Primus pilus

The primus pilus ( lit. "first maniple " ^[1]) or primipilus was the senior centurion of the first cohort in a Roman legion , ^[2]^[3] a formation of five double-strength centuries of 160 men each; ^[4] he was a career soldier and advisor to the legate . The primus pilus would remain in command for one year. They could continue to serve in the army after their term ended if there was a vacancy in command or if they wished to become an independent commander of an auxilia unit or the praefectus castrorum . ^[4]^[5]

During the Roman Empire , the emperor Claudius created the office of primus pilus iterum . To become the primus pilus iterum an officer must have formerly served as a tribune in the vigiles , cohortes urbanae , or Praetorian Guard . The primus pilus iterum would hold the responsibility of a praefectus castrorum but with higher pay. ^[4]

The primus pilus was a well paid position. They could accumulate enough wealth to become part of the equestrian class . ^[4] Even if they failed to gather such wealth, they were promoted to the equestrian class after retiring. ^[4]^{[
clarification needed
]}

Only eight officers in a fully officered legion outranked the primus pilus : The legate ( legatus legionis ), commanding the legion; the senior tribune ( tribunus laticlavius ); the Camp Prefect ( praefectus castrorum ); and the five junior tribunes ( tribuni angusticlavii ). ^[6]

The primus pilus centurion had a place in the war councils along with the military tribunes and the Legate. ^{[
citation needed
]}

References [ edit ]

^ Radin 1915 , p. 301.
^ "Structure of the Legion | Strategy & Tactics | the Roman Military" . Archived from the original on June 30, 2023.
^ Campbell, Brian (2016-03-07), "primipilus" , Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics , ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5 , retrieved 2023-10-05
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Webster, Graham (1998). The Roman Imperial Army of the First and Second Centuries A.D. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-080-613-000-2 .
^ Southern, Pat (2007). The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History . Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-019-532-878-3 .
^ Southern, pp. 26?27.

Sources [ edit ]

Radin, Max (April 1915). "The Promotion of Centurions in Caesar's Army". The Classical Journal . 10 (7): 300?311. JSTOR 3287327 .

This article on a military rank or appointment is a stub . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it .

[FOOTNOTERadin1915301-1] Radin 1915 , p. 301.

[2] "Structure of the Legion | Strategy & Tactics | the Roman Military" . Archived from the original on June 30, 2023.

[3] Campbell, Brian (2016-03-07), "primipilus" , Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics , ISBN 978-0-19-938113-5 , retrieved 2023-10-05

[:0-4] Webster, Graham (1998). The Roman Imperial Army of the First and Second Centuries A.D. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-080-613-000-2 .

[5] Southern, Pat (2007). The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History . Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-019-532-878-3 .

[6] Southern, pp. 26?27.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]