Roman Army Drill

[Gaddius Agrippa]

I think there was formal training and there was a marching drill, which is mentioned somewhere, but a footdrill seems to me pretty useless prior to the invention of rifles.

I'm not sure I follow you Jona. The 'order' in which Legions marched when in hostile territory was absolutely crucial to survival. Having to go from moving to forming up - if taken by surprise, as in Teutoburg Forest - would surely have been something drilled over and over. Same for the different order in which they moved, the difference being their state of readiness. The chief reason for the disarray of the Varus Legions, defeated by the treachery of Arminius, was that they were moving in loose order (Ad agmine) believing themselves be in no immediate danger. Raw recruits would also have been schooled during campaigns, by other troops in camp, as it would have been in everyone's interest to have good discipline and cohesive movement on entering battle.

Also part of the drilling would have been:

Ad signa: Fall in. When you hear this command by the Centurio (or the CO for the day), stop whatever you’re doing, pick up you shield and pilum, and proceed to the vexillum and CO, forming a single shoulder-to-shoulder rank facing them.

Silentium: Silence. In other words, no chattering in the ranks.

Mandata captate: Literally, “observe the orders.” This is the command we use for “attention!” You stand straight, eyes front, shield held by its grip in the left hand, pilum held vertically in the right first just below the square block.

Ordenem servate: Keep your position. Or “stay put.” Infrequently used if at all.

Dirige frontem: Dress the ranks. Look down the rank to make sure everyone is in a straight row. All shield bosses and the toes of your caligae should be lined up as neatly as possible, about two feet between each shoulder (enough to do a “clina,” or facing maneuver, without ramming into your buddy’s shield.

Laxate: “At ease.” You may set your shield down and rest the butt spike of your pilum on the ground. No slouching or chattering, though!

Ad gladium, clina: [cleena] To the right (sword side), face! Push off with your left toe, pivot on your right heel, and turn smartly to the right.

Ad scutum, clina: To the left (shield side), face! Reverse of the above.

Transforma: About face. Normally done to the right, unless specified otherwise as in “ad scutum, transforma.” Put the point of your right (or left) toe on the ground behind you, and pivot all the way around on the opposite heel.

Langia (ad dex/ad sin/ambas partes): Open ranks (to right/left/both sides). Shift to one side or the other by one full arm-length.

Intra: Half-rank fall back one pace. A very important command, this turns one rank into two. Starting with the soldier on the far left, every other soldier takes a step backward, then shifts to the right to stand directly behind the soldier who had been to his right.

Exi: [exee] The reverse of “intra” – the rear rank takes a step to the left and then to the front to form a single rank again.

Iunge: [yungay] Close ranks. Usually, this command comes after an “Intra” to tighten up the two ranks thus created.

Move: [moo-way] March. Start on your right [“dextra,” or “dex”] foot. By itself, it means simply to march to the front. Proceeded by a “clina” command, as in “ad gladium clina—move!” it means to face the called-for direction, then step off to the front. Keep step by calling out “dex…dex...dex, sin, dex…”

Accelera: Speed up.

Tarda: Slow down

Ad dex / sin depone: [day-po-nay] Wheel to the right/left. These are some of the most impressive maneuvers, if carried out properly. In a “ad dex depone” (wheel to the right), the soldier on the far right becomes the “pivot.” He stops moving forward and starts to rotate slowly while marching in place. This soldier, and all others in the rank except for the one on the far left, looks to his left to make sure he is even with the soldiers to his left; the soldier on the far left looks to his right, so he can see the whole line, and controls the speed of the wheel. A wheel to the left, of course, is simply the reverse.

Signo sequute: [say-cue-tay] Follow the standard (or leader). This works best when the rank (line abreast moving forward) becomes a file (single file line moving forward), which can be accomplished with a simple “clina” command. Basically, the front man in line follows the leader and vexillum, and everyone behind follows the man in front of him.

Sta: Halt. Stop on the second step after the command is uttered.

Muta locum: Countermarch. This is a cool maneuver in which one or two files marching forward double back on themselves from the front.

Ad agmine: [ad ag-mi-nay] Form marching column. Form one or two files. This is the standard marching formation, when not under threat.

Ad aciem: [ad ack-ee-em] Form battle-line. This is a rank (or series of ranks) facing the enemy, shield to front, pilum held in a light grip ready to cock and discharge. IT IS NOT A SHIELD WALL. The Romans did not employ shield walls in their standard battle formation, but advanced in an open formation with a gap of one-two feet between shields.

Ad testudinem: [tes-too-di-nem] Form testudo. This is widely considered the coolest of all Roman formations, useful in siege mining or advancing under heavy missile fire from above. You need at least six men to form a proper testudo, arranged in two here files of two; nine or more (arranged in three ranks of three) is better. It’s amazingly simple in concept: The guys in front draw their swords and hunker down behind their shields, sword blades protruding from between their shields. The soldiers behind raise their shields and hold them flat and horizontal over their own heads and those of the guys in front of them. The formation tightens up to form just what the name says—a “tortoise.” You then move forward in a halting step—to keep everyone together, you can chant “RO-MA” or “STEP-DRAG” in unison.

Ad cuneum: Form wedge. This is not quite what it sounds like. A “cuneum” is not one guy in front, two guys behind, three behind him etc. to form a wedge-shape. It is simply a “bent rank” with the soldier in the center as the “apex.” This was apparently a “charge attack” formation, though no one has still figured out exactly how it worked, since the guy at the “apex” would very likely be more exposed than his mates and quickly cut down.

Pila infige: [in-fee-gay] Plant your pila (upright). Stick the butt spike in the earth.

Pila pone: [po-nay] Lay down your pila.

Pila tolle: [tol-lay] Pick up pila.

Pila iace: [ee-ack-ay] I’d like to suggest the following sequence: “Pila parati” (everyone takes a half-step forward with the left foot, gets the proper throwing grip, raises their pilae, cocks the arm); “Pila... iace!” Starting on the right foot, take three strides forward, releasing the pilum on the third (right foot) stride. In the same motion, the right arm comes down, draws the sword, and extends it past the shield, and everyone comes to a halt on the next step (left foot forward), preparing to charge or to receive a charge.

Gladium stringe: [strin-gay] Draw swords. This command is not used after the pilum toss, as you draw your sword in a natural sequence after discharging your pilum. The command is used in preparation for a charge, or receiving a charge, when not in possession of your pilum.

Parati: Ready (To charge). We face the enemy (or crowd), swords drawn.

Percute: [per-cute-tay] Charge! Maintaining ranks, advance at double speed, sword drawn, and ideally uttering a bloodthirsty battle cry.

Gladium reconde: Sheath swords.

Dimitto: Dismissed.