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.

Mark 15:44 And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling to him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

Matthew 8:5-10 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him...

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

Acts 27:1-3,43 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to one named Julius...

he said.

Matthew 27:43,54 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God...

Luke 23:47,48 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man...