View source for Optio

{{Short description|Officer rank within the Roman army}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2013}}
{{Italics title}}
{{RomanMilitary}}
[[Image:optio.jpg|thumb|Roman ''optio'' in a re-enactment at [[Cilurnum|Chesters Fort]] in May 2000]]
{{wikt | optio}}
In a [[Roman army]] an '''{{Lang|la|optio}}''' ({{langx|la|italic=yes|optiō}}, from {{Lang|la|optāre}}, 'to choose', so-called because superior officers chose the {{Lang|la|optio}}; {{plural form}}: {{lang | la | optiones}}) held a [[ Ranks in the Roman army | rank]] in a {{lang | la | [[centuria]]}} (century) similar to that of an [[executive officer]].<!-- Commented out the following because an officer like a centurion is equivalent to a captain/major in modern armies and his "executive officer" / second in command, especially since an ''optio'' was well educated, was closer to a 1st/2nd lieutenant not a "first sergeant" The optio seems to have held a rank roughly equivalent to that of a modern [[First Sergeant]], reflective of his status as the second in command of the century in which he served. 
--> The main function of an {{Lang|la|optio}} was as an {{Lang|la|optio centuriae}}, the second-in-command of a century, although there were many other roles an {{Lang|la|optio}} could fulfil.

{{Lang|la|Optiones}} carried out vital roles in the Roman military. An {{Lang|la|optio}} was stationed at the rear of the ranks to keep the troops in order. His duties would include enforcing the orders of the [[centurion]], taking over the centurion's command in battle should the need arise, supervising his subordinates, and a variety of administrative duties.{{cn|date=September 2021}}

{{Lang|la|Optio}} pay was double the standard [[legionary]] pay and {{Lang | la | optiones}} were the most likely candidates to replace the centurion if his position became vacant.

==Types of {{Lang|la|optio}}==
Titles held by {{Lang|la|optiones}} included:

*{{Lang|la|Optio ad carcerem}}: chosen man on prison duty ([[incarceration]]).
*{{Lang|la|Optio ad spem ordinis}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} being groomed for promotion to the rank of centurion.
*{{Lang|la|Optio candidatus}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} being groomed or marked out for promotion to the rank of centurion.
*{{Lang|la|Optio carceris}}: soldier in charge of the prison cells.
*{{Lang|la|Optio centuriae}}: 'chosen man of the {{Lang|la|centuria}}''<nowiki/>'''; second-in-command and rear rank officer of a {{Lang|la|centuria}}; classed as a ''[[duplicarius]]'', a soldier receiving double basic pay; he carried a {{Lang|la|hastile}} (wooden staff).
*{{Lang|la|Optio centurionis}}: 'chosen man of the centurion'; same as {{Lang|la|optio centuriae}}.
*{{Lang|la|Optio custodiarum}}: soldier in charge of guard posts.
*{{Lang|la|Optio draconarius}}: 'chosen man among the dragon bearers', a late Roman senior standard bearer.
*{{Lang|la|Optio equitum}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} in the legionary or [[Praetorian Guard|Praetorian]] [[cavalry]] ({{Lang|la|equus}} meaning ''horse'').
*{{Lang|la|Optio fabricae}}: soldier in charge of a workshop.
*{{Lang|la|Optio navaliorum}}: soldier in charge of boats.
*{{Lang|la|Optio praetorii}}: soldier attached to headquarters.
*{{Lang|la|Optio principalis}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} who held supervisory rank ({{Lang|la|principales}} from the 2nd century onwards); not all who had the title of {{Lang|la|optio}} held this status.
*{{Lang|la|Optio speculatorum}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} in the elite cavalry bodyguards.
*{{Lang|la|Optio spei}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} being groomed for promotion to the rank of centurion.
*{{Lang|la|Optio statorum}}: {{Lang|la|optio}} of military police.
*{{Lang|la|Optio tribuni}}: assistant to a [[tribune]].
*{{Lang|la|Optio valetudinarii}}: orderly in charge of a hospital.

==Uniform==
Unlike the centurion, the [[cuirass]] was not the distinguishing part of the {{Lang|la|optio}}'s uniform. {{citation needed|date=June 2015}}  

An {{Lang|la|optio}}'s armour would be more like those of the common [[legionary]]. He could wear the ''[[lorica segmentata]]'' or a ''[[lorica hamata]]'' as well as have his ''[[gladius]]'' on the right, not the left, side. One thing that did separate him from the common legionary was the staff (called a {{Lang|la|hastile}}), which was used to keep the legionaries in line. This staff would be roughly as tall as the {{Lang|la|optio}} himself. {{Lang|la|Optiones}} often carried wax tablets on which they kept the orders of the day.

== Vegetius on {{Lang|la|optiones}} ==
{{Quote|The {{lang|la|optiones|italic=yes}} are [[Subaltern (military)|subaltern]] officers, so denominated from their being selected by the ''option'' of their superior officers, to do their duty as their substitutes or lieutenants in case of sickness or other accident. |author=[[Flavius Vegetius Renatus]] |source={{cite book |chapter=Book II: The Organization of the Legion |chapter-url=http://www.digitalattic.org/home/war/vegetius/index.php#b200 |title=[[De re militari]] |trans-title=Concerning Military Matters |year=1767 |location=London, UK |via=Digital Attic}} Translated from the Latin by Lieutenant John Clarke.}}

==See also==
* [[List of Roman army unit types]]
* [[Imperial helmet]] – helmet "Type I" may have belonged to an {{Lang|la|optio}}.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ancient Roman titles]]
[[Category:Military ranks of ancient Rome]]