The purpose of the Late Roman Draco standard.

[ValentinianVictrix]

Bah Humbug!! :lol:

Actually...that's a darned good translation in my book becasue it is the RIDING that is colourful not the banners

The strips of cloth also suggest to me something like a harlequin effect on the tail...or a Joseph Coat for that matter... so they could have been of any colour :lol: so yes Mark, multi coloured.

I'm not entirely convinced about the multi-coloured theory as all that we can tell from the quote is that the Draco's mentioned here were made from coloured cloth strips, which could mean either different colours or that the strips were of the same uniform colour.

[D B Campbell]

The strips of cloth also suggest to me something like a harlequin effect on the tail...or a Joseph Coat for that matter... so they could have been of any colour :lol: so yes Mark, multi coloured.

I suddenly remembered Peter Connolly's painting of the Hippika Gymnasia (in The Cavalryman, Oxford 1988, p. 23). I hope he won't mind me posting a small part of his excellent painting here:
[attachment=0:9xn71h6i]<!-- ia0 Connolly_HippikaGymnasia.jpg<!-- ia0 [/attachment:9xn71h6i]

I'm not entirely convinced about the multi-coloured theory as all that we can tell from the quote is that the Draco's mentioned here were made from coloured cloth strips, which could mean either different colours or that the strips were of the same uniform colour.

Oh, but there's more. I simply didn't want to spoil all of Moi's fun! :wink:

[Vindex]

Well remembered Duncan. I've seen that before too.

And yes, the strips of cloth could all be the same colour but this version of the translation seems to knock the "wind sock" idea on the head. And I am not sure how many horses would be completely happy with a bit of dragon/serpent's tail flapping around their heads particularly when their vision was obscured by chamfrons.

Then again, they'd have to get on with it really! :wink:

[markhebb]

Oh, but there's more. I simply didn't want to spoil all of Moi's fun! :wink:

yes - you have cheekily stopped before the really crucial sentence...I want to see what everyone makes of it....