02-20-2014, 02:07 PM
Quote:Robert Vermaat post=351281 Wrote:Centurions are found in (old-style) limitanei units, ordinarii are found in (new-style) comitatenses and auxilia palatini units.
Did you say, that there was no ordinarius in the units of the limitanei?
Old-style legions could also have both the ordinarius and centenarius, it seems:
D(is) M(anibus) / b(ene) m(erentibus) Castae quae vixit an(num) I d(ies) V et / Reginae quae vixit / ann(os) VII mens(es) V dies / XVIII filiabus dul/cissimis Val(erius) Castus / centur(io) ord(inarius) leg(ionis) I Iov(iae) / Scyt(hicae) una cum Val(erio) / Valeriano centen(ario) so/cero suo posuit (AE 1989, 00641, from Moesia)
As far as I can tell, only the mysterious ducenarius was restricted to non-legionary units.
Quote:I speculated, that the ordinarius like the primi ordinis were probably a rank-group like field-grade-officer in modern armies.
I think that was Mommsen's theory too, once upon a time. It's been kicked back and forth ever since... Another theory says that the centurio ordinarius was an officer commanding an ordo, i.e. a centuria or whatever of men, as opposed to a centurion on staff appointment or detached for some other duty. I'm not sure of that one myself though...
Nathan Ross