CENTURION (Lat. centurio), in the ancient Roman army, an officer in command of a centuria, originally a body of a hun dred infantry, later the sixtieth part of the normal legion. There were, therefore, in the legion sixty centurions, who, though theo retically subordinate to the six military tribunes, were the actual working officers of the legion. For the most part the centurions were promoted from the ranks : they were arranged in a compli cated order of seniority; the senior centurion of the legion (pri piles) was an officer of very high importance. Besides com manding the centuries of the legion, centurions were "seconded" for various kinds of special service ; e.g., for staff employment, the command of auxiliaries. (See ROMAN ARMY.) See also J. E. Sandys, Companion to Latin Studies (1921) Section 752.