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The vexillum (/ v ɛ k ˈ s ɪ l əm /; pl.: vexilla) was a flag-like object used as a military standard by units in the Roman army. A common vexillum displayed imagery of the Roman aquila on a reddish backdrop.
Aquila, the emblem of the Roman legion whose adoption Pliny the Elder attributes to the general Gaius Marius. Each legion had an eagle, or aquila, carried by an aquilifer; Vexillum, the emblem of a legion, cohors, numerus or detachments of such units. This was a flag attached to the top of the pole.
- Sacramentum
- Aquila
- Draco
- Vexillum
- Labarum
- Imago
- Signifer – Unit Ensign
Roman soldiers took the military oath of oath (sacramentum militareor militum/ militiae). The oath was taken to prove loyalty to the consul during the republican era and to the emperor during the empire. From the 3rd century CE the oaths were held every year on January 3. In the late Empire, the oath caused numerous conflicts with Christians who se...
From the time of Gaius Marius (2nd half of the 2nd century BCE), the sole sign of the legions was a silver/bronze eagle (later golden), with wings raised, symbolizing Jupiter (aquila). At that time, the ensign was called aquiliferaand was entitled to a circular shield. The legionary eagle was likely not very large, because we have records of a situ...
Draco was the military banner of the Roman cavalry that was held by the draconarius and represented the cohort. Vegetius reports that in the 4th century CE each legionary cohort had its own dracosign. The appearance of draco in the Roman army may result from the appearance of Sarmatian units in the 2nd century CE2In turn, Franz Fiebiger stated that...
Vexillum it was a Roman banner made of fabric, attached to a horizontal bar. It was a major sign for Roman troops, especially cavalry. However, it had less value for the army than, for example, aquila. One vexillumhas survived to our times, which dates back to the first half of the 3rd century CE. It is an almost rectangular piece of cloth, made of...
Another type of banner was labarum. It was a square purple banner of the empire with golden fringes hung on a cross beam on which was embedded the Chi-Rho Christogram, and sometimes also the image of Christ in purple and gold. It was introduced by Emperor Constantine the Great. It was the banner of the Roman legions used only when the emperor was w...
During the empire, the three-dimensional bust of the emperor (imago) as the commander-in-chief of all the empire’s troops was worn on the flagpole and was worn by the imaginifer. The banner belonged to the entire legion but was only carried by the first cohort. Imagowas of great importance to the army as it demonstrated the army’s loyalty to the em...
Signifer was easily recognizable in the battle. Over the open helmet was the skin of a wolf, bear (signifer legionaries) or a lion (signifer praetorian), with paws tied at the chest. Signifer auxiliares, i.e. auxiliary troops, put on a bear’s skin, but without its mouth. Trumpeters with trumpets and horns performed similarly. These skins, combined ...
The eagle or Aquila, standing as a representation of the god Jupiter, emerged as the most recognized symbol among these standards. Made from bronze or silver, it became the emblem of the Roman Legion during the time of Gaius Marius. The Vexillum, a flag-like standard, and the Draco, a dragon-shaped standard, were also used by various sections ...
Feb 19, 2014 · The most famous of these is the eagle (Aquila) but there were also legions identified by the boar, the wolf, the horse, and minotaur. The Standard was important as a rallying point, symbol of pride and, more practically, as a means of communication in battle. A trumpet blast would draw the attention of the troops to the Standard which would ...
- Joshua J. Mark
The Aquila, Roman Standards (100-200 AD) The Roman standards, the signa were a recognition signal and a rallying point within the chaos of a battlefield. The various units of a Roman army required a device to recognize, watch, and follow in the heat of battle. For this, it was highly important that they recognized their own at a glance.
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Apr 4, 2018 · This article is designed to help wargamers understand the many different types of standard and standard-bearer in the Roman army from the time of Augustus until the end of the Principate. From left to right: Signum, Imago, Aquila, Vexillum. At the lowest level, each century in a legion had its own standard, called a signum, which was carried by ...
