And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost. said: Indeed this man was the son of God.

the centurion.

100 men. In order to have a proper notion of his office, it may be desirable to explain the construction and array of the Roman legion. Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into three maniples, and each maniple into two centuries; so that there were thirty maniples, and sixty centuries in a legion, which, if the century had always, as the word imports, consisted of

100 soldiers, would have formed a combined phalanx of

6,000 men. The number in a legion, however, varied at different periods; in the time of Polybius it was

4,200. The order of battle was that of three lines; the hastati, or spearmen, occupied the front; the principes, the second line; the triarii, (also called pilani, from their weapon, the pilam,) the third. The centurions were appointed by the tribunes, and generally selected from the common soldiers according to their merit; although the office was sometimes obtained for money, or through the favour of the consuls. Their badge was a vine rod, or sapling.

Mark 15:44 But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead.

Matthew 8:5-10 And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him, . . .

Acts 10:1 And there was a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion of that which is called the Italian band:

Acts 27:1-3,43 And when it was determined that he should sail into Italy and that Paul, with the other prisoners, should be delivered to a centurion, named Julius, of the band Augusta, . . .

he said.

Matthew 27:43,54 He trusted in God: let him now deliver him if he will have him. For he said: I am the Son of God. . . .

Luke 23:47,48 Now, the centurion, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just man. . . .