Auxiliary standards

[markhebb]

Duncan I think there is an article by Rostovtzeff which is useful on the appearance of the vexillum - 'Vexillum and Victory' (JRS from memory though I could be wrong).

You are quite right. (JRS XXXII, 1942.) And you have reminded me that we have an image of just such an auxiliary vexillarius from Dura Europos. The standard that he carries, besides supporting the square cloth banner (vexillum), is surmounted by a decoration of some sort. I wonder if the First Cohort of Gauls had a boar figurine (hence, the aprunculi) on top of their vexillum pole?

I thought so - I've used some of his comments for a section I am working on in my thesis dealing with the political role of standards in the maintenance of military loyalty in the 3rd-4th Century. Obviously much of the significance was already established in earlier centuries although I think I've detected a shift with the appearance of purple - as opposed to red - vexilla, and the introduction of purple material onto dragon standards. This is fascinating because if I'm right it shows that emperors were moving to make standards even more politicised (if I can use that term) than they already were.