
A centurion was an officer in the army of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire that commanded centuries of 100 men or even cohorts. The title of centurion is similar to colonel, as they commanded the regiments of the Roman army into battle, and they were the basic unit commanders on the battlefield. The post of centurion was created due to Marius' reforms in the Roman Army in 107 BC, and it remained in place until the end of the Roman Empire.