Rule of Law in Iraq & Afghanistan

[jmm99]

Beneficiarius placement - but since you asked ....

This also ties in with fmr11a's military-civilian team idea - seriously.

Here is as much as you need to know about the grade of Beneficiarius (also a standard and an insignia of the Beneficiarius):

In the principate, the term came to be used for a specific grade of officer within the military staff (officium) attached to each equestrian officer of an auxiliary unit; each camp prefect; each legionary tribune and legionary legate; each provincial procurator and other equestrian officials within a province and each provincial governor.

In short, they were of the Roman Professional Soldiers (or Marines in the smaller Roman Navy), who had come through the ranks to centurion or super-centurion grades.

The Roman officers, for whom they served, whether their social class was senatorial (Caesar) or equestrian (Pilate), were trained in rhetoric and served as often as magistrates than as soldiers. In short, they were trained and served as lawyers. Some were gifted military amateurs; some were definitely not gifted military amateurs.

The Beneficiarii, like other centurion super grades, functioned as a link between the lawyers (the top dog officers) and the professional military. A Beneficiarii of the governor's staff had a lot of clout (he could draw a circle in the sand with his belt insignia - and say: "I am Rome. Cross the line if you dare."):

Whatever duties they carried out away from the provincial capital they did so as the representative of the governor. This explains the number of miniature “beneficiarius lance” badges found on military sites in Northern Europe. These would have been attached to leather belts or strap ends and showed that the person was an official of the governor and operating on his behalf independently of any other military officer.

Since a bear wears no belt, I can only see it being pinned to the obvious male appendage - sort of a pizzle stick, I suppose.

Cheers

Mike