L'aigle et le cep. Les centurions légionnaires dans l'Empire des Sévères (prix SOPHAU)

“I have sought much what to hand down to posterity acting in command of all the soldiers in this camp and what common vow, for the return of the army to render up among previous and future vows.”

The words of Legionary Centurion Quintus Avidius Quintianus were etched in the stone of the Libyan fort Gholaia 1800 years ago. They still resonate today echoing the hundreds of texts, images and archaeological remains, which depict the daily turmoil and the lives of fellow brothers in arms who enrolled in the Severan legions between AD 193 and AD 235. These accounts are the sources used to investigate thoroughly the military and political facets of centurionate in addition to continuing the traditional historiographical approach to the Roman army via sociological and cultural historical methods using anthropological analysis. The present research considers the versatility of centurions, their diverse career paths, their behaviours, the breadth of their experiences and the differing representations associated to Severan legionary centurions at the onset of the 3rd century crisis. All these aspects demand an investigation into the reality and the boundaries concerning the identity of a military group who was as proud to serve the Eagle, standard of the legion, as to carry the Vine-Staff, symbol of their rank.