06-23-2014, 08:59 PM
I think there's no question that centurions fought in the front rank of their centuria, at least in the republican and early imperial period; Sallust says as much in his Catiline War (59.3). As Bryan and others have mentioned, the disportionately high casualty rate among centurions during this period also testifies to their fighting at the front, leading their men physically rather than directing them from the rear.
Ross Cowan, in his article 'The Centuria in Battle' (Ancient Warfare Special 2010) suggests that the centurion, standard bearer and hornblower or trumpeter formed a command group at the front and centre of the centuria; the centurion could relay basic orders (advance, retreat, turn) to the signifer, who could signal to the rest of the men by moving the standard appropriately. Other orders could be transmitted by the hornblower, or perhaps the horn could be used to call attention to the standard when a command was being given.
There are a lot of other interesting points in the same article about the position of other men in the battle line, unit formation and ranks.
I would also suggest J.E. Lendon's Soldiers and Ghosts for some useful discussion of the 'heroic' and highly conspicuous role of centurions in battle, especially in the Caesarian era. I know others have recommended this book in the past on this and similar issues, but I've only recently looked at it myself. Lendon's ideas about the rather mob-like deployment of the republican hastati might also have a bearing on this debate.
On the question of contubernium leaders, there is, I think, a hand mill from Britain with an inscription to what could be a Caput Contubernii, and a later gravestone of a man calling himself CAP(ut?). But both of these could be third century or later, and the rank or role an innovation of the later army, perhaps. Nothing suggests the role had any tactical significance anyway.
*EDIT - Just another quick point on this issue. It occurs to me that, in an era of close and often confused hand-to-hand fighting, the legates and tribunes stationed behind the ranks would often have had little idea of what was happening at the front line, where the fighting was going on.
In this case, the centurions would have played a vital role as the eyes of command at the front - they alone could see openings in the enemy line and attack towards them; they alone could see if their own front line was hard pressed or wavering, and needed withdrawing, reinforcing or regrouping. Caesar's commentaries are full of centurions taking this sort of immediate executive action in battle - albeit usually highly aggressive and often unwise!
Ross Cowan, in his article 'The Centuria in Battle' (Ancient Warfare Special 2010) suggests that the centurion, standard bearer and hornblower or trumpeter formed a command group at the front and centre of the centuria; the centurion could relay basic orders (advance, retreat, turn) to the signifer, who could signal to the rest of the men by moving the standard appropriately. Other orders could be transmitted by the hornblower, or perhaps the horn could be used to call attention to the standard when a command was being given.
There are a lot of other interesting points in the same article about the position of other men in the battle line, unit formation and ranks.
I would also suggest J.E. Lendon's Soldiers and Ghosts for some useful discussion of the 'heroic' and highly conspicuous role of centurions in battle, especially in the Caesarian era. I know others have recommended this book in the past on this and similar issues, but I've only recently looked at it myself. Lendon's ideas about the rather mob-like deployment of the republican hastati might also have a bearing on this debate.
On the question of contubernium leaders, there is, I think, a hand mill from Britain with an inscription to what could be a Caput Contubernii, and a later gravestone of a man calling himself CAP(ut?). But both of these could be third century or later, and the rank or role an innovation of the later army, perhaps. Nothing suggests the role had any tactical significance anyway.
*EDIT - Just another quick point on this issue. It occurs to me that, in an era of close and often confused hand-to-hand fighting, the legates and tribunes stationed behind the ranks would often have had little idea of what was happening at the front line, where the fighting was going on.
In this case, the centurions would have played a vital role as the eyes of command at the front - they alone could see openings in the enemy line and attack towards them; they alone could see if their own front line was hard pressed or wavering, and needed withdrawing, reinforcing or regrouping. Caesar's commentaries are full of centurions taking this sort of immediate executive action in battle - albeit usually highly aggressive and often unwise!
Nathan Ross
