Praefectus Castrorum
Encyclopedia
The praefectus castrorum ("camp prefect") was, in the Roman army
of the early Empire
, the third-most senior commander of the Roman legion
, after the legate (legatus
) and the senior military tribune
(tribunus laticlavius
). His responsibility was looking after equipment and building works but could command the legion when his seniors were absent. The post was usually held by men coming from the ranks of the centurion
ate, having already served as chief centurions (primus pilus
) of a legion, and was therefore open to ordinary citizens. A camp prefect's job was to maintain and update the equipment, organize the legion, and make sure that the soldiers were properly trained.
Roman army
The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome , the Roman Republic , the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine empire...
of the early Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, the third-most senior commander of the Roman legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
, after the legate (legatus
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
) and the senior military tribune
Military tribune
A military tribune was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the centurion...
(tribunus laticlavius
Tribunus Laticlavius
In the Roman army of the late Republic and the Principate, the tribunus laticlavius was one of the six military tribunes in a legion....
). His responsibility was looking after equipment and building works but could command the legion when his seniors were absent. The post was usually held by men coming from the ranks of the centurion
Centurion
A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army .Centurion may also refer to:-Military:* Centurion tank, British battle tank* HMS Centurion, name of several ships and a shore base of the British Royal Navy...
ate, having already served as chief centurions (primus pilus
Primus Pilus
The Primus pilus was the senior centurion of a Roman legion.-Historical role:In the late Roman republic, the cohort , became the basic tactical unit of the legions. The cohort was composed of five to eight centuries each led by a centurion assisted by an optio, a soldier who could read and write...
) of a legion, and was therefore open to ordinary citizens. A camp prefect's job was to maintain and update the equipment, organize the legion, and make sure that the soldiers were properly trained.