hasn't changed that much since WWII, except for reduction of riflemen. See attached charts (both from 1 Jan 1945). Inf Coy = 6 O: 187 EM (5 pls; 3 rifle w/ 12-man sqds, 1 weapons, 1 HQ).
Looking back further, the "line" portion of a Roman Legion's century consisted of 3 "officers" (Centurion, 10 x basic pay; Optio, 2 x basic pay; Tesserarius, 1-1/2 x basic pay). So, 3 O: 80 EM; or, to compare with WWII and present, times 2 = 6 O: 160 EM.
To be complete, each "century" had a support unit of 20 men, which were spread among the 10 contubernia (each a 8-man tent team, including its decanus). So, the century was a century including its support group.
The higher Roman legionary officers were mostly "lawyers" (trained in rhetoric & Roman Law) - because the route to becoming a legate included being a magistrate as a tribune and higher offices as a senior tribune and legate.
The military professionals at the top were (from same link):
andPraefectus castrorum, Camp Prefect: The Camp Prefect was third in command of the legion. Generally he was a long serving veteran from a lower social status than the tribunii whom he outranked, and who previously had served as primus pilus and finished his 25 years with the legions. However, Camp Prefects were also on occasion appointed from aristocrats, in the same way as tribunes.
So far as number of company-grade officers is concerned, the number has not changed much in the poor, old infantry.Primus pilus, literally First File: The Primus Pilus was the commanding centurion of the first cohort and the senior centurion of the entire legion. He was called first file because he also directly commanded the first century of the first cohort. (Unlike other cohorts, the first cohort had only one javelin century, instead of a "front spear" and a "back spear" century). The Primus Pilus had a chance of later becoming a Praefectus Castrorum. When the primus pilus retired he would most likely gain entry into the equestrian class. He was paid 60 times the base wage.
BTW: the debate between recruitment of "aristocrats", as opposed to officers from the "ranks", also goes back to Roman times. So, this thread is nothing new - if we went back to a Roman legionary staff campfire.
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