Decurion

[M. Porcius Cato]

What exactly was a decurion? I've seen the term applied in two different ways on UNRV. Sometimes, the term is applied to a junior cavalry officer (or maybe cavalry NCO would be a better term). At other times, the term is used for a town councillor. Is it both?

[M. Porcius Cato]

While I'm at it, I might as well also inquire whether anyone contributes to Wikipedia. Currently, its article on the Decurion is terribly skimpy and uninformative.

Edited January 23, 2006 by M. Porcius Cato

[Lacertus]

I know decurion was in command of decuria (10 units of cavalry) - that is junior cavalry officer.

Turmae consisted three decurias.

I saw here, on UNRV that decurion was in comand of Turmae.

Who is wrong?

[Neos Dionysos]

I have only ever seen Decurion used in terms of a cavalry officer, never a magistrate though if I find a reference I will let you know.

 

Concerning wikipedia, I tend to stay away from that, since once you edit or post an article, someone else who doesn't agree with your view or has a different bias will change it to fit thier view/understanding and you go back and forth.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I believe in municipal terms, a decurion was a town magistrate, but also a judge.

[Favonius Cornelius]

While I'm at it, I might as well also inquire whether anyone contributes to Wikipedia. Currently, its article on the Decurion is terribly skimpy and uninformative.

 

 

One time I corrected the 'Gayus Julius Caesar' biography.

[Ursus]

I believe in municipal terms, a decurion was a town magistrate, but also a judge.

 

Yes. I'm not sure of any military meaning, but under the empire they were the third class, behind Senators and Equestrians. The Decurions were town counselors. They were part of the local elite who pumped in money to the public treasury, and in return they were effectively the local puppet rulers under the Roman governors.

 

In the beginning of the empire, many local elites voluntarily became decurions as it was the first step in the higher social ladder. Later, many local elites decided the financial burden wasn't worth the perks; the empire had to force local elites to become decurions.