07-19-2010, 10:20 PM
Further evidence of the use of the tuba to transmit commands is provided by Aristides Quintilianus, who wrote around 200 AD. He says the Roman army
''often rejects verbal orders as damaging if they should be discerned by those of the enemy speaking the same language and makes codes through music by playing the salpinx — a warlike and terrifying instrument — and appointing a specific melos for each command. When the attack was by line and the approach was by column, she set down special mele, and a different kind for retreat; and when the pivoting was to the left or to the right, again there were specific mele for each; and so she accomplishes every maneuver one after another by means of codes that are on the one hand unclear to the enemy and on the other hand both totally clear and easily recognized by the allies. For they do not hear these codes only in part, rather the whole corps follows a single sound.'' — Peri Musikes, 62.6-19 (trans. Mathiesen)
The Greek word salpinx is usually translated as trumpet in English, Quintilianus most likely means the Roman tuba.
I find this passage to be significant for several reasons. It is a corroboration, from a much earlier source, of Vegetius' claim that the tuba was used in battle to sound the attack and retreat. It is also evidence that the tuba was used to maneuver formations tactically as well. Furthermore, it is evidence that a pivoting movement — described in the Tactika works written between about 50 BC and 135 AD — was used in actual practice by the Roman army.
I only have the above excerpt from Quintilianus. If I get the chance this week or next I will stop by the Library of Congress to look at there copy of Peri Musikes see if there is more useful information there on Roman military calls.
''often rejects verbal orders as damaging if they should be discerned by those of the enemy speaking the same language and makes codes through music by playing the salpinx — a warlike and terrifying instrument — and appointing a specific melos for each command. When the attack was by line and the approach was by column, she set down special mele, and a different kind for retreat; and when the pivoting was to the left or to the right, again there were specific mele for each; and so she accomplishes every maneuver one after another by means of codes that are on the one hand unclear to the enemy and on the other hand both totally clear and easily recognized by the allies. For they do not hear these codes only in part, rather the whole corps follows a single sound.'' — Peri Musikes, 62.6-19 (trans. Mathiesen)
The Greek word salpinx is usually translated as trumpet in English, Quintilianus most likely means the Roman tuba.
I find this passage to be significant for several reasons. It is a corroboration, from a much earlier source, of Vegetius' claim that the tuba was used in battle to sound the attack and retreat. It is also evidence that the tuba was used to maneuver formations tactically as well. Furthermore, it is evidence that a pivoting movement — described in the Tactika works written between about 50 BC and 135 AD — was used in actual practice by the Roman army.
I only have the above excerpt from Quintilianus. If I get the chance this week or next I will stop by the Library of Congress to look at there copy of Peri Musikes see if there is more useful information there on Roman military calls.
