Cornelius and the Roman Army

“'Cornelius and the Roman Army'”
Administrative and military headquarters for the Roman province of Judea were located in Caesarea. The troops under the governor’s command consisted of 500 to 1,000 cavalry and five cohorts, or groups, of infantry. A cohort in full strength consisted of about 600 soldiers. These troops were usually recruited from among Roman subjects rather than citizens. Most served in Caesarea, but small garrisons were scattered throughout Judea. One cohort was permanently based in the Tower of Antonia in Jerusalem in order to police the Temple Mount and the city. The Roman presence in that city would be reinforced during Jewish festivals to deal with possible disturbances.
A centurion was in command of about 100 soldiers. The Greek text of Acts 10:1 says that Cornelius was a centurion of the so-called Italian unit, probably based in Caesarea. This unit may have been the Second Italian Cohort of Roman Citizen Volunteers.f Centurions had considerable social and military status, as well as wealth. Their pay was perhaps 16 times that of regular soldiers.
Category:Roman Army
Category:Cornelius