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There were several different sorts of optio in the Roman army whose tasks and rank differed. The word itself means 'chosen man' and it was used for various soldiers and non commissioned officers.

In the infantry, both legionary and auxiliary, and the navy each centuria had an optio, at times called the optio centuriae or optio centurionis, who judging by his Greek name of ouragos served as a rearrank officer and took over the centurion's responsibilities when this officer was unavailable. This was a noncommissioned officer, an optio principalis, and received as duplicarius twice basic pay. Along with that of signifer, standardbearer, and that of cornicularius, administrator, this was one of the positions commonly held by soldiers before promotion to the centurionate. Individuals who were up for promotion could be called optio candidatus, - spei, - ad spem or - ad spem ordinis.

The optio was distinguished by the use of a tipless spear with a round or mushroom shaped head used to keep the troops in order. Though in some publications it is stated that he was also recognisable by the use of two sideplumes there are no indications in the available sources that this was so. Depictions of Roman soldiers show that sideplumes were used by troops of differing rank, including rankers and cavalry standard bearers, and hardly limited to - or associated with the optio.

Other optiones with different responsibilities include:

Optio carceris (in charge of the prison)
Optio equitum (NCO in the legionary or praetorian cavalry)
Optio fabricae (in charge of workshop)
Optio navaliorum (in charge of boats)
Optio praetorii (in charge of headquarters)
Optio speculatorum (NCO of elite cavalry bodyguards)
Optio statorum (NCO of military constabulary)
Optio tribuni (assistant to tribune)
Optio valetudinarii (in charge of the hospital)




Text Box: The duties of the optio as thus described in Vegetius:

Epitoma rei militaris 2.7
... Optiones ab adoptando appellati, quod antecedentibus aegritudine praepeditis hi tamquam adoptati eorum atque vicarii solent universa curare. ...
'The chosen men are called after their selection, for these use to take charge of all tasks in case of sickness and impediments of their superiors as the latter's men of choice and lieutenants'