from superiors who could be dead and not positioned to tell them what to do) they may have reverted to a standard operating proceedure (inherent in all aspects of the Roman military), and carried on! There is the Pharsalus example; with Gaius Crastinus dieing, but his soldiers carrying on, to back me up. There is the Teotubrgwald (spell?) example to tear me down.
