Centurion

A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman army. Centurions commanded a century of soldiers and noncombatants. As a centurion grew in seniority, he could command a cohort, and eventually become primus pilus, Latin for first spear, of a Roman legion.

The centurion's uniform was marked by two alterations from standard Roman uniform: his helmet crest was side to side instead of back to front, and he wore greaves. The centurion also carried a vine staff as a badge of office, sometimes used to beat delinquent soldiers.

---

Centurion was also the name of a British tank of the post-World War 2 era. See Centurion tank

The Centurion engine is a diesel aircraft engine.

---

Centurion is an area in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Centurion used to be called Verwoerdburg, named after Hendrik Verwoerd, the "architect of apartheid". The politically neutral name Centurion has no significance, and was presumably chosen to match the name of the Centurion Park (now called SuperSport Park) cricket ground, located in the area.

Centurion is now a subdivision of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, which also includes Pretoria.