12-06-2010, 07:31 PM
In Book II of de re militari, Vegetius, when discusing legionary standards, says that a dragon was carried in action by the dragon-bearer of each cohort:
"Dracones etiam per singulas cohortes a draconariis feruntur ad praelium." . One might perhaps think that if it in fact represented the imperial person then each and every cohort is unlikely to have been issued one.
Vegetius also says in the same passage that the standards served to keep the men from becoming disordered in battle by marking the position of the unit and indicating its direction of advance. Nothing more sophisticated than that. I don't think the notion of the standards "semaphoring" complex orders really rests on any ancient authority.
"Dracones etiam per singulas cohortes a draconariis feruntur ad praelium." . One might perhaps think that if it in fact represented the imperial person then each and every cohort is unlikely to have been issued one.
Vegetius also says in the same passage that the standards served to keep the men from becoming disordered in battle by marking the position of the unit and indicating its direction of advance. Nothing more sophisticated than that. I don't think the notion of the standards "semaphoring" complex orders really rests on any ancient authority.
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