Centurion
Centurions were professional officers in the Roman Army, perhaps the greatest army in history for sweet-sounding rank titles. While the Centurions were lower in rank to such heavyweights as the Legatus, The Quaestor and The Legati, they did assert command over the Aquilifer, the Tesserarius, and of course the Legionarii (the Legionaries).
Ask any Captain in a modern military which he would prefer to lead into battle, one hundred Legionarii or one hundred Privates, and he will pull you aside and ask in a lowered voice if you can arrange that switcharoo, or if you’re just pulling his teflon jockstrap.
Centurions commanded anywhere from sixty to hundreds of Legionaries. The classic Roman military manual De Re Militari described a Centurion as picked for his “size, strength, and dexterity,” his ”expertness in all the exercises,” and his ability to look impressive in a Roman helmet with a crest going sideways across the top like a peacock’s plume. He was distinguished on the battlefield by shiny silver armor, his sword on his left side (for sweet cross-body sword draws), and his propensity for dying. Centurions led by example, fighting on the front lines with bravado and daring, and (thanks in part to their conspicuous peacock helmets and shiny armor) thus suffered higher casualty rates. Nevertheless, they commanded Legionaries, and thus warrant our respect.
A drink with a taste rating of centurion is a good drink. Don’t let trend setters and Johnny-come-latelys tell you otherwise. Appreciating this drink is both a sign, and a reinforcement, of good character.
