1	Centurion: The World of the Legion in Palestine during the First Century L.D. Alford Session 4: Training a Legionnaire
2	Centurion
3	Introduction Centurion is a Historical Fiction Novel Published by Capstone Follows life of Centurion Abenadar Time 6 BC to AD 35 Location Levant (Palestine) Training a Legionnaire
4	Class Syllabus 1. Centurion’s character, lineage, and life 2. Palestine in 6 BC to AD 35 3. The Legions 4. Training a Legionnaire 5. The making of a Centurion 6. Hebrew life and love 7. The events of the crucifixion and resurrection—a historical perspective 8. Conclusion
5	Characters Primary Abenadar ben Abenadar Iustus from Natzeret Ruth Secondary – in this session Piso Portius Eudous Nico Aemilius Regulus
6	Requirements to Join Roman citizen Not too old Physically fit Mentally fit Needs of Legion Accepted by Primus Pilus Meet Probatio
7	The Probatio Probation prior to acceptance Up to a year Tests Physical Mental Needs of Legion In Adenadar’s case, extremely short Legion always needed librarii
8	The Sacramentum The Oath Sworn on the Aquila “I Abenadar from Natzeret, son of Abenadar Iustus, a citizen of Rome, swear to follow the consuls to the wars to which the Republic is called. I swear never to desert the aquila nor do anything against any law prescribed by the consuls and the Republic. I will follow all orders of the consuls and of any official placed over me by them. I promise to always act on the behalf of the Republic, and I will not leave my post or responsibilities until I have served my full term. I swear never to shrink from death on behalf of the Roman state. These things I do swear by all that I hold sacred and honorable and present my own life as my bond.”
9	The Emperor’s Viaticum The First Payment 3 Gold Aurie – 75 to 225 denarii Note who pays it Normal payment was from the coffers of the Republic Startup of a Legion was by the Emperor
10	Money As (asses) - copper Obol (obols) 2 obols = 5 asses (old rate of 10 asses = 1 d.) - bronze Denarius (denarii) 4 obols = 1 denarius, 16 asses = 1 denarius - silver Quadrigatus (ii) 15 asses = 1 Quadrigatus Aurie (gold) 25 d. = 1 a. Jewish coins Kodrant(es) - bronze Lepton – widow’s mite - copper
11	Pay Legionnaire 2 obols=3.5 asses per day, annually 120 denarii 225 d. annually paid stipendia of 75 d. (1a.) at beginning of Jan, May, and Sept Principales 1.5 times (HQ and signifer, optio, and tesserarius) Senior Principales 2.0 times Centurion per day 4 obols Cavalryman per day 1 drachma
12	Centurion A split door marked the center of one wall of the quaestorium. Portius knocked on it, and after a moment the top of the door opened to reveal an armory and storeroom. Abenadar was more intrigued by the man who opened the door. He was ancient and grizzled. As hoary a veteran as any Abenadar was likely to see still in service. The man was very tall, but bent with age. His skin was deeply scored with scars and wrinkles. They faded into each other and accentuated the sharpness of his nose and cheeks by creating parallel tracks down his face. His mouth almost disappeared in the profusion of canyons of skin.
13	Centurion As the veteran spread his large hands over the bottom half of the split door, Abenadar saw his hands were as scared and misshapen as his face. In spite of his frail appearance, he moved with combat quickness, and his voice was sure. “Portius, who is this? And what do you want? Have you already broken the pila I issued you yesterday?” “No, Piso,” Portius addressed the ancient legionnaire. “This is the new librarius of the Decimus Hastatus Posterior Century, Abenadar of Natzeret. He needs a kit and armor.”
14	Centurion Piso stretched over the edge of the door toward Abenadar and squinted. “He is tall. He will have to be fit, but I have armor for him.” Piso didn’t open the door. He handed a mail hauberk over the top. “Here is his lorica hamata and his belt.” Abenadar examined the armor Piso called a lorica hamata. It was formed of fine iron rings woven into one another and sewn to a leather jerkin. Portius said, “Put it on, Abenadar. Let’s see how it looks on you.” Abenadar glanced at Portius and then with perplexity at the armor.
15	Centurion Portius laughed. “Here, let me help you.” He lifted the bottom end over Abenadar’s head and pulled it down. The lorica hamata clung to him, but it wasn’t too tight or too loose. Portius pulled the shoulder flaps from the back to the front and attached them with their hooks and an iron ornament. An extension of the mail around the loose square collar covered Abenadar’s shoulders. The leather jerkin that undergirded the rings extended beyond the mail in wide overlapping strips. All of the edges of the armor were finished with leather. The whole garment reached down to Abenadar’s lower thigh. “Now you’re starting to look like a legionnaire.” Portius clapped him on the back.
