Why You Would Hate Being a Roman Centurion

Becoming a Roman centurion looked like the promotion of a lifetime. You could earn far more than an ordinary legionary, command around eighty soldiers, gain status, and climb one of the most important career ladders in the Roman army. But Rome wasn't paying centurions that much for an easy life. They had to enforce discipline, lead frightened soldiers into battle, compete for promotion, and stay visible when everyone else wanted to run. From the brutal story of Lucilius to Caesar's accounts of Pharsalus, Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus, this is what it could really mean to become a centurion in the Roman army. Timestamps: 0:00 Congratulations: Rome's Best Promotion 0:35 Not Just a Better-Paid Soldier 1:04 The Rewards Were Real 1:52 The Vitis: A Staff That Could Beat You 2:14 Lucilius: "Bring Another" 2:59 The Bigger Danger: Battle 3:33 Panic Inside a Formation 4:03 Pharsalus, 48 BC 4:30 Crastinus 4:54 Pullo and Vorenus 6:08 Courage Was Not Private 6:29 The Primus Pilus 7:15 You Actually Knew These Men 7:56 The Optio 8:11 Imagine the Promotion Yourself Ancient Rome, told through the people who had to live it. #AncientRome #RomanEmpire #RomanArmy