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Romans in Britain - Glossary of military terms Category: History and Culture > Romans Date & country: 12/12/2007, UK Words: 983

Proreta
Assistant helmsman.

Protector
A - bodyguard. B - staff officer.

Protector divini lateris
Late Roman staff officer.

Protector domesticus
'Household bodyguard'. late Roman staff officer.

Protostasia
Recruiting tax levied on landownership.

Provincia
Province. area of responsibility.

Provincia inermis
'Unarmed province'. province without a permanent legionary garrison.

Psilos
Light infantryman.

Pterophoros
'Feather bearer'. messenger.

Pteryges
'Wings'. leather or linen strips for the protection of upper arms and thighs.

Pugio
Dagger.

Pugna
Fight. battle.

Pugnator
Fighter. warrior.

Punctim ferire
To stab (with a sword).

Quadrata
Rectangular shield.

Quadrieris
Warship with four rowers on two levels.

Quadriga falcata
Scythed chariot.

Quaestionarius
Interrogator. torturer.

Quaestor
A - state official with financial responsibilities. B - soldier of financial administrative department.

Quarta militia
Fourth equestrian military post involving command of an ala milliaria .

Qui ordines sequentu
'The ones who follow the centurions'. the NCO's.

Quincunx
Modern term for the chequerboard manipular battle order resembling the five dots on dice. note that this was NOT a term used by the ancient Romans for this type of battle deployment.

Quingenaria
Five hundred strong.

Quinquatria
Religious festival that opened campaigning season.

Quinqueremis
'Fiver'. quinquereme. ship with five rowers on either two or three levels.

Rebellis
Rebel. insurgent.

Receptio
'Reception'. incorporation into the empire of barbarians across the borders.

Remansor
Soldier left in camp.

Remex
Oarsman.

Remus
Oar.

Retentura
Rear part of a camp behind the praetorium .

Retentus
Soldier kept in service after serving required term.

Rhomphaia
Sword. falchion.

Ripa
River bank.

Riparius
Soldier belonging to late Roman frontier unit.

Rorarius
'Attacker'. legionary skirmisher attached to units of triarii .

Rostrum
Ship's beak or ram.

Rudis
Wooden practice sword.

Rufulus
Officer picked by a commander. Named after the consul rutilius rufus.

Rumpia
Slashing blade. falchion.

Saccus undecimus
'Eleventh bag'. military burial fund.

Sacer
'Sacred'. belonging to the emperor.

Sacer comitatus
'Sacred following'. imperial field army.

Sacramentum
Military oath.

Sagitta
Arrow.

Sagitta ballistaria
Catapult bolt.

Sagittarius
A - archer. B - arrow-maker.

Sagma
Pack saddle.

Sagmarius
Pack animal driver.

Sagularis
Camp road running along the inside of the rampart.

Sagulum
Cloak.

Sagum
Cloak.

Salararius
Soldier enjoying special service conditions. mercenary.

Salaratus
Soldier enjoying special service conditions. mercenary.

Salgamum
Extortion of goods or money, a common military practice.

Salpinktès
Trumpeter.

Salpinx
Trumpet.

Sambuca
Covered assault ladder.

Sarcina
Marching pack.

Sarissa
Macedonian pike.

Saunion
Spear. javelin.

Scala
Ladder.

Scamnum
Partition of military camp.

Scamnum tribunorum
Part of the camp used to house the tribuni .

Scapha
Scouting vessel.

Schola
A - social club. B - military unit.

Schola palatin
Late Roman mounted imperial guard unit.

Schola principalium
NCO social club.

Scholarius
Late Roman horse guard trooper.

Scola
A - social club. B - military unit.

Scola agentum in rebus
Late Roman military intelligence unit.

Scopae
Practice target.

Scorpio
'Scorpion'. A - torsion gun. B - artilleryman.

Scorpionarius
Artilleryman.

Scurra
Late Roman guardsman.

Scutarius
'Shieldbearer'. A - soldier equipped with large shield. B - guardsman.

Scutatus
Soldier equipped with larger sized shield.

Scutum
Shield.

Scutum publicum
Government issue shield.

Secutor
Bodyguard. batman.

Semaforus
Standardbearer.

Sèmeion
Standard.

Sèmiaphoros
Standardbearer.

Semispatha
Short sword.

Semissalis
Late Roman junior NCO.

Semivocale
Musical signal.

Seniores
'Veterans'. late Roman unit that detached men to create the core of a Iuniores unit.

Sermo castrensis
'Camp language'. military slang.

Serra
'Saw'. serrated battle formation.

Sesquiplicarius
NCO on pay and a half.

Signa inferre
'To move the standards forward'. to advance, to attack.

Signaculum
Lead identification disc worn by recruits.

Signatus
Soldier that has been accepted for service.

Signifer
Standardbearer.

Signum
A - standard. B - identification tattoo worn by soldiers.

Simplaris
Soldier on basic pay.

Singularis
'Singled out', picked soldier.

Skorpioon
Artilleryman.

Socii
Allies.

Socii navales
Naval allies.