16	Centurion Piso nodded in wry approval then disappeared for a moment. He returned with a helmet. Abenadar gingerly took the helmet from Piso. It was polished bronze and shaped like a half sphere. An inch above the lip at the front of the helmet, a thin bill projected three-quarters of an inch. Below the front bill and even with the lip, another bill, this one three inches long, projected from the back of the helmet. An empty clip projected from the very top of the helmet. On all the helmets the legionnaires wore, Abenadar noticed this projection held a plume. On either side of the helmet, large side plates protected the face, and thin bronze stays ran from these to the long bill at the rear. The inside of the helmet was covered with a thick leather pad.
17	Centurion Abenadar tipped the helmet onto his head. “Where’s the plume?” Portius stepped up to Abenadar and fitted the sides and braces to adjust the balance of the heavy helmet on Abenadar’s head. As he tugged on the leather straps, he said, “When you have finished your training—after the legion’s training officer, the Praefectus Legionis, awards you the plume of a fallen legionnaire—then you can wear a legionnaire’s plume, but not before.” Portius half turned to the old man in the quaestorium. “Piso, you always seem to fit a man with just a glance. How do you do it?”
18	Centurion Piso cackled. “If you’re still alive when I get ready to leave the Emperor’s service, then and only then will I teach you my secrets. For almost 15 years, those secrets have kept me the quartermaster in the officium.” “Phew, Piso, at that rate, you will still be quartermaster when I muster out.” Piso cackled again. Over the top of the door, he handed a sword, the gladius and scabbard. These were quickly followed by two pila—one light, the other very sturdy. Piso tossed a pair of heavy sandals to Portius, who passed them on to Abenadar. “Here,” said Portius, “is a real pair of sandals, your caligae.”
19	Centurion “And, the rest of the issue,” said Piso. “Here is his basket, bucket, axe, leather strap, sickle, and chain. All one size,” he quipped. “The last is also.” Piso handed a large rectangular shield through the top of the door. “Your scutum will keep you in the land of the living—if you learn to use it well.” Abenadar took the shield from the old man. It was made of curved laminated wood backed with metal reinforcements. Attached to the back were a leather loop and a strap. A long hanging strap was connected to the top and bottom of the shield
20	The Issue lorica hamata and belt - mail hauberk Bronze helmet Grieves Gladius – short sword 2 pila – heavy and light spears caligae - military sandals scutum - rectangular shield basket, bucket, axe, leather strap, sickle, chain
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25	Needs Spit Bronze cooking pot Drinking vessel Clothing Never clear from history what was provided and what issued Since cost of a short sword is about 75 denarii, assume almost all armor and weapons issued
26	Training Terrain
27	Centurion Abenadar followed the optio toward the back of the camp. When they passed the end of the barracks, the buildings gave way to a large enclosed field. Across the field, Abenadar saw the six-foot wall of earth topped with stakes that marked the boundary of the camp. The space between the earthen wall and the end of the barracks was at least 300 yards wide; from side to side it was more than twice that. At the right of this area lay a large square of raw earth with about 20 six-foot poles that stood straight up in it. Near these were reed targets and long wooden beams covered with hide. In front of the poles stood a giant of a man surrounded by about 20 men without plumes on their helmets.
28	Centurion Tero led Abenadar toward this group. “Hey, Nico, here is a new man for you to train.” Nico was the giant. He was as broad and tall as one of the huge doors leading into the camp. His name in Latin meant “battering ram,” and Abenadar never learned if Nico was a nickname or really his own. Like all of the veterans, Nico’s face and arms were covered with scars, and though his armor was complete, it showed signs of frequent repair. He carried a baton similar to the vitis of the centurions, but without decorations. This, Abenadar learned, was a training baton.
29	Basic Training Praefectus Castrorum - trains Marching in quick and in time Military pace 20 miles in 5 hours Full pace 24 miles in 5 hours Running – the charge Physical training Running Jumping long and high Carrying heavy packs Swimming
30	Basic Training Weapon training Wickerwork shields wtx2 Wooden staves wtx2 Practice at the stakes morning and afternoon (stake 6 ft high recruits make themselves)
31	Centurion After about a month, Nico introduced them to a new game. “Okay,” said the scarred veteran, “today we will make an ambulatura, and you learn how to make a camp.” “A camp?” said Thermus. “You want us to build a whole camp?” Nico grinned. “A small camp. One fit for a century. Grab your kits. Full field pack. Real weapons. Stakes and digging equipment.” This time, Nico himself took a pack and gear. He put on his helmet with the full plumes of an optio. The rest of them wore their plain helmets without plumes.
