The Centurion and his horse questions.

[Magnus]

I haven't encountered any mention of the centurions doing anything but marching alongside the regulars.

Actually, all you've encountered is references to centurions "travelling" alongside the regulars. If we knew that they "marched", we wouldn't be having this discussion.

when the situation required a centurion to be mounted, then he was.

Ah, but how do you define situations that "required" him to be mounted? wink:

Have you ever seen evidence regarding the upkeep of an additional number of horses for a legion, specific to the centurionate? I haven't, just the cavalry. Also, when is the last time you actually saw a centurion mounted in the historical record. I find it odd that were they mounted, there really is no reference for it. Of course, absence of evidence and all that, but if horses were that much of an important part to the roles of the centurionate, why is there no reference to it? Contemporary writers do so with the assumption that their audience will already have knowledge of the subject. If mounted centurions were a special matter, why isn't there mention of it? There are references to a centurion's armour and medals, equally important in terms of status, but not horses. The assumption then at this point should be that they were on foot.

I define situations that would require a centurion to be mounted entirely based on time and speed. Specifically, any type of recon of a given area for a camp, or possibly an ambush that was time sensitive. I believe one of the ancient's quotes above related to this (I think John posted it).

I also don't think your band of brothers reference stands...I work with "old timers" in their 40's and 50's that can run rings around us younger bucks. Look at Randy Couture of the UFC for example. Pushing 50 years old, and still fighting in mixed martial arts at light heavyweight and heavyweight.