Legionary Insignia

[alanmac100]

Hi All,

I'm sure this little nugget has appeared before, but can anyone say they is a definitive answer to the question about Legionary markings. Anyone who collects figures or wargames knows of the excellent transfers produced by Steve at Little bigmen studios. On those he has represented 3rd Century Romans of Ulpia Traina with the laurel, Legio II Augusta with the Capricorn etc. There is evidence to suggest that the capricorn was in use with Legio II since Augustan times. I know the Boar was Legio XX, but does anyone know of any more that can be linked? What I really want to ascertain is whether it would be fair to assume that these insignia would have been used 1st/2nd cent. on shields.

Thanks

[Tarbicus]

My first reference for shield insignia is The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome, in which Ian Heath illustrates a large number of shield patterns from monuments, based on Paul McDonnell-Staff's drawings. The capricorn is on a legionary scutum (rounded curved "Republican" type) from the Arc d'Orange, and is linked in a 'probable' way to the II Augusta in AD 21.

Thunderbolts, lightning bolts, wings, scorpions, laurels, crescents, dolphins, stars, flora, concentric circles, eagles, tabulae, a hand holding a trident with a snake, are all there. The boar is not on any of them, including the oval shields.

[Peroni]

The capricorn is also the zodiac signum of LEG XIIII GMV, also raised by Augustus.

[Jona Lendering]

The capricorn is also the zodiac signum of LEG XIIII GMV, also raised by Augustus.

And the bull appears to have been the normal sign for Caesarian units. Ritterling has the following list:

Zodiac:
Lion: IIII Flavia, XIII Gemina, XVI?
Scorpio: Praetorian cohortes
Capricorn: I Adiutrix, II Augusta, IIII Macedonica, XIIII Gemina, XXII Primigenia, XXX Ulpia
Pisces: XI Claudia, XXX Ulpia
Aries: I Minervia
Taurus/Bull: I Italica?, III Gallica, IIII Macedonica, VI Victrix, VII Claudia, VIII Augusta, X Fretensis, X Gemina, XXII Primigenia
Gemini: II Italica, VI Ferrata

Non-zodiac:
Eagle: V Macedonica, XIIII Gemina
Hercules: II Taiana
Pegasus: II Adiutrix, II Augustus

Other:
Centaur: II Parthica
Neptune: XI Claudia, XXX Traiana
Boar: I Italica, X Fretensis, XX Victrix
Elephant: V Alaudae?
Stork: III Italica
Trireme: X Fretensis

I hope this helps.

[Tarbicus]

Shield or standard emblems?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Peroni wrote....
"The capricorn is also the zodiac signum of LEG XIIII GMV, also raised by Augustus"

I was under the impression the XIIIIth was raised by Caesar? Wiped out, then reformed?

Just read a good book on the XIIII by a Stephen Dando-Collins, so I hope it is somewhat accurate?

Jona wrote.....
"And the bull appears to have been the normal sign for Caesarian units. Ritterling has the following list....."

I am waiting on a republican scutum, which is going to have 2 bulls on it, supposedly depicting Caesars Xth. Just artists licence, mind you.

[Peroni]

Let's not forget the auxilia..

Cohors XV Voluntariorum cR pia fidelis also used the capricorn. Attested by shield cover fragments from Roomberg. (also raised by Augustus)

[Uwe Bahr]

Avete omnes,

late Roman example for the boar from the Piazza Armerina mosaics, Great Hunt:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

So, there is that debated emblem again! Hope you will not get in trouble for having it on your computer! hock:

Regards

[Matthew Amt]

What I really want to ascertain is whether it would be fair to assume that these insignia would have been used 1st/2nd cent. on shields.

I don't think there is much evidence for these emblems being used on shields at that time, apart from the capricorns on Legio II shields (Arch of Orange, I believe). Most seem to variations of the eagle wings and lightning bolts, and not just on Trajan's Column. There are also no depictions of vexilla with emblems on them--they are either shown blank (meaning they were probably painted) or they just have lettering. The one surviving vexillum, of course, just has Victory on a globe with NO lettering, just to confuse the issue!

Emblems like the boar, bull, and zodiac designs show up on stone carvings, roof tiles, shield covers, and a few other things. They may also have been used on signa, or for finials on vexilla, etc., but I don't know if there is solid evidence for that. We just don't see them on most shields! History's mysteries.

Matthew

[Tarbicus]

Emblems like the boar, bull, and zodiac designs show up on stone carvings, roof tiles, shield covers, and a few other things. They may also have been used on signa, or for finials on vexilla, etc., but I don't know if there is solid evidence for that. We just don't see them on most shields! History's mysteries.

There's no mystery Matt. There are no boars on 1st/2nd C shield emblems found to date even in sculpture, which was the point of the original question. Transplanting wishful thinking on the facts means that painting your shield with it is ... wishful thinking, and probably because it looks good.

The example on a Late shield is pretty meaningless, as we should therefore say that tunics were long-sleeved and Intercissas were worn.

That's not to say an educated guess is wrong, but it does negate the validity of, for instance, the idea that maybe the Roman Army had a strict tradition of certain motifs being used on shields, perhaps for good fortune in the name of certain traditions, in particular Jupiter? I hope you see what I mean. Because it was on a standard doesn't mean it was on a scutum.

[marcii ulpi messala]

In a hanger in form of increasing and phallus for strap of cavalry, there is a clinched Eagle. Does it mean this that belonged to concretly wing of the Roman cavalry? Or was this sign of Jupiter used by the whole Roman army in general?

[mcbishop]

Emblems like the boar, bull, and zodiac designs show up on stone carvings, roof tiles, shield covers, and a few other things. They may also have been used on signa, or for finials on vexilla, etc., but I don't know if there is solid evidence for that. We just don't see them on most shields! History's mysteries.

Ahem. Lion on the main Dura curved rectangular shield? ;-)

Mike Bishop

[Tarbicus]

In a hanger in form of increasing and phallus for strap of cavalry, there is a clinched Eagle. Does it mean this that belonged to concretly wing of the Roman cavalry? Or was this sign of Jupiter used by the whole Roman army in general?

It must be safe IMHO to connect the eagle wings to Jupiter, as well as the thunderbolts (often referred to as the 'ice cream cones' or 'unicorn horns'). I'd say the eagle is Jupiter, but that's only my opinion.

[marcii ulpi messala]

IMHO? Translation please. Thank you Jim.