Princeps prior

Princeps prior was a high-ranking Roman centurion. Each of the ten cohorts that made up a legion had at its head the rank of pilus prior followed by the princeps prior.

History
The position reflects the Roman Republic tradition of arranging the legion into three lines: the pilani, the principes and the hastati. During the Republic, the princeps prior was the centurion in command of a manipulus (unit of two centuries) of principes (legionary heavy infantry).