The plural of the Latin word princeps. The Latin word Princeps (plural: principes) means the first. This article is devoted to a number of specific historical meanings the word took, by far the most important of which follows first. ...

Legionary

Specifically, usually in the plural, in the military, the so-called Principes formed the second line of battle in the Roman Republican Army. They were experienced soldiers, positioned behind the hastati and in front of the triarii. Like all soldiers of the Roman Republican Army, they wore what armor they could afford. Like the hastati, the Principe were also equipped with a pilum and a gladius. See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... The Hastati (sing. ... The Triarii (Latin singular triarius) was the third standard line of infantry of the Roman Empires army. ... A Roman coin showing Antoninianus of Carinus holding pilum and globe. ... From left to right: Mainz, Fulham, Pompeii, and Pompeii Gladii. ...

In battle, the principes were meant to counter attack if the hastati happened to fail in the initial engagement. Originally, the principes were organized like the hastati, in centuries of 60 under a Centurion. However, by the late Republican era, they contained 80 men like the triarii. Two centuries comprised a maniple and 10 maniples were used in battle line formation. Modern reconstruction of a centurio of 70 AC A centurion (Latin: centurio; Greek: hekatontarchos) was a professional officer of the Roman army. ... Maniple (Latin: manipulus) was a tactical unit of the Roman Legion, consisting of two centuriae within a single cohort. ...

Politically

In the period of the later Republic and early Principate (approx. following the third Punic War and the razing of Carthage) principes began to refer not only to the men of the second line of battle in a Manipular/ Polybian Legion, but also to the men of the first rank of Roman Society. The traditional patriaciate of Nobiles and Optimates along with those successful equites and novi homines were the first citizens of Rome. Men, whome through their dignitas, auctoritas, and virtus, commanded the allegiance of the plebians and allied Italian states a like. History -- Military History -- War The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and the Phoenician city of Carthage. ... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... Nobiles Nobles. ... Optimates (Good Men) were the aristocratic faction of the later Roman Republic. ... An Equestrian (Latin eques, plural equites) was a member of one of the two upper social classes in the Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. ... Dignitas was a unique social concept in the ancient Roman mindset. ... ... In Roman mythology, Virtus was the god of bravery and military strength. ...

The proscriptions of Sulla and later Octavianus particularly targeted the politically unlucky men of principes status. This page is about the Roman dictator Sulla, for the Brythonic goddess sometimes called Sulla, see Sul. ...

Bibliography

Holland, Tom. Rubicon. New York: Anchor Books, 2003.

Gruen, Erich S. The Last Generation of the Roman Republic. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1995.

Syme, Ronald. The Roman Revolution. New York: Oxford University Press, 1956.

Polybius. The Rise of the Roman Empire. Trans. Ian Scott-Kilvert. New York: Penguin Books, 1979.