Phalerae for a vexillarius or signifer?

[Marcus Mummius]

Salvete,

What ranks could receive phalerae as a decoration. Could a signifer or a vexillarius wear phalerae?

I've seen depictions of the centurio and the aquilifer with phalerae, but I'm not sure what other ranks could wear them.

Valete,

[Lucius Galerius Falconius]

I'm sure that all soldiers could receive them, but I think they were only worn on parade. As for battles, centurions wore them on their chests.

[Marcus Mummius]

I'm sure that all soldiers could receive them, but I think they were only worn on parade. As for battles, centurions wore them on their chests.

Salve Falconius,

Thanks for your answer.

What is your source that states phalerae were only worn on parades by the other ranks?

Vale,

[Lucius Galerius Falconius]

Okay, my reference is Adrian Goldsworthy's The Complete Roman Army.

Centurions and aquilifiers were known to where decorations in battle. A tombstone shows a legionary holding the eagle (Aquilifier) covered in decorations (2 torcs and 9 phalarae).

The other legionaries would wear theirs on parades, pay parades, etc, etc.

[Marcus Mummius]

I wonder on what evidence Goldsworthy's statements are based.

If it's true and backed with primary evidence, that's nice as some silver phalerae would make a nice contrast with the dark iron colour of my hamata

Anyone else knows of some primary evidence?

Salvete,

[Kate Gilliver]

I'm not aware of any evidence that suggests only centurions and aquilifers could wear decorations, whether phalerae or anything else, in battle. I've recently argued that because of the militaristic nature of Roman society and the monetary value of many of these awards, all Roman soldiers were likely to have worn their decorations in battle, (“Display in Roman Warfare: The appearance of armies and individuals on the battlefieldâ€

[Caballo]

Display in Roman Warfare: The appearance of armies and individuals on the battlefieldâ€

[Tarbicus]

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[Peroni]

I'm sure that all soldiers could receive them

Not non-citizen auxiliaries AFAIK. It seems that they tended to get 'en block' awards for the entire cohort that were suffixed in the units titles. (Torquata/Pia Fidelis/civium Romanorum etc.) No phalerae

I would like to hear any evidence to the contrary as I would quite like a set myself!

[Kate Gilliver]

The current 'school of thought' in academic circles is that individual auxiliaries didn't receive the same kinds of bravery decorations as the legionaries, as Adrian says. The principal proponent of this argument is D.B.Saddington. I would like to argue to the contrary, partly for the heck of it ( :lol: ) and partly because I don't see there being such a significant difference in status of legionaries / auxiliaries, particularly as the empire developed. But there's not a huge amount of evidence either way.