General questions about Roman Legions

Good day fellow EB-Fans!
I am currently planning a Pen&Paper campaign set in the early imperial period (~Traian) and I've been wondering if you could give me quick hints or even help me with my research.
First question I have is, where have Legion(aire)s been drafted from? Have there been differences in training and gear between Soldiers from Africa, Greece, Spain or Gaul?
Second question is concerning the hierarchy within a legion: Clearly the centurions of the first cohort have been in high regards within the legion, but do we know whether the centurions of the hastati and principes have been higher ranked than the trarii centurions of the other cohorts?

Thanks a lot!

ZP

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Originally Posted by ziegenpeter

First question I have is, where have Legion(aire)s been drafted from?

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From all over the empire. Did you have any specific legions in mind?

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Have there been differences in training and gear between Soldiers from Africa, Greece, Spain or Gaul?

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There might be some differences, but I don't think they were major. The main difference would have been their 'native' skills. For instance, Easterners were seen as being better archers.

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Second question is concerning the hierarchy within a legion: Clearly the centurions of the first cohort have been in high regards within the legion, but do we know whether the centurions of the hastati and principes have been higher ranked than the trarii centurions of the other cohorts?

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I think you might be confusing aspects from two different periods of the Roman military. The cohort became the main tactical unit (replacing the maniple) of the Roman army during the Marian reforms (circa 105BC), by which time the differences between hastati, principes and triarii had dissolved.