a 1st cohort. Yet for centurions who showed, say, particularly conspicuous bravery during battle, there was the opportunity to be promoted several grades at once. For example, Julius Caesar's reward for a centurion who had greatly pleased him was to advance him eight grades. Promotion through the various grades often meant transferring to another legion. The precedence during the times of the Republican manipular legion had each centurio command a centuria of sixty men within a manipulus (maniple) of two centuriae which was commanded by the senior centurio. Their order in decreasing seniority but opposite battle order; Of the centuriae of a manipulus of Triarii; Pilus Prior Pilus Posterior Of the centuriae of a manipulus of Principes; Princeps Prior Princeps Posterior Of the centuriae of a manipulus of Hastati; Hastatus Prior Hastatus Posterior For the Imperial and late Republican legion (post 107 BC) the first centuria of every cohors was its senior, with the first cohors following suit for the entire legion. There were five centuriae in the first cohors as opposed to the normal number of six, with each centuria having twice the number of legionaries of a normal centuria. The six centuriae of a normal cohors, were, in order of decreasing seniority; The rear triarii (rear third line) The forward triarii (forward third line) The rear principes (rear principal line) The forward principes (forward principal line) The rear hastati (rear spears) The forward hastati (forward spears) The titles of the centuriae and thus their respective centuriones are remnants from the manipular system of the Republic. In order of decreasing seniority; 1st Cohors, Centuriones known as the Primi Ordines 1st Centuria Primus Pilus 2rd Centuria Princeps Prior 3rd Centuria Princeps Posterior 4th Centuria Hastatus Prior 5th Centuria Hastatus Posterior 2nd Cohors 1st Centuria Pilus Prior 2nd Centuria Pilus Posterior 3rd Centuria Princeps Prior 4th Centuria Princeps Posterior 5th Centuria Hastatus Prior 6th Centuria Hastatus Posterior and so on. Note that the Primi Ordines of the first cohors were senior to every centurio except for their Primus Pilus and the Pili Priori of the other first centuries. Qualities According to a fifth century text on the Roman military, a centurion was required to have numerous elite traits: Centurions had to be at least 30 years of age, literate (to read written orders), have letters of recommendation, and at least several years of military service. As a commander, a centurion had