Discussing Roman drill commands (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[Robert Vermaat]

OK, first installment:

STRATEGIKON COMMANDS EXPLAINED / DISCUSSED
Maurikios (Maurice), commands from: Maurikios: Strategikon, Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy, trans. by George T. Dennis, (Philadelphia 1984).

A disclaimer from the start – as I said above, I’m NOT going to discuss Maurice himself or the Strategikon here (whether he wrote it or not or when, etc.), but I should add the note (to those not familiar with the Strategikon) that most of the manual is about cavalry, and that several commands are especially for cavalry. My personal opinion is, however, that all commands are usable for infantry, if not to use them, then to compare them and to draw material from them for educated guesswork. But for the specific discussion about the source I welcome a new thread. :wink

[size=150:2svk2czd]Drill of the heavy infantry (book XII part B, ch. 14-17). [/size]

Forming up

Silentium (Silence)
Mandata Captate (Observe orders)
Non vos Turbatis (Don’t worry)
Ordinem Servate (Keep your position)
Bando Sequute (Follow the standard)
Nemo Demittat Bandum et Inimicos seque (Don’t leave the standard and pursue the enemy)

Marching towards the enemy

Ad Octo (By eights)
Exi (March out)
Move (March)
State (Halt)
Largia ad ambas partes (Thin out the line (move to both sides))
Intra (Enter (increase formation depth))
Acia in acia (Files in files)
Ad conto clina, move (To the right, face, march)
Ad scuto clina, move (To the left, face, march)
Undique servate (face in all directions)
Depone ad dextra (change front to the right)
Depone ad senestra (change front to the left)
Redi (Resume front)
Serva milix ordinem positum (Soldier, keep your position)
Et tu bandifer ipsum serve (Standard bearer, keep your position)
Medii partitis (Divide in the middle)
Ad difallangiam (Form double phalanx)
Primi state (First rank halt)
Secundi exite (Second rank march out)
Reverte (Return)
Iunge (Close ranks)
Muta locum (Change places (front to rear))
Transforma (About face. (turn in place))
Ad Fulcon (Form the fulcum)
Dirige Frontem (Straighten out the front)

Facing the enemy

Parati (Ready)
Adiuta.. (Help us..)
.. Deus (.. O God)

Nobiscum (Deus) ((God be) with us (battle cry)
Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy (thrice, when marching from the camp))

[size=150:2svk2czd]Drill of the cavalry (book III, ch. 2-5)[/size]

Largiter ambula (Open order, march)
Silentium (Silence)
Nemo demittat (Do not fall back)
Nemo antecedat bandum (Do not advance in front of the standard)
Sic venias vero aequalis facies (Advance even with the front rank)
Bandum capta (Keep your eyes on the standard)
Ipso seque cum bando, milix (Follow it with your company soldier)
Talis est comodum miles barbate (This is how a brave soldier should act)
Si vero bandum demittes eo modo non vero vices (If you leave the standard, you will not be victorious)
Serva milix ordinem positum (Soldier, keep to your assigned position)
Ipsum serve et tu bandifer (Standard bearer, keep to your assigned position)
Sive pugnas sive seques inimicus sive aequalis facies, non forte minaret ut ne sparges tu suum ordinem (Whether fighting or pursuing the enemy or in the front ranks, don’t charge out and cause your ranks to be broken up)
Move (March)
Sta (Halt)
Equaliter ambula (In line. March)
Largiter ambula (Open order. March)
Ad latus stringe (By the flank, close. (close ranks))
Ad decarchas (To the dekarchs)
Ad pentarchas (To the Pentarchs)
Iunge (Close ranks)
Suscipe (First line falls back in second)
Percute (Charge)
Cursu mina (Charge at a gallop)
Cum ordine seque (Follow in order (ranks closed))
Cede (Give way (fall back in open order))
Torna mina (Turn. Threaten (wheel back))
Depone senestra (To the left. Change front)
Depone dextra (To the right. Change front)
Transforma (About face. (turn in place))
Transmuta (Change place (march to the back))
Exi (Head out)