Centŭria

, a division of the people among the Romans, consisting of 100. The Roman people were originally divided into three tribes, and each tribe into 10 cur iæ. Servius Tullius made a census; and when he had enrolled the place of habitation, name, and profe ion of every citizen, which amounted to 80,000 men, all able to bear arms, he divided them into six cla es, and each cla into several centuries, or companies of 100 men. The first cla consisted of 80 centuries, 40 of which were composed of men from the age of 45 and upwards, appointed to guard the city. The 40 others were young men, from 17 to 45 years of age, appointed to go to war, and fight the enemies of Rome. Their arms were all the same; that is, a buckler, a cuira , a helmet, cuishes of bra , with a sword, a lance, and a javelin; and as they were of the most illustrious citizens, they were called, by way of eminence, Cla ic i , and their inferiors infra cla em . They were to be worth 1,100,000 a es , a sum equivalent to 1800 l. English money. The second, third, and fourth cla es, consisted each of 20 centuries, 10 of which were composed of the more aged, and the others of the younger sort of people. Their arms were a large shield, a spear, and a javelin; they were to be worth in the second cla , 75,000 a es , or about 121 l. In the third, 50,000, or about 80 l. ; and in the fourth, 25,000, or about 40 l. The fifth cla consisted of 30 centuries, three of which were carpenters by trade, and the others of different profe ions, such as were nece ary in the camp. They were all armed with slings and stones. They were to be worth 11,000 a es , or about 18 l. The sixth cla contained only one centuria, comprising the whole body of the poorest citizens, who were called Proletarii , as their only service to the state was procreating children. They were also called capite cens i , as the censor took notice of their person, not of their estate. In the public a emblies in the Campus Martius, at the election of public magistrates, or at the trial of capital crimes, the people gave their vote by centuries, whence the a embly was called comitia centu riata . In these public a emblies, which were never convened but only by the consuls at the permi ion of the senate, or by the dictator in the absence of the consuls, some of the people appeared under arms, for fear of an attack from some foreign enemy. When a law was proposed in the public a emblies, its nece ity was explained, and the advantages it would produce to the state were enlarged upon in a harangue; after which it was exposed in the most conspicuous parts of the city three market-days, that the people might see and consider. Exposing it to public view, was called proponere legem , and explaining it, promulgare legem . He who merely proposed it, was called lat or leg is ; and he who dwelt upon its importance and utility, and wished it to be enforced, was called auctor leg is . When the a embly was to be held, the auguries were consulted by the consul, who, after haranguing the people, and reminding them to have in view the good of the republic, dismi ed them to their respective centuries, that their votes might be gathered. They gave their votes vivâ voce , till the year of Rome A.U.C. 615, when they changed the custom, and gave their approbation or disapprobation by ballots thrown into an urn. If the first cla was unanimous, the others were not consulted, as the first was superior to all the others in number; but if they were not unanimous, they proceeded to consult the rest, and the majority decided the question. This advantage of the first cla gave offence to the rest; and it was afterwards settled, that one cla of the six should be drawn by lot, to give its votes first, without regard to rank or priority. After all the votes had been gathered, the consul declared aloud, that the law which had been proposed was duly and constitutionally approved. The same ceremonies were observed in the election of consuls, pretors, . The word Centuria is also applied to a subdivision of one of the Roman legions which consisted of 100 men, and was the half of a man i pulus, the sixth part of a cohort, and the sixtieth part of a legion. The commander of a centuria was called centurion , and he was distinguished from the rest by a branch of a vine which he carried in his hand.