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The vine staff and the centurion...

Before talking about the vine staff, let's start with a few words about the centurion...

The roman centurion was an officer, usually having risen through the ranks, who commanded a centuria. Contrary to what its name seems to indicate, a centuria did not represent 100 men but a force of between 60 and 100 soldiers. He carried two symbols of his authority: a crested helmet and, most importantly, a vitis, a vine staff. The term vitis in Latin refers to the vine, and subsequently the staff, the symbol of the centurions' dignity.

This symbol also had a very "practical" use: it allowed the centurion to strike men to get them in line or to discipline them for failing in their military duties. Several ancient authors recount the use of this vitis: Plin. H.N. XIV, 3; Ov. A. Am. III, 527; Juv. VIII, 247; Plut. Galba, 26. In the dictionary of Sextus Pompeius Festus, in particular, we find the use of the vitis to encourage the soldier to go into battle.


Photo : Wikimedia Commons license
Photo : Wikimedia Commons license

It should be noted that under the Roman Republic, the law forbade striking a Roman citizen, except with a vine staff, because its lightness was not likely to seriously injure the recipient of the blow. Moreover, some centurions did not hesitate to use and abuse the vitis... Tacitus cites the case of the sadistic centurion Lucillius, better known by the nickname "Altera" ("another!"), because he demanded a new vitis each time he broke one on a soldier's back in order to continue the punishment.

In the Roman Army, this vitis, a symbol of belonging to the military elite, was of great importance and its official presentation was the subject of a very special military ceremony.


Finally, it should be noted that the close links between command and the use of a staff have endured throughout history. Proof of this is the Marshal's baton... or even the English word "staff" designating the General Staff, which is the literal translation of the word "bâton" (staff).

 
 
 

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