The Draco standard

[diegis]

Thanks for more pro-Dacian info, but unfortunately Maximunus Trax wasn't a Thraco-Getae, since his mother was an Alana and his father was a Goth. (Hist. Augusta, 1.5).

Well, historians thought otherwise
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximinus_Thrax

<<Most likely Maximinus was of Thraco-Roman origin (believed so by Herodian in his writings).[4] According to the notoriously unreliable Augustan History (Historia Augusta), he was born in Thrace or Moesia to a Gothic father and an Alanic mother,[5] an Iranian people of the Scythian-Sarmatian branch; however, the supposed parentage is highly unlikely, as the presence of the Goths in the Danubian area is first attested after the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century. British historian Ronald Syme, writing that "the word 'Gothia' should have sufficed for condemnation" of the passage in the Augustan History, felt that the burden of evidence from Herodian, Syncellus and elsewhere pointed to Maximinus having been born in Moesia.[6] The references to his "Gothic" ancestry might refer to a Thracian Getae origin (the two populations were often confused by later writers, most notably by Jordanes in his Getica), as suggested by the paragraphs describing how "he was singularly beloved by the Getae, moreover, as if he were one of themselves" and how he spoke "almost pure Thracian".[7]>>

His nickname, Trax, is another proof.
And I pointed this out as a possible reason of why the "draco" entered in Roman Army, as spreading from Dacian/Getae auxiliars

If the original draco wasn't used as a windsock, why was it a windsock? :-)

Well, thats what I said, it wasn't a windsock. The wind is mentioned in relation with "draco" when it is said that wind going throug it will produce a kind of sound that may have a psychological effect.

During the second part of the battle the draco would be used as a rallying standard, but at the end of the battle we find a "Parthian" shot, a very close range shot not requiring much compensation for the wind.

But what do I know? I'm just a goofy archery instructor. :unsure:

All my respect for your skills and interests good sir, frankly, but you must agree we disagree on this topic. As I did had to deal directly with a windsock I can tell you that is used just to show the wind condition in the place were is used, so its almost useless for some place 400 m away (especially as the direction of wind there can be different and not oriented toward the windsock).
In fact, would be more of a use for the enemies, who watching the lines of those who use the windsock will know how the wind is there so they can correct their shots according to that.

I find much easy to correct any "rain of arrows" by putting few archers to shot an arrow toward the enemy and see how they fly and were they land, and then give orders to anyone to shot according to that (make necessary corrections if needed etc., maybe even using "draco" signals, as pointing the standard a bit left or right)