Command structure of auxiliary infantry cohorts

[Theodosius the Great]

Avete,<br>
<br>
I've done some reading on the auxiliary cohorts and have come to the understanding that each were commanded by only one tribune and his aides. Were there no centurion auxiliaries ?<br>
<br>
Were 500 men commanded solely by one tribune in the auxiliary cohorts?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Vincula]

Any regiment divided into centuries needs centurions. <p></p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

Yes, there were auxiliary centuriones. As I understand it, a good example of sideways promotion in the Roman army would be: legionary optio - auxiliary centurio - legionary centurio. I'm not sure where the evidence for this comes from. I do know that Ti. Claudius Maximus, the soldier who brought in Decabalus' head, was a legionary who transferred to a cavalry unit as a decurio (the cavalry equivilent of an infantry centurio).<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i></i>

[Theodosius the Great]

Okay.<br>
<br>
Based on auxiliary helmets we know that auxiliary centurions didn't wear crests, is that right ? They simply couldn't have because of the lack of slots and knobs. So how would they be identified ? Did they carry a vine staff like their legionary counterparts ?<br>
<br>
-Theo <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

the identification with particular helmets with legionaries or auxiliaries is not to my mind that clear. It seems mostly based on the incorrect assumption about relative rates of pay and the idea that auxilia got<br>
1] hand me downs<br>
2] the cheap stuff<br>
<br>
neither which [as far as Im aware] is heavily supported by evidence.<br>
<br>
also Im not sure that there is any helmet which can be identified as a centurions.<br>
<br>
<br>
i reckon your auxiliary centurion would be looking just like his legionary counterpart.<br>
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<p><img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.martin/forum/mark.gif
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[Anonymous]

If I recall correctly, weren't the 9th Cohort of Batavians at Vindolanda commanded by a Praefectus, Flavius Cerialis around 100 AD?<br>
<br>
For the 1st Cohort Tungrians, also stationed at Vindolanda, there is ther remains of a tombstone of one of their centurions "T. Ann(ius), killed in the war". Several others are named - Crescens, Felicio, Tullio, and Exomnius.<br>
<br>
One interesting letter from a decurion named Masclus to Flavius Cerialis starts "Masclus to Cerialis his king, greeting." This may be a throwback to when Batavian units were commanded by nobles of royal blood (Tacitus , Histories 4.12-13).<br>
<br>
<br>
Much, much more in the Life and letters on the roman Frontier (Bowman) and Garrison life at Vindolanda (Birley).<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Paulus<br>
<br>
<br>
There are also references to local Batavian<br>
<br>
Paulus <p></p><i></i>

[Praefectusclassis]

Yup, generally quingenary auxiliary units were commanded by praefects, millenary units by tribunes. Citizen cohorts were also commanded by tribunes, no matter their size. <p>Greets<br>
<br>
Jasper</p><i></i>

[drsrob]

Personally I would say, that the Niedermörmter helmet is almost certainly a centurion's, because it is inscribed with the name of it's owner and his legion, but not with the name of a centurion. And after all, the only menbers of a legion, who were not assigned to a century were the centurions themselves. This helmet however does not have any crest support.<br>
<br>
Vegetius stated that the centurions were distinguished by transverse, part silvered crests. So far no metal crest parts have been foud, apart fom the raised supports. It is possible that it was the helmets that were part silvered and not the crests. And said helmet was indeed part silvered.<br>
<br>
Taking this one step further, I think that transverse crests were abolished together with the fore-and-aft crests of the rank and file on the adoption of cross-braces. The part silvering then might have been introduced as an alternative distinction of rank. <p>Greetings<br>
<br>
Rob Wolters</p><i></i>