Late Period Centurion\'s Vitis

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Ave!<br>
What did a late Roman centurion's vitis (vine stick) look like? I have seen some pics of them with a straight stick with a round ball on the end, but were they still using the twisted, gnarly ones too? You guys have any pics of yours? <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Lucius,<br>
You've got a machinegun-like posting velocity. Now I now that you've got plenty of time... after your accident and i wish you a soon and good recovery!<br>
The late Roman command staff appears for the first time in mid-third century on a Dura fresco. From later pictorial and sculptural evidence, I can tell you that -despite other interpretations- it was a straigth, downwards tapering staff with a mushroom shaped knob. Unfortunately, no real one has been found, up till now. From the early fourth century Piazza Armerina mosaic, we can guess that there wer longer versions for higher ranks than centurion. I, as a tribune, am wearing an armpit high staff in our re-enactment group.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Ha! Ha! I know Aitor! I guess I'm just so enthusiastic about all of this I can't help myself!<br>
Yeah, I had seen a photo of a late Roman centurion, and he was carrying a walking cane-length tapering wooden stick with a round knob on the end, just as you describe. That set me wondering about the differences between the earlier twisted vine sticks, and the late ones.<br>
Thank you for your kind words concerning my recovery. I believe that by this time next year I will have healed completely and returned to my normal way of life. I have learned very quickly (and never actually realized it much) that a back injury will literally cripple a person. I have had a very hard time even walking with any semblance of normality, but I have improved very much, and am actually getting around rather well now, just much slower than I use to.<br>
Anyway, enough about my problems, they will go away soon enough, and I will don my helmet and pick up my sword once more...<br>
Again, sorry for asking so many questions, but Roman reenactment and study thrills me so much, and I learn from asking, so I hope you will all be patient with me! <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

I am not sure wear the evidence for the knobbley, twisted early Imperial vitis comes from. It's true that many modern centurio impressions (including ours) use them, but the only ancient representation of one I can think of is on the stele of Titus Calidius Severus and his seems to have been straight!<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Hi Crispus!<br>
Yeah, I have seen the one from the grave stele you refer to. From the photos I have seen of various reenactors and their groups, it seems that the straight sticks may have taken the place of the twisted ones in the later years, but it could be that both were used at the same time during the whole existence of the Roman empire. Who knows? I certainly don't. I have a very nice twisted stick about armpit-high, as Aitor describes, but it is twisted in one place near the top. Other than that, it is fairly straight. I actually made it years ago as a hiking staff, before I became a Roman reenactor, and I was just wondering if it would be acceptable to employ it as a centurion's staff, but I am a late Roman (4th-5th century), so I just wanted to make sure it would be ok. <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

I wouldn't mak a late centurion's staff as long as that. Of the available handful of depictions of the late command staff, most of them are only waist high and I assume them to be centurial staffs, the two longer ones being worn by a higher officer at the Piazza Armerina mosaic and by the emperor Honorius at an ivory dyptich.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Ok, thanks Aitor. It may be that I need to cut it shorter in length. As of yet, I have no rank at all in our group, since we have just started it, but I am hoping Cavetus and I can come up with a good rank structure for ourselves soon. Since we are the founders of our group, I think we should have some kind of higher rank eventually. <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>