\'The military mark\' in Vegetius?

[Peroni]

After reading 'Stigma - Tattooing and branding in Graeco-roman antiquity' by C.P Jones The journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 77. (1987) pp 139-155.

It would seem that religious symbols and their like were the most common on the hands. No mention of unit identity.

[Robert Vermaat]

Tattoos always seemed more 'friendly' and effective means of securing a recruit. After all, tags and clotihing marks are too easily thrown away. And branding seems too harsh a thing, even for recruits!

[Tarbicus]

It would seem that religious symbols and their like were the most common on the hands. No mention of unit identity.

Adrian, check page 12, where dots apparently showed the unit's emblem (puncta signorum).

[Peroni]

Checked and verified. Thanks Jim.

Vegetius describes how recruits receive preliminary training and are then 'inscribed with permanent dots in the flesh' (uicturis in cute punctis scripti'); these dots apparently showed the emblems of the soldier's unit.

Vegetius 1.8; 2. 5.

It also appears that in a constitution of 398, military workers such as fabricenses were also marked in the manner of recruits.