The Roman navy was an auxiliary branch of the army. Auxiliary is a term applied to any military force that was not a legion. They were regarded as second class soldiers as they were normaly recruited from the non citizen population of the provinces. Auxiliaries were paid 16% less than the men of the legions, and the fixed term service was extended by a year to 26 years. It was not all bad as the men that survived the 26 years were granted Roman citizenship on retirement.

The auxiliary part of the navy were the marine cohorts, the ships crew and officers were civilians. It was also possible to find legionary officers placed in charge of marine cohorts. All officers above centurion and squadron commander were normally appointees from the upper classes.

Other auxiliary forces included all non legionary foot soldiers slingers, light skirmishers, archers and slingers. Also all cavalry scouts and specialist troops were auxiliary forces.

Just as in the Roman army, class was an important factor it meant that only those men of the highest social rank could hold the highest ranks in the Roman navy. All classes of freeborn citizens could rise to hold the other ranks, but as in the army the social barrier prevented promotion beyond Centurion (Centurio). It was always possible for a common man to rise in public life, and this opened the way for his family to rise in the navy. But as the navy was regarded as an inferior service as were all auxiliary units, there were few career solders to be found in the naval ranks.

Roman Navy Ranks

The Praefecti ('Fleet commander')
The command structure of the fighting men in the fleet was the same as in any legion, as the navy was considered as an inferior service. It was considered beneath a Legate to command such a force, as Legates were normally appointed from the Noble or Patrician class (the highest class in Roman society), or the Senatores (the Senatorial class) the next class or level in Roman society. For the appointment as commander of a fleet a Prefect was thought more suitable as they were mainly from the lower Equestrian class Eques Romanus¹



Prefects were normally chosen from those of equestrian class who had some military experience, or were appointed by the Emperor. The practice of appointing imperial freedmen² was employed as it assured the Emperor a measure of control over the navy. The appointments were largely political and almost all of the Prefects were totally reliant on the experience of their subordinates to command the fleets effectively. There were ranks even among the Prefects who were ranked by the relative importance of the fleet they commanded. The rank also indicated the amount the appointment annually paid.

The Procuratores Ducenarii annual pay was the highest at 200,000 sesterces. This was the only rank to be placed in charge of the Praetorian Fleets the Classis Ravenatis and the Classis Misenensis.
The Procuratores Centenarii although these fleets were the most likely to see action the annual pay was 100,000 sesterces.Procuratores Centenarii were given the command of the Classis Britannica, the Classis Germanica and the Classis Pontica.
The Procuratores Sexagenarii annual pay awarded was 60,000 sesterces. The Procuratores Sexagenarii were given the command of the Classis Africana, the Commodiana Herculea, the Classis Moesica, the Classis Perinthia, the Classis Syriaca and the Classis Mauretaniae and the Classis Alexandrina, the other fleets listed would have received a similar rate, but it may have been reduced according to the importance of the fleet.

Other Ranks

Navarch ('Squadron commander')
Was also known as the Nauarchus and in later periods Nauarchus Archigubernes or Nauarchus Princeps. A Roman Squadron normally consisted of 10 ships.

Trierarch ('Captain')
Was in command of all of aspects ship control whilst the vessel was not in action, giving direct orders regarding the ship and crew. The Centurion was in command of his men at all times; the Navarch had no direct authority over the milites or common soldiers.

Centuriae ('Centurion' Military commander and ships Captain in Battle)
Was in command of soldiers stationed on the ship. In addition he was also in command of all aspects of ship control whilst the vessel was in action giving the Trierarch direct orders regarding the ship and crew. Possibly the most dangerous rank in battle as a good Centurion was an inspiration to his men. By tradition Centurions always led the men they commanded from the front, with a furious first in last out style of leadership, so Centurions suffered high casualty rates as they were constantly proving they were the bravest and the best fighters.

Optio Centuriae ('Optio centurion' A junior centurion) Or Optio navaliorum if in charge of ships regarded as second in command of the ship during combat. It must be remembered a ship at sea was regarded as a century. The name means ‘the chosen’ as the man for the post was the centurion’s choice of the best man of his command. The Optios main duty in combat was to ensure that the commands of the Centurion were carried out especially in battle. In battle if the Centurion was killed or injured it was the Optios duty to take command of the century. Other duties included administration casualty returns, equipment requisitions and supervision of training and punishment, for this he received twice the pay of ordinary soldiers.

Cohors Classica ('A cohort serving at sea') These men were also known as marines, but regarded as common soldiers or milites or milites classiarius to indicate they served at sea. Although these men were auxiliaries they were considered as inferior to land based auxiliaries and men serving in the Legions, and were the lowest paid of the auxiliary forces, and had to serve an extra year longer than a legionary to qualify for citizenship and a retirement allotment.

Remiges (Rowers) The rowers were not slaves, they were freemen, or freeborn men from the provinces (Peregrini) who did not hold Roman citizenship and were paid a regulation wage. The Remiges were recruited from the provinces that had a seagoing tradition so the crews were mainly Phoenian, Syrian, Egyptian or Greek. The ships officer, the celeusta, was placed in charge of the rowers. To avoid many of the problems of training rowers to man ships with multiple banks of oars, basic training was carried out on land. The training was carried out on tiers of rowing benches set in huge frames, so by the time the rowers took their place in the ships they were skilled enough to handle the oars and knew the commands. Remiges are also flight feathers on the wings of a bird; they are set in pairs as if on the rowing benches of a galley, a term derived from the galleys.

The Immunes (Specialists)

• The Beneficiaries Classis (the quartermaster)

Responsibilities included the recruitment and welfare of the ships civilian crew, and was the civilian paymaster. Other duties included procuring the ships stores and ammunition, and supervising the ships maintenance whilst in port.

• The Iatros (the medical officer equivalent to the army Capsarius a doctor or Medicus)

The Roman navy had a very proficient medical service similar to that of the army; this was not equalled for 1,400 years.

• Cushos Armerum ('Armourer‘)

Whose responsibility was the care and maintenance of the weapons and equipment of the Cohors Classica, and of the ships ballista.

• The Nautae (the helmsman)

also known as the gubernatores or pilot. The Nautae and his suburbanites were given the task of steering the ship, depending on the size if the vessel it would have been equipped with either one or two, linked sexillie (side mounted) or quarter rudders mounted on the stern. If the ship was large enough there would have been a team of Nautae working in shifts whilst the ship was at sea. Often the Nautae would be provided with a shelter mounted on the stern. It is worth noting that the stern post mounted rudder appeared around 959 AD.

• The Proreta (the lookout)

He worked in conjunction with the Naute whilst guiding the ship through shallow waters, or supervising the beaching of the ship.

• The Celeusta (the officer in charge of the rowers)

The officer who supervised the rowers relaying, the orders of the navarch regarding speed and direction to the rowers. The speed was governed by using a drum or hammer to provide the rowers with a rhythm to keep the rowers in time and control the speed.

• Other Ranks

The Fabri Who maintained the ship, these men were trained wood and metal workers, they were supervised by an officer called the Nav Phlax. These were men who acted in a religious capacity however there is no rank or title recorded, so it is possible that other officers took on this duty.