optio

Optio (plural optiones) is a term from classical Latin used to denote a deputy or second-in-command, especially in the Roman army. The word derives from optō, to choose, and thus means “the chosen one.” In the late Republic and early Empire, each century—roughly eighty men—was led by a centurion, with the optio serving as the centurion’s second-in-command. The optio assisted with drill, discipline, logistics, and administration, and could command the unit in the centurion’s absence. In battle, an optio might lead the unit or assume duties when the centurion was unavailable. The cavalry also employed optiones as second-in-command of a turma or equivalent unit. The rank declined with military reforms in the 2nd century CE, though the role is attested in inscriptions and literary sources for some time thereafter, and it influenced later military titles and practices.

Optio is also the name of a line of compact digital cameras marketed under the Pentax brand, later part of Ricoh Imaging. Introduced in the early 2000s, the Optio series offered affordable, portable models with a range of fixed or short-zoom lenses and multiple shooting modes. The line encompassed numerous models throughout the 2000s, remaining in production in some markets as consumer demand shifted toward smartphones. In the following years, the Optio branding was gradually phased out or integrated into broader Ricoh Imaging branding as product lines were reorganized.