12-11-2007, 12:43 PM
I’m new to this period of history so please excuse my ignorance.
I’ve been trying to work out the significance of the badges on the signum and I’ve been unable to get a very clear picture from what I’ve found so far. I realise this thread has been dormant for several months but rather than start a new thread I feel it would be better to revisit this one.
My limited research up until now has been through the Osprey Men-at-Arms/ Elite books and the internet and I’d appreciate any pointers to more detailed reference works. I’m sorry the references mentioned above aren’t clear to a novice like me.
From what I’ve found, and what this thread seems to confirm, is that the exact significance of the badges is unknown.
I’ll summarise what I’ve got so far and hopefully you’ll be able to put me right.
I know about the spear head or manus tip so no questions there.
The next thing on the shaft was a crossbar. Could a signum have a name plate instead, or would that only apply to cohort and legion standards?
Next the philarae. They would sometimes have an image but am I right in saying they would mostly be blank?
Would a blank one signify that century being a veteran of a war or campaign?
This is the bit I’m not very sure about. If it wasn’t blank it would have one of the following images:
1. A zodiac sign. This was the birth sign of the Legion during the year it was raised or the birth sign of the person who raised the legion.
2. A non-zodiac effigy. Possibly relating to the origin of the unit, or the Legion, or a favourite god.
3. A wreath. Would that denote an honour or award to that century?
4. A number.
There could also be crescents instead of philarae. I’ve seen text saying this badge refers to either a campaign in Syria, or as a reference to the god Mithras, is this correct?
The cup at the bottom with the fringe I’m assuming is a hand hold for the signifier which stops his hand slipping up the shaft and has no other significance.
The Osprey book on the Praetorian Guard has a signum with ‘castle’ emblems but I haven’t seen a reference to that elsewhere. Would that mean that is specific to Praetorian centuries?
I’d appreciate any feedback on these points.
Regards
Adam Brown
I’ve been trying to work out the significance of the badges on the signum and I’ve been unable to get a very clear picture from what I’ve found so far. I realise this thread has been dormant for several months but rather than start a new thread I feel it would be better to revisit this one.
My limited research up until now has been through the Osprey Men-at-Arms/ Elite books and the internet and I’d appreciate any pointers to more detailed reference works. I’m sorry the references mentioned above aren’t clear to a novice like me.
From what I’ve found, and what this thread seems to confirm, is that the exact significance of the badges is unknown.
I’ll summarise what I’ve got so far and hopefully you’ll be able to put me right.
I know about the spear head or manus tip so no questions there.
The next thing on the shaft was a crossbar. Could a signum have a name plate instead, or would that only apply to cohort and legion standards?
Next the philarae. They would sometimes have an image but am I right in saying they would mostly be blank?
Would a blank one signify that century being a veteran of a war or campaign?
This is the bit I’m not very sure about. If it wasn’t blank it would have one of the following images:
1. A zodiac sign. This was the birth sign of the Legion during the year it was raised or the birth sign of the person who raised the legion.
2. A non-zodiac effigy. Possibly relating to the origin of the unit, or the Legion, or a favourite god.
3. A wreath. Would that denote an honour or award to that century?
4. A number.
There could also be crescents instead of philarae. I’ve seen text saying this badge refers to either a campaign in Syria, or as a reference to the god Mithras, is this correct?
The cup at the bottom with the fringe I’m assuming is a hand hold for the signifier which stops his hand slipping up the shaft and has no other significance.
The Osprey book on the Praetorian Guard has a signum with ‘castle’ emblems but I haven’t seen a reference to that elsewhere. Would that mean that is specific to Praetorian centuries?
I’d appreciate any feedback on these points.
Regards
Adam Brown
Adam Brown
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
