Centurions occupied a distinct middle tier within the Roman military hierarchy, professional officers who had typically risen through the ranks and were visually distinguished by more elaborate equipment than their men — a transverse helmet crest, a vine staff of office, and, as recreated here, a more richly decorated cingulum. This 1st-century pattern belt reflects that officer-grade standard, giving re-enactors building a centurion impression the visual distinction the rank historically carried.
Centurion’s Cingulum, 1st Century Pattern
A centurion, commanding roughly eighty men within a Roman legion, wore equipment noticeably more elaborate than the ordinary legionary, and the belt was no exception. This cingulum recreates that officer-grade belt, historically dated to the 1st century AD, with the decoration and finish befitting a centurion’s rank. Fully wearable, it suits a re-enactor building a specifically centurion, rather than rank-and-file legionary, impression.
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