32	Centurion “Are we going outside the camp?” protested Thermus. When Nico nodded, Thermus continued, “We don’t have the plumes of a legionnaire. What if the Zealots of the Galil notice that and attack us?” For almost a full minute Nico stared at Thermus, his grin widening. “Then you will get better training than I can give you. And you won’t have to do the stakes this evening. I promise. Or perhaps Abenadar can explain to the Zealots that you are not quite up to the fight, and if they let you pass by,” he paused, “then you will still have to practice at the stakes.”
33	muli Marinani Field-service training 100 lb with arms armor and 17 days of rations Camp construction Wall 3’ and ditch ahead Stakes on the top Deeper ditch 12’ wide 9’ deep wall 4’
34	Battle training Battle training Single line Double line The square The wedge The circle Praefectus Legionis - Centurion tested and judged Moved to Armatura and Ambulatura
35	Centurion After two months, when the men reported to the stakes, a centurion stood beside Nico. The centurion was dressed in full field gear. His lorica hamata was a finer quality than the halburk the men wore, and it was decorated with awards of valor, the gold and silver phalerae of an experienced and successful combat veteran. The centurion’s arms and legs were scarred, the ever-present marks of a survivor of close fighting. He was a tall man and the plumes of a centurion made him look taller. The cheek guards of his helmet also sported gold phalerae.
36	Armatura Practice with real weapons against adversaries Barley ration instead of wheat if failed Wooden sword wtx1 with a leather button Eventually against full legionnaires
37	Armatura Pilum training Pila wtx2 Hurled at the stakes Pila wooden haft of 3 cubits with a barbed iron head and shank also 3 cubits. 2 rivets fasten the iron to the wood. One rivet is wood the other is iron. The iron is tempered so the iron bends after impact and can’t be removed from the shield. Pila praepilata for practice with leather buttons on the tips and reinforced.
38	Armatura Bow and sling training Stone training 1 lb Vaulting on horseback using a wooden horse and buildup to arms Most is for familiarity Legions didn’t use Bow or slings Did not throw stones as a practice in war Did not use cavalry much until later
39	Ambulatura March out of camp 10 miles and back over all kinds of ground and practicing all the basic trainings Armatura and Ambulatura training also for full legionnaires Praefectus Legionis - Centurion tested and judged Graduated to full legionnaire Training about 1 year
40	Graduation Following full out training Praefectus Legionis – Centurion awards plumes Plumes of legionnaires who died in battle are awarded to new legionnaires Wear new plumes, keep plume of past legionnaire – built esprit and unit cohesion
41	Centurion Because the legion had no expectation of action, to Abenadar the promotion to full legionnaire was an anticlimax to the months of rigorous training. One day Praefectus Legionis Aemilius Regulus led their group on a muli marinani. After a day and a night in the field, they returned to a mock battle against the Decimus Pilus Posterior Century. Centurion Aemilius led them through the battle formations, and they fought the Pilus Posterior to a standstill. Before tempers got too high, the Praefectus wisely called them back and reformed their columns. He turned to Nico, who fought on the trainee’s side, and returned the training baton to him. “I am very pleased with the training of these legionnaires.”
42	Centurion Nico saluted him. “Then they should be given back their plumes, Praefectus.” “Who has these legionnaires’ plumes,” called Aemilius, turning toward the Decimus Pilus Posterior. The centurion of the Pilus Posterior came forward. “The Decimus Pilus Posterior Century has kept them safe. Come forward, legionnaires, and present your brothers with their plumes.” One by one, Nico called the name of each new legionnaire. When the man came forward, a legionnaire from the Pilus Posterior took a plume from his pack, and as he handed the plume to the centurion, he announced a name. The centurion repeated the name and handed the plume to Centurion Aemilius.
43	Centurion When Nico called Abenadar’s name, Praefectus Aemilius handed a bedraggled plume to him. “Legionnaire Abenadar, this is the plume of the Legionnaire Titus. This plume is now yours, and you carry it for the name of Titus and for all the other legionnaires who carried this plume before him. Your brothers will tell you the names of all the men who with honor carried this plume.” Abenadar saluted the Praefectus and returned to his position in line. That was all there was to the promotion to full legionnaire. Their initial formal training ended. Abenadar purchased a new plume in the forum from Varro, and put Titus’ plume safely away in his wooden locker.
44	Centurion Nico is trainer for Legion - Praefectus Castrorum Aemilius Regulus - Praefectus Legionis
45	Summary Requirements for Legion Process of joining Money and pay Training Graduation
46	Next Time The Making of a Centurion