Most soldiers in the Roman Empire came from countries outside Italy ... The man in charge of a century was known as a ‘centurion’. He carried a short rod, to show his importance.

Traditionally, Roman society was extremely rigid. By the first century, however, the need for capable men to run Rome’s vast empire was slowly eroding the old social barriers. The social ...

Most soldiers in the Roman Empire came from countries outside Italy ... The man in charge of a century was known as a ‘centurion’. He carried a short rod, to show his importance.