Organization of the Legion

Agricola, Governor of Britain

Stage 26

Organization of the Legion

1 legion : 10 cohorts 9 of the cohorts (2-10) = 4320 men

1 cohort (480 men + centurions)

made of six centuries

each century :

1 centurion, 1 optio

80 men

1st cohort = 800 men

most prestigious

5 double sized centuries (160 men each)

5 SENIOR centurions : Primi ordines (First Rank)

Horsemen : about 120

Breakdown of the Legion & Cohorts

Roman Army Structure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCBNxJYvNsY

1st command: legatus

2nd command: tribunus laticlavius

military tribunes: tribuni

3rd command: praefectus castrorum

Cohort Ranks: ~centurio primus pilus ~primi ordines (senior centurions) ~centurion~optio

Chain of Command:

What does each person do?...

LEADERS of ENTIRE LEGION: (1 of each in whole legion)

Legatus: Commander of the legion; member of Senate

tribunus laticlavius: broad stripe; young, noble birth, in line for legatus

tribuni (5): narrow stripe; equites; educated, aiming for imperial administration

praefectus castrorum: the commander of the camp; highest ranking officer to serve entire career in the army

aquilifer: senior signifer

HIGHER RANKS INSIDE COHORTS:

primi ordines: (first rank) - the five senior centurions- each commanded a century in first cohort

centurio primus pilus (1) : (centurion of the first century in the first cohort) most senior centurion; worked his way through the various grades of centurion

centurion: in charge of training and discipline of a century - carried a cane for discipline called a “vitis”

importance in pay - 1,500 denarii

optio: deputy; took control of century if centurion was absent or died

OTHER HIGHER ROLES IN EACH COHORT: (EACH COHORT HAD ONE OF EACH)

tesserarius: organized guards and distributed the passwords

signifer: standard bearer

cornicen: horn player

Agricola, Governor of Britain

Agricola, Governor of Britain Details of Agricola’s Early Life:

Born A.D. 40 in Roman colony of Forum Iulii in southeast Gaul

father- made senator by Emperor Tiberius

public speaking and philosophy

Tacitus- Agricola’s son-in-law / biographer

Army in Britain

tribunus - 18 yrs old

gained knowledge of province

Return Britain - 2nd time

A.D. 70

commander of Twentieth Legion

Agricola continued… Britain again… 3rd time

A.D. 78

propraetor (governor) of province

Accomplishments

conquest of Wales

extended roads & forts across northern Britain

established fortress at Deva

Romanization - roman style

better to live in peace with Romans rather than rebel

Other Facts-

governor- 7 yrs (long time)

recalled from Britain A.D. 85 - jealousy of Domitian?

given statute and citation

retired to safety

Other Websites Used:

http://www.unrv.com/military/legion.php

http://romanmilitary.net/strategy/structure/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCBNxJYvNsY