- the centurion:
- The centurion was a military captain, and commander of a century, or 100 men. In order to have a proper notion of his office, it may be desirable to explain the construction and array of the Roman legion. Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into three maniples, and each maniple into two centuries; so that there were thirty maniples, and sixty centuries in a legion, which, if the century had always, as the word imports, consisted of 100 soldiers, would have formed a combined phalanx of 6,000 men. The number in a legion, however, varied at different periods; in the time of Polybius it was 4,200. The order of battle was that of three lines; the hastati, or spearmen, occupied the front; the principes, the second line; the triarii (also called pilani from their weapon, the pilam) the third. The centurions were appointed by the tribunes, and generally selected from the common soldiers according to their merit; although the office was sometimes obtained for money, or through the favour of the consuls. Their badge was a vine rod, or sapling. "Andª Pilateª marvelledª° ifª he were²° already² dead:ª°¹ andª callingª° [unto him] the¹ centurion,ª he askedª° himª whetherª he had been²° any while² dead.ª°¹" {Mrk 15:44} + "Andª when²° Jesusª was enteredª° intoª Capernaum,ª there cameª° unto himª a centurion,ª beseechingª° him,ª ... Whenª Jesusª heardª° [it], he marvelled,ª° andª saidª° to them that followed,ª° Verilyª I sayª° unto you,ª I have²° not²° foundª° so greatª faith,ª no, notª inª Israel.ª" {Mtt 8:5-10} + "² There¹ wasª° a certainª manª inª Caesareaª calledª Cornelius,ª a centurionª ofª the bandª calledª° the Italianª [band]," {Act 10:1} + "Andª whenª it was determined²°¹ that weª should sailª° intoª Italy,ª they deliveredªª° Paulª andª certainª otherª prisonersª unto [one] namedª Julius,ª a centurionª of Augustus'ª band.ª ... Andª the¹ nextª [day] we touchedª° atª Sidon.ª Andª Juliusª courteouslyª entreatedª° Paul,ª and gave [him] libertyª° to goª° untoª his friendsª to refresh himself.ªª°" {Act 27:1-3} + "Butª the¹ centurion,ª willingª° to saveª° Paul,ª keptª° themª from [their] purpose;ª andª commandedª° that they which couldª° swimª° should castª° [themselves] firstª [into the sea], and getª° toª land:ª" {Act 27:43}
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