Next rank up the ladder

[Pertinax]

Do any of you chaps or chapesses know if they was any formal 'ceremony' promoting a legionary to decanus? Cheers in advance

[Pertinax]

So a 103 views later I can take that as a resounding - NO

[M. Demetrius]

I've asked questions with similar results, and have reached the same conclusion, frater. Sorry, but I know nearly nothing about nearly everything. hock:

But at least I know that...thus rendering myself unelectable. Sigh. :roll:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Possibly the funeral ceremony of the previous decanus? :roll: Sorry, I have not much clue either..

[M. Demetrius]

Or maybe they cornered him under the watchtower and said, "Look, bub, you take this job or we'll chop you in pieces and bury your bones under the latrine!"

Well, maybe.

[Pertinax]

Heh. I think both replies deserve something for erm just replying. Anywho apparently, as I have just found out from one of those texts type things on the mobilus is that the legionaries more or less gave a '-------- (insert name) for decanus' type holler amongst themselves and was passed up the ranks whereby top rank boy asked if ------- (insert name) was deemed good enough to be decanus which ended up in a rapturess banging of all things bangable and shouts of -------(insert name). Not that am bothered about the answer now as I been moved up to Optio which in effect has rendered this post completely useless for my part.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Actually i had heard something like that....just wasn't sure if I had read it in a novel or what..

[M. Demetrius]

Well, then, what was the ceremony for THAT??!
:?
A laud for being a good sport!

[Nerva]

I know the Greeks had a ceremony where the soldier being promoted had to bend down in front of his commanding officer and try to pick up a coin that had been nailed to the ground :lol:

[Hibernicus]

Might call it a Ceremony..

Here at LEG IX HSPA, (USA) we do it rather informally

At a morning muster, reading orders etc the Centurio asks for the soldier to step forward. Tells him that he is now the Decanus of Contubernium ___, to report to the Optio immediately after morning muster and to have a full written report of his squad's resources by mid day.

Works every time.

No drama, no glory.

The Decanus iin our club also has other real word responsibilities.. often as a chapter leader he is responsible for the local bank account, monthly reports to LEG IX HSPA inc , organizing activities such as armor workshops, drills, public events... etc etc..

[D B Campbell]

the soldier being promoted had to bend down in front of his commanding officer and try to pick up a coin that had been nailed to the ground :lol:

Isn't that the plot summary for Sebastiane ?! hock:

[Memmia]

the soldier being promoted had to bend down in front of his commanding officer and try to pick up a coin that had been nailed to the ground :lol:

Isn't that the plot summary for Sebastiane ?! hock:

He was the poor guy who had to pick up the strigil in the bath house

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I know the Greeks had a ceremony where the soldier being promoted had to bend down in front of his commanding officer and try to pick up a coin that had been nailed to the ground :lol:

Yeah, you wish Nerva........ :lol:

[Crispvs]

Was decanus a contabernium rank? I know we all use it as such, but I think this is just another case of people matching up a title with a position like a pair of odd socks. I don't think that I have ever read anything authoritative which specified a particular rank as leader of a contabernium. I had been led to feel, in fact, that the most likely option was that a veteran soldier, or simply the one who had served longest probably ended up being the contabernium leader, a rank so high that it does not even count as being a sub-officer.

Crispvs

[D B Campbell]

Was decanus a contabernium rank?

Vegetius certainly thought so.

The one inscription that mentions this rank doesn't really help.
AE 1951, 30 = AE 1954, 231 (Prusias ad Hypium):
D(is) M(anibus) adgredere viator
obiter sta(n)s et repausa(n)s perlege titulum
cuius fata et manes vitam peregerunt in
civitatem Prusiada Val(erius) Titianus bb(iarchus?) decanus
num(eri) scut(ariorum) natione Dalmata vixit annos XXXXV
militavit annos XXII fecit memoria(m) Ursus
ex numero ipso pro fraternitate