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he incited his comrades saying: "Follow me, my old comrades, and give your general true service. Only this battle remains; when it's over he will regain his dignity and we our freedom." Then he turned to Caesar and said: "Today, general, I shall earn your gratitude whether I live or die". He almost
194:. In this rite, a Roman soldier offered to die in battle and pledged his soul to the gods of the underworld to ensure in exchange the destruction of the enemy. Historian
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152:. With this rank, Crastinus also would have outranked all other centurions in his legion, as it was the highest possible rank of any enlisted Roman soldier.
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likens the figure of
Crastinus to that of a political commissar, totally devoted to the Caesarian party to the point of volunteering for a suicide mission.
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reports that after the battle Caesar himself was said to be in
Crastinus' debt, tributed him heroic rites and erecting an altar.
144:, or "First File" centurion. This rank was one of exceptional prestige, since centurions of this rank commanded the first (
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advances the hypothesis that
Crastinus offered himself as sacrifice to the Underworld Gods to ensure Caesar victory in a
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party of volunteers in the opening attack against Pompey's line from Caesar's right wing. As reported by Caesar in the
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in 61 BC when it was first formed, after being handpicked by Caesar. After joining the 10th legion, he commanded a
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had first raised these two legions in Spain. He transferred over to the 10th legion as a junior-grade
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broke through the enemy line before being killed by an enemy legionary thrusting a
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He had first joined either the 8th or 9th legion in 65 BC, when
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164:in 48 BC, playing a vital role as he led a
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255:Giulio Cesare. Il dittatore democratico
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242:Roman Battle Tactics 109 BC – AD 313
148:), and most important, century in a
89:(c. 85 BC – 48 BC) was a soldier in
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257:. Laterza